Buyer (Kitchen/Home Tower/Checklane)

About the Role

The Buyer (Kitchen/Home Tower/Checklane) plays a critical role in shaping and executing the category strategy for a designated department. With a strong understanding of product development, pricing architecture, and customer behavior, the Buyer is responsible for building a compelling, brand-right assortment that drives both financial results and customer engagement. This role requires a blend of creativity, analytical skills, and market insight to deliver innovative product stories that differentiate the brand and meet evolving customer expectations. The ideal candidate is a well-rounded merchant with a passion for products and a strong ability to translate insights into strategy.

Responsibilities

• Cross-Functional Team Leadership: Lead and inspire cross-functional teams, including Planning, Sourcing, and Go-to-Market partners. Build consensus and drive alignment through strong influence, collaboration, and communication skills.
• Category Strategy & Assortment Planning:
  • Develop and execute customer-focused merchandise strategies and seasonal assortment plans that support financial objectives and reflect brand values.
  • Partner with Planning & Sourcing to build seasonal assortment plans, providing input on item intent, retail, and cost confirmation.
• Product Expertise & Development:
  • Act as the category product expert with deep knowledge of quality tiers, construction, pricing, and brand-appropriate product selection.
  • Lead curation of newness and product stories that create customer excitement and drive productivity.
• Business & Financial Management:
  • Partner with Planning to build merchandise financial plans and by-door assortments.
  • Manage Open to Buy and take decisive in-season action to achieve sales, margin, and inventory goals.
• Vendor & Sourcing Collaboration:
  • Communicate category and item strategy to Sourcing to negotiate costs, improve margins, and optimize the vendor matrix.
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with key product partners.
• In-Season Performance Optimization: Analyze weekly, monthly, and seasonal sales data to identify risks and opportunities, adjusting strategies to maximize profitability.
• Inventory & Markdown Management: Collaborate with Planning on assortment intent and season priorities to ensure strategic goals are met.
• Market & Competitive Analysis: Conduct structured competitive shops and gather marketplace intelligence to inform strategy, uncover whitespace, and ensure assortment differentiation.
• Cross-Functional Execution: Work closely with Marketing, eCommerce/Digital, and Visual Merchandising to ensure cohesive go-to-market execution and alignment on brand and business goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 5-7 years of experience in buying, merchandising, or category management in a retail or consumer-focused organization.
• Strong product sensibility and understanding of pricing, quality, and customer value.
• Demonstrated ability to build product assortment and deliver financial results.
• Strong analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Passionate about the customer, brand storytelling, and product innovation.

About Us

When you’re part of our team, you have the full support of a diverse, close-knit team. We respect, appreciate, and celebrate the experiences and qualities that differentiate everyone on the team.