BUYER (LEVEL I) - UNIFORMS

Job Summary

Maximizes sales and profitability for an assigned group of businesses through the development and implementation of strategy, analysis, and appropriate reaction to sales trends.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of business strategy for a category to achieve departmental sales, gross margin, and turnover objectives for a worldwide omni‑channel retail organization.
• Supervise and develop a staff that includes an Assistant Buyer and Merchandiser.
• Analyze market trends and offerings to develop, execute, and maintain merchandise stock assortments, business strategies, goals, and seasonal plans for assigned merchandise departments.
• Negotiate with vendors to obtain the most favorable prices and allowances to achieve sales and profit objectives for basic and seasonal merchandise.
• Manage vendor performance and conduct global sourcing for private‑label, seasonal, and basic merchandise as appropriate.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to develop space allocation, adjacencies, seasonal merchandise visual guidelines, and planograms for store sets and renovations.
• Develop and execute marketing plans for assigned departments.
• Oversee order placement and tracking to ensure timely receipt of merchandise.
• Maximize cooperation of market development funds.
• Work closely with the Divisional Merchandise Manager, Inventory, and Financial Planning teams to plan sales, gross profit, and stock turn both seasonally and annually, maintaining an in‑season forecast on a monthly basis.
• Analyze financial performance using tools such as Data Warehouse and Category Scorecard, taking corrective action when necessary.
• Determine and execute automated replenishment methods with Inventory Planning teams.
• Determine optimal order size, inventory levels, and allocations with Financial and Inventory Planning teams to achieve merchandising and financial goals.
• Prepare merchandise information and training materials for communication guides, weekly retail focus, seasonal trend directives, merchandise adjacency and presentation guides, special unadvertised buyer promotions, new products and vendor launches, flex‑zone directives, return‑to‑vendor directives, pricing error directives, product hold updates, ad flyers errors, and in‑stock issues.
• Conduct store visits to evaluate merchandise presentation, customer demographics, stock assortments, and inventory levels; work with store management to maximize business opportunities.
• Provide associate training seminars and supervise staff development.
• Attend trade shows and markets as appropriate.
• Maintain collaborative partnerships with vendors and internal/external colleagues.
• Operate independently within NEXCOM policies, procedures, and regulations, exercising independent judgment in routine and non‑routine situations.
• Consult with supervisor on policy matters, deviations, or unusual circumstances.
• Performance evaluated on operational performance, skills evaluations, customer service, collaboration, teamwork, leadership, and established objectives.
• File a Financial Disclosure Report (OGE Form 450) as required.

Requirements

• Total of 7 years of experience, including:
  • 3 years of general experience in administrative, merchandising, technical, or related work that provides knowledge of merchandising and procurement practices, interpersonal skills, and mature judgment; or substitution of education (1 year of post‑high‑school education can replace 9 months of experience, up to a maximum of a 4‑year bachelor's degree for 3 years of general experience.
  • 4 years of progressive specialized experience in procurement practices, methods, and procedures, including open‑to‑buy management, source selection, comparison shopping, pricing, markdowns, stock rotation, sales promotions, and other merchandise controls.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Comprehensive benefits package
• Retirement opportunities
• Paid time off
• Employee discounts
• Opportunity to support the military community

Schedule

Full‑Time (35+ hours)

Primary Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States