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Associate Buyer, Polo Lauren Accessories
Ralph Lauren
New York, NY, United States
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Ralph Lauren Corporation is a leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in four categories: apparel, home, accessories and fragrances. For more than nearly 50 years, Ralph Lauren’s reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets.
Accountabilities:
• Bottom-line financial accountability for product area (shared with Buyer and Planner).
• Accountable for product selection and product performance.
• Accuracy of buying office work product (i.e. - PO Management).
Responsibilities:
• Partner with the Buyer to formulate and profitably execute the development, selection, procurement and promotion of merchandise across multiple brands.
• Develop and implement product strategies that tie to financial plans (partner with Planner).
• Identify and execute key item and mailer item strategies.
• Review product assortments with Buyer to insure the integration of brands and balance of price points.
• Partner with planning to continually manage the business through in-season analysis and tactical adjustments. Review changes to strategy and the on order with Buyer.
• Regularly communicate with visual presentation regarding inventory levels and assortment changes based on business trends.
• Continually partner with design, corporate merchandising and licensees to ensure that RLM product needs are met.
• Consistently utilize corporate direction, brand strategy, and national ad campaigns to direct product area.
• Participate in fiscal planning by recommending areas of strategic focus for the product area: identify growth, maintain and downtrending businesses and brands.
• Conduct Quarterly Strategy Meeting and gain buy-in from storeline, marketing and visual presentation.
• Negotiate with vendors on all costing, discounts, and delivery.
• Manage daily priorities, performance and work product of direct reports
• Facilitate ongoing communication with planning and distribution teams
• Visit and sell-in stores monthly: shop the competition regularly for trends and product opportunities.
Required Skills/Qualities:
• Customer, marketplace and product expert.
• Expertise in retail math
• Strong analytical skills.
• Decision making capability clearly driven by conceptualizing future opportunities and developing strategic product and business initiatives.
• Strong leadership and team building skills, including the ability to motivate, negotiate and influence effectively across departments and divisions.
• Proven negotiation skills.
• Creative, assertive and solution-oriented when faced with difficult business performance and/or challenging directives from the Buyer and Planner.
• Presentation and communication skills, both spoken and written
• Prioritize and direct multiple activities.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
Stretch Skills:
• Work independently of the Buyer.
• Create product assortments that integrate brands and balance price points.
• Negotiate with vendors on sourcing opportunities and safety stock programs.
• Consistently make confident and independent recommendations and accept accountability for achieving business goals.
• Routinely influence, present and defend a business argument both one-on-one and in a group setting.
• Establish, nurture and utilize internal and external partners to drive the business.
• Develop a team and an environment that fosters respect for the ideas of others and supports ongoing collaboration to execute business strategy.
• Interface with PRC, design, and vendors to develop and execute products not originally planned for the line.
• Proven management skills.
Ralph Lauren is an equal opportunity employer. We offer dynamic career opportunities with growth potential and a generous company discount.