Merchandise Buyer at Yuppiechef

Merchandise Buyer Position

• Seeking dynamic, driven individuals with high energy levels. 
• Responsible for maximizing sales and net profit by sourcing and constructing an appealing product range, aligned to company objectives.
• Experience in category and product development is essential.
• Experience in stock management as well as managing a multi-seasonal view of current trade, previous performances and future opportunity.
• A strong track record in meeting and exceeding sales targets.

Who we are

Yuppiechef is South Africa's premier kitchen and homeware store. Based in Westlake, Cape Town with retail stores throughout South-Africa we see ourselves as helping people find more moments of joy in their homes — through products that make daily life more comfortable, more innovative and more beautiful. And we do it through our omnichannel shopping experience, providing our world-class service to our customers both in our stores and online.

High quality product content on our website is a key component of creating a seamless shopping experience for our customers — helping them make more informed decisions and inspiring them with well-written copy, accurate specs and beautiful visuals.

Who we’re looking for

We’re looking for a full-time Merchandise Buyer Your key objectives as a Buyer would be to build a balanced assortment of merchandise which appeals to our customer and ensures maximum profit for your department is achieved.

What your role looks like

Reporting into Merchandising Manager for Kitchen, this high paced role requires your high energy levels and eye for product to develop a product strategy that will ensure our company gains maximum profitability. Determine the product strategy for your department for the season. You will negotiate with suppliers on aspects of price, listing requirements, seasonal paid marketing initiatives, fabrication, and delivery dates. You will also collaborate with other functional areas such as Web team, Marketing, Resourcing and Visual Merchandising and supply chain to enable you to meet your portfolio objectives

Who you’ll be working with

You will be working closely with Buyers Assistants/Listing specialists and Planners. Our merchandise department which is made up of 3 departments including Sourcing, Marketing, Visual/Retail Merchandising. You will interact across all 3 with direct focus on the buying of our Kitchen or Outdoor categories. 

Who you are

You are an experienced Merchandise Buyer with a proven track record in delivering strong sales results. You are dynamic and open to working in a fast paced unstructured and collaborative environment. You have a love for product, trends and fashion while innovation drives you! You are excited about e-commerce and retail. You are a good communicator (both in-person and asynchronously over email or chat), work well both autonomously and collaboratively, and enjoy honing your technical skills.

People would also describe you as:

• Authentic
• Passionate
• Creative
• Committed
• Disciplined
• Calm and confident
• Conscientious 
• Observant

What experience and skills you need for the role

Experience:

• Relevant degree or diploma advantageous (Fashion, Retail Business Management, Textile, Consumer Science)
• 2-5 years buying experience 
• Knowledge of merchandise systems/ applications
• Outdoor, Knives or Cookware category experience or exposure, either as a buyer or supplier
• Strong verbal and written communication including negotiation skills
• Intermediate to advanced level of proficiency in database & system usage and management 
• Creative inclination
• Able to work well under pressure
• Technical product knowledge of Kitchen categories (advantageous)

Environment, gear, pay and benefits

Gear you’ll use:

• A Macbook
• Various online packages, reporting tools and dashboards


Environment:

• A fully-equipped, communal kitchen where you can use all the tools we sell
• A fully-stocked coffee stations where you can hone your barista skills
• Parking available

Pay and Benefits:

• We pay competitive, market-related salaries based on skills and experience.
• Your salary is based on a “Total Cost To Company” model and includes:
  • Medical Aid (Discovery) contributions
  • Group Life Cover
  • Retirement Annuity
  • Employee Assistance programme
  • 17 Days Paid Annual Leave increasing to 20 days with length of service