Buying Assistant (NEXT Wholly Owned Brands)

About The Role

The Buying Assistant provides essential administrative and operational support to the Buying and Merchandising teams. This role plays a key part in ensuring a smooth product journey and delivering an inspirational, authoritative, and profitable assortment for our customers.

Product and Range Management

• Manage the critical path by liaising with Buying and Merchandising teams to ensure a smooth product journey from start to finish.
• Maintain oversight of key dates while working collaboratively with team members and business stakeholders and proactively highlight any risks or concerns
• Develop a deep understanding of the product range by managing fabric approvals, fit samples, and shoot samples.
• Take full responsibility for managing all department samples, including those for shoots, marketing, and fits.

Trading & Insight

• Support the Buying team during Monday trade meetings by demonstrating knowledge of best and worst sellers.
• Present department reactions and best sellers to the wider business to help potentialise sales and reduce risks.
• Utilise a strong commercial eye to conduct regular inspirational competitor shopping reports and present insights on retail activity and fashion trends to the Buying and Design teams.

Collaboration & Supplier Management

• Accurately and efficiently update and input critical information into buying systems.
• Build and maintain strong collaborative relationships across the business.
• Act as a team player with peers and wider departments by actively listening to others and working together to achieve goals.

About You

You might already have experience as a Buying Assistant or in a fashion or retail environment, or you could be looking for an opportunity to take the next step towards a career in Buying. You don’t need to know everything on day one – we’re looking for genuine fashion passion, commercial curiosity and the drive to learn.

• Lives and breathes fashion – curious about trends, brands, products and what customers will want next.
• Has a commercial eye – interested in what’s selling, competitors and what makes a product work for the customer.
• Loves product and detail – from fabrics and fit through to how a product looks, feels and lands with the customer.
• Is organised, hands-on and resilient – able to manage multiple priorities, solve problems and keep things moving in a fast-paced environment.
• Is collaborative and curious – confident sharing ideas, enjoys working with others and is keen to learn and build a career in Buying.
• Fashion degree, retail or store experience is beneficial, but we’re interested in your potential as well as your experience.

What We Can Offer You

This isn’t just an administrative role. It’s an opportunity to get close to the product and learn how a fashion range is created, developed and traded. You’ll work alongside experienced Buyers and Merchandisers and gain exposure to everything from product development and samples through to competitor activity, trade meetings and commercial decision-making.

You’ll develop skills across critical path management, product development, trend analysis, competitor shopping, presenting and commercial trading, giving you a strong foundation for a career in fashion Buying. You’ll also have the opportunity to work closely with our Buying, Merchandising and Design teams, giving you a broad understanding of how the different teams come together to create a successful product range.

And because you’ll be part of NEXT Wholly Owned Brands, you’ll have the opportunity to work across a portfolio of fashion and lifestyle brands, surrounded by people who are encouraged to be curious, challenge convention and bring new ideas to the table.