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Assistant buyer and assistant merchandiser - Assistant buyer

Assistant buyer and assistant merchandiser - Assistant buyer

Sales, marketing and procurement

Level 6 - Professional Occupation

Sourcing, selecting, maintaining and delivering the right products to meet demand and business objectives.

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Reference: OCC0668A

Status: assignment_turned_inApproved occupation

Average (median) salary: £33,133 per year

SOC 2020 code: 3551 Buyers and procurement officers

SOC 2020 sub unit groups:

  • 3551/00 Buyers and procurement officers
  • 3429/05 Visual merchandising managers and designers
  • 3553/00 Merchandisers
  • 7125/02 Visual merchandisers and window dressers

Technical Education Products

ST0668:

Assistant buyer and assistant merchandiser - Assistant buyer

(Level 6)

Approved for delivery

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Ocado, Steinhoff UK Ltd, Allen Apprenticeships and Skills, The Fashion Retail Academy, People 1st, Superdrug, Arcadia, M&S, Debenhams, JD Sports, John Lewis, Co-operative Group, Sainsburys, Mothercare, Travis Perkins, Retail Trust

Summary

This occupation is typically found in the retail sector, across a range of different types of companies and employers such as those selling direct to the public / consumer and those selling to trade. It is also found across different types of retail operation, including those who trade from traditional stores, those who are exclusively on-line, and those who operate through a variety of channels.


The purpose of the occupation is to understand the brand and customer in order to source, select, maintain and deliver the right products to meet demand and business objectives. Using effective business forecasting, risk and opportunity analysis, creativity and business insight, they anticipate and shape customer demand and market trends. The overarching purpose of buyers is to identify and source the right products and services, in line with the organisations strategic objectives, for the organisation to sell to customers.The overarching purpose of the merchandiser is to maximise sales and profit by ensuring that the right products are available to customers in the right place at the right time and in the right quantities. They achieve their objectives by developing and implementing buying and merchandising strategies to ensure current and future customer demand is researched, anticipated and satisfied. They anticipate and prepare for new markets through customer insight and research activities, and they contribute to company profit through efficient, effective and sustainable buying and merchandising.

In this occupation, individuals would normally interact with a wide range of internal and external colleagues, including but not limited to, their wider buying and merchandising team, designers, manufacturers, suppliers, distribution centres, stores, marketing, finance and IT departments. This is normally an office-based role, but may involve remote working, travel to stores, trade fairs, supplier meetings etc. There may also be a need for travel to other countries for supplier and factory meetings. There will usually be a significant leadership element to the role.


In this occupation, they will typically be responsible for the management of a team. They will be responsible for an assigned ‘assortment’ or product range. They will have budget responsibility, which varies significantly across different employers and departments, but could reach £100m+.

Employers involved in creating the standard:

Ocado, Steinhoff UK Ltd, Allen Apprenticeships and Skills, The Fashion Retail Academy, People 1st, Superdrug, Arcadia, M&S, Debenhams, JD Sports, John Lewis, Co-operative Group, Sainsburys, Mothercare, Travis Perkins, Retail Trust

Typical job titles include:

Assistant buyer
Assistant merchandiser
Buyer
Merchandiser

Keywords:

Business
Buyer
Buying And Merchandising
Merchandiser
Retail
Sale

Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)

K1: Understands the overall product portfolio and brand image that the company is promoting to the customer, and can purchase and merchandise the products accordingly.
K2: Understands how to identify current and future buying and loyalty behaviours of existing and potential customer groups for core products and third party products
K3: Understands the impact of the buying critical path on the effective operation of the buying function. Understands the concept and impact of new product development.
K4: Understands when a product and product range has reached the end of its lifecycle, and acts appropriately to ensure its removal from the product range.
K5: Understands the key factors that influence UK and global markets, including economic and political activity
K6: Understands how different business models, buying cycles, trading models and customer groups can affect the buying and merchandising process.
K7: Understands the impact of emerging technological changes, for example AI, in terms of how product is sourced, how buying and merchandising processes might be improved, and how they might impact on customers,
K8: Understands what factors contribute to the strategic development of the buying and merchandising function,and how through their leadership, they can influence the development of the strategy
K9: Understands the key factors that influence the quality of a product and tolerance levels.
K10: Understands the strategic implications for product range development, and the appropriate courses of action available.
K11: Understands the importance of ensuring that at all stages of the buying and merchandising process, the product is fit for purpose and meets company standards
K12: Understands impact of new and evolving purchasing options across different fulfilment channels.
K13: Understands the main influencers on sales and profit growth, and can lead the team to achieve them.
K14: Understands the key financial levers and ratios that affect profitability, and can manage the team to ensure that profit is maximized.
K15: Understands the key deliverables associated with the buying and merchandising function, such as cost return rates, re-buys, cancellations, debit agreements, delivery dates, lead times etc.
K16: Understands the importance of effective negotiation and managing an ongoing relationship, including with designers, manufacturers and suppliers.
K17: Understands the importance of effective partnerships with other functions and departments, such as Merchandising, Sales and Finance, and leads the team to ensure that the outcomes from the relationships are maximized.
K18: Knows when to make appropriate refer decisions to senior executives in order to obtain the correct level of authorisation.
K19: Understands why effective planning and forecasting are vital to delivering a robust range plan, such as aspects of customer demand and changes in buying patterns.
K20: Understands the importance of, and strategies to, lead, coach, motivate and develop members of the team
K21: Understands the importance of leadership style and self - development, on the success of the business
K22: Knows how to identify the customer’s current and future needs and purchasing trends, including ethical and sustainable retailing
K23: Understands how different channels of delivery, buying cycles, trading models and customer groups can affect the buying and merchandising process.
K24: Understand how to identify current and future buying and loyalty behaviours of existing and potential customer groups.
K25: Understands key buying analysis criteria such as, competitor benchmarking, price comparison, and competitor analysis.
K26: Understands the roles that techniques such as business planning, pricing strategies, product design and product manufacture, often in a global context, have on the overall success of the business
K27: Understands the need to develop and implement innovative and responsive processes and systems to customer's digital demands.
K28: Understands the requirements of delivering to the most appropriate route to market.
K29: Understands the potential problems that can arise from non-legal and ethical compliance and options for mitigation.
K30: Understands the concept and impact of new product development.
K31: Understands the importance of onboarding new suppliers to ensure full compliance with internal and external standards
K32: Understand where additional corporate requirements are needed to enhance compliance practice
K33: Understands the process that is required to ensure the rectification of any failures
K46: Understands the impact that they have as a leader on the business,.
K47: Knows how to effectively build relationships with key external stakeholders
K49: Knows how to utilise different communication techniques

S1: Apply understanding of customer and business operations to inform decisions on product and service portfolio management.
S2: Selects and merchandises products that enhance the company brand image and product portfolio.
S3: Anticipates the need for products and ensures that the buying process enables their effective delivery to the customer
S4: Delivers and articulates supported recommendations regarding the introduction or withdrawal of a product and product range.
S5: Analyse and react to main influences on Buying and Merchandising plans, taking appropriate actions as a result.
S6: Leads the team to construct the key buying and merchandising objectives and plans for the specific product range to reach or exceed sales at forecasted levels.
S7: Makes appropriate managerial decisions to ensure the departmental approach to selecting products and services balances quality and commerciality
S8: Uses management -based monitoring procedures throughout the buying and merchandising process, taking account of legal and other requirements to ensuring product compliance is maintained.
S9: Critically evaluate and advocate opportunities presented by new technologies taking account of how they will impact on the product range, fulfilment and consumer behaviour.
S10: Analyses appropriate cost and income influences on buying and merchandising plans to make informed decisions
S11: Through their influence as a leader, looks to use digital opportunities to drive sales and profitability across all channels where appropriate
S12: Demonstrates how to negotiate in a manner that obtains the optimum outcome for the business
S13: Through their leadership and management of the team, demonstrates a strategic approach to the relationship with other departments.
S14: Anticipates potential problems and opportunities through the effective liaison at the appropriate level with other teams and functions.
S15: Critically reviews and revises plans and forecasts for the function, taking into account the latest trend analyses, to produce the range.
S16: Develops and implements a ‘People Plan’, that is effective in ensuring sufficient team capacity and capabilities to deliver on business objectives
S17: Demonstrates an effective leadership style in achieving the key business objectives.
S18: Ensure continuous personal and team development to enhance delivery
S19: By using data, analyse and predict the customer’s current and future needs and purchasing trends, including how the customer journey is impacted
S20: Using critical research, construct a customer engagement plan identifying the effective and profitable channels to market.
S21: Assesses and implements the relevant approach required from a buying and merchandising strategy, to take account of differing types of delivery channel, product and customer.
S22: Using critical research, construct a customer engagement plan identifying the effective channels to market.
S23: Work in partnership with the customer engagement team to achieve better outcomes for both existing and new customer groups.
S24: Analyses the key buying criteria to help shape the planned product range
S25: Critically evaluates the current and future methods of digital delivery, and anticipates customer changes in respect of the use of digital and Artificial Intelligence
S26: Being able to implement techniques such as business planning, pricing strategies, product design and product manufacturing to maximise sales and profitably
S27: Ensures that the organisation’s ethical and legal policies and procedures are monitored and adhered to by the team and suppliers.
S28: Anticipates the need for products and to ensure that the buying process enables their effective delivery to the customer
S29: Can articulate a supported recommendation regarding the introduction or withdrawal of a product and product range.
S30: Ensures compliance with company operating standards in the sourcing of range.
S31: Can identify when problems are likely to occur, and manage action required to resolve them.
S32: Effectively analyses the key buying criteria to help shape the planned product range for 3rd party products
S49: Demonstrate effective problem solving and time management skills, and an expert written and verbal communication style
S50: : Assess the impact that they have on key external relationships, and adjusts their style to ensure that they achieve maximum benefit for the business

B1: Acts as an ambassador for the buying and merchandising function and the business
B2: As a leader, Is resilient, responsible, commercially aware and takes the initiative
B3: Seeks opportunities to develop themselves and the team
B4: Builds relationships across the whole function and beyond.
B5: Is creative in their approach to the role

Duties

Duty D1

Creatively manage a portfolio of products and services to ensure that the critical path(s) for the assortment is (are) followed, taking appropriate corrective actions to resolve issues as needed.

Duty D2

Apply detailed knowledge of UK and / or global markets to select and develop an appropriate product and service range.

Duty D3

Through effective leadership, develop and contribute to departmental buying and merchandising strategy to ensure overarching organisation objectives are met and that products and services meet the needs of the customer.

Duty D4

Take account of emerging technological changes in design and delivery as well as new markets to maximise market share and profitability.

Duty D5

Make informed managerial decisions that manage risk, drive sales and profitability, taking into account the requirements of different customer and delivery channels.

Duty D6

Drive sales and profitability through effective negotiations with suppliers on key deliverables such as: capacity, cost price and flexibility, re-buys, cancellations, delivery dates, lead times, promotion support etc.

Duty D7

Manage and collaborate with key internal stakeholder functions to agree appropriate promotional strategies and other activities to maximise the success and profitability of the allocated assortment.

Duty D8

Deliver robust range building and planning for the assigned assortment, linking it in to the wider operation of the buying and merchandising function.

Duty D9

Lead, coach, manage, motivate and develop self and team members to achieve personal and business success.

Duty D10

Ensure all channels to market are considered and the most appropriate channel(s) is/are selected to maximise the sales and profit potential.

Duty D11

Developing own brand products to meet current trends and customer requirements, linked to strategy and financial targets.

Duty D12

Ensure department is set up to maximise sales and profitability by using techniques such as pricing strategies, product trends, product design and appropriate routes to market.

Duty D13

Ensure they and their team deliver in an ethical, sustainable and legal way in the sourcing of product ranges, aligned to the overall strategy of the business.

Duty D14

Analyse and evaluate overall performance of the Buying function, against the original strategy and business plan, identifying lessons to learn for future business cycles.

Duty D15

Ensure ranges are sourced to comply with relevant safety and quality standards. Oversee the process to identify and rectify any failures in safety and / or quality.

Duty D16

Source and select 3rd party products to meet current trends and customer requirements, linked to strategy and financial targets.

Occupational Progression

This occupational progression map shows technical occupations that have transferable knowledge and skills.

In this map, the focused occupation is highlighted in yellow. The arrows indicate where transferable knowledge and skills exist between two occupations. This map shows some of the strongest progression links between the focused occupation and other occupations.

It is anticipated that individuals would be required to undertake further learning or training to progress to and from occupations. To find out more about an occupation featured in the progression map, including the learning options available, click the occupation.

Progression decisions have been reached by comparing the knowledge and skills statements between occupational standards, combined with individualised learner movement data.

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Sales, marketing and procurement