Senior Buyer | B&Q

Job Description

Job Requisition ID:144263Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al-Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al-Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the worlds most admired and innovative brands. Al-Futtaim Group?s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.By upholding our values of respect, excellence, collaboration and integrity; Al-Futtaim Group continues to enrich the lives and aspirations of our customers each and every dayOverview of the Role:The Senior Buyer is responsible for achieving all the goals & targets relating to merchandise, i.e. range planning and assortment, range structure, number of articles, width and depth of the range, sales targets, pricing and gross margins, number of suppliers, negotiation & trading terms, assortment planning, planogram cycle, and implementation of the promotional/seasonal strategy of the business across all territories. Will work cross functionally across departments to forecast the needs of the business and make decisions based on customer and market trends and sales, ensuring high levels of newness is constantly being introduced while managing effect inventory and stock controls.He/she should be analytically minded, sales and customer driven, possessing excellent negotiating skills to secure the best prices according to budget with a good knowledge of sales and marketing principles to drive the commercial objectives.With a strong, solid background in purchasing and supply chain management, the candidate will take a proactive approach in reviewing the commercial offer, making recommendations and implementing changes. The role will have a clear project focus, supporting the business function at a strategic level to achieve budget goals and new range development.What you will do: Range Selection

• All merchandise ?planning? follows the ?think/plan/buy/move and sell? principle ensuring the process is always adhered.
• Merchandise assortments follow the good/better/best principle.
• Ensures that ?Category Management?, encompassing the above, through to in-store Planograms & layouts are followed and adheres to the process
• Sets the Product Category range priorities in accordance with the overall merchandise strategy and is agreed with the Head of Commercial and Country Manager/GM.
• Keeps updated about local market conditions and requirements in each territory, such as ?taste levels?, developing trends, competitor growth & customer buying habits as well as product acceptability. All these factors are used to ultimately arrive at a decision regarding range selection and the width & depth of the different product areas within the range.
• Ensures the range is selected, priced & delivered, taking account of the product lifecycle as well as our supply chain and warehousing capabilities.
• Maintaining 96% in-store product availability in line with business KPIs

Product Forecast and Merchandise Management

• Maintains ongoing communication with the Brands Regional Warehouses regarding all issues related to the ?BRANDS sourced? product range & product forecasts.
• Ensures that sales forecasts are adapted to sales patterns in order to achieve an optimal goods flow.
• Works closely with the 3PL partner & Planning & Business Analytics. Reviews performance of merchandise, plans vs. actual, viability of a particular item, stock cover etc. Based on analysis raises awareness of any product that may not be performing and plans for promotions, price cuts etc. Also identifies ?best sellers? and ensures that stock cover for these is adequate & reflects sales projections.
• Ensures that product newness is maintained, i.e. that new products are introduced in a timely manner and discontinued ranges are cleared in an effective manner through part sale and other ?clearance? or promotional activities thereby ensuring that the aged stock profile & ?quality? of stock is kept to a minimum
• Ensures the OTB is set and managed and whether it is being operated by the buying or store teams is always in line with expectations.
• Ensures the ?Promotional Strategy? is delivered, with the target sell through being achieved and has a full understanding of how they?ll deliver the promotional buying brief.

Gross Margin Management

• Sets the pricing strategy for the Brands category range in each territory and guarantees re-enforcement of the ?Brands Value? perception building items, when setting prices of the Brands range.
• Sets overall guidelines for margin exploitation by product area and ensures processes are established to analyse margin deviation. Is primarily responsible for the periodic Gross Profit Simulation exercise for each territory to make sure that pricing delivers the margin/ profit goals agreed...
• Maintains a strategic communication link with Brands International regarding all matters relating to costs.
• Evaluates the pricing of the total range prior to the ?season? start, ensuring prices are in line with set targets and market conditions.
• Achieve cost benefits throughout the supply chain by taking strategic buying decisions.
• Additionally has the responsibility to make certain that overall margin goals are met irrespective of clearance sale and promotional activities. Manages the ?blended? margin

Supply Chain Management

• Works closely with the Demand Planning & Business Analytics team in defining, establishing and developing the supply chain operation i.e., as in realizing benefits in sourcing directly from suppliers
• Ensures that all objectives/ metrics are delivered including quality, quantity, cycle time and cost through development and execution of strategic and tactical initiatives.
• Works with the Planning & Business Analytics teams in planning the flow of merchandise for brands in line with the overall volume goals set and with the purpose of maintaining stock as per requirements of the business.
• Maps the ordering process, the frequency of placing re-orders, and the use of warehousing facilities in a manner that the handling costs are kept to the lowest and lead times of the products are optimized.
• Optimises all the benefits of SAP and ensures that the ?system? is allowed to operate unhindered.
• All merchandise ordering is ?managed? by SAP whether local/domestic or import, based on ?rules? agreed and set by the JH.
• Has responsibility for category stock availability at country level

Supplier/Vendor Management

• Decides the budget goals for suppliers at country level.
• Has total accountability in agreeing (with Head of Commercial) and setting supplier numbers
• Ensures that supplier measures are incorporated into supplier management & that ?Trading Terms? are negotiated and are in brands for all chosen (approved) suppliers.
• Ensures that (as part of negotiations) faulty goods/swell allowances are in brands as well as all forms of ?margin support?
• Accountable for supplier capability assessments
• Maps the ?Value Chain?, i.e. ?Where does the money go??/? Who has control??/? Are there too many intermediaries (agents, distributors, etc.)??/?Is there unnecessary product handling?? (want clean flow, especially for high volume sku?s)/? What?s the country of origin??/? Should I be negotiating with someone else?? etc.
• Acts with integrity to ensure that all suppliers are complaint in all Al Futtaim ethical and sourcing practices

Business Development Plays a key role in the construction of merchandise assortment plans by country. During the pre-project & project stages plays a key role in the following activities: (1)Analyse the feasibility of the product range that can be sold and safeguards that the products are tested and in line with local legislation (2) Detailed competitor & market analysis (3) Study to guarantee compliance with import regulations (4) Brand positioning (5) Decides the pricing strategy & gross margin goals (6) Oversees the merchandise ordering & flow lines (9) Specifies the changes required in SAP to cater to new country requirementsSystem development & Co-ordination with different functions

• Plays a vital role in developing and maintaining system processes relating to the buying & supply chain elements of SAP.

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