Buying - Horticultural Support Buyer

Job Description

Posted Thursday 11 June 2026 at 00:00

Full Time

Hours:

40

Overview:

Squires is a £75M + turnover successful family-owned business with 17 Garden Centres and 2 Plant Nurseries. The customer proposition is extensive and offers a broad range of categories including a strong Gardening and Restaurant business, Food, Giftware, Toys, Christmas, Clothing, Outdoor Living plus Pets & Aquatics.

As a family business with integrity, we put people and our customers at the heart of what we do and how we do it, living our business values with passion every day. We have ambitious plans to continue our growth, evolve for the future, develop and improve for our customers.

Specifics:

• Garden Centres and nurseries based in Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire
• Group Office located in Farnham Surrey
• Over 1000 Employees with 100s of seasonals during Spring/Summer and Christmas
• High levels of Employee engagement

Why are we recruiting?

• We want to improve our product offer across our centres, to drive customer satisfaction and meet the ever-changing needs of our customers, driving sales and profit
• We are looking for someone to work with our Senior Buyer on our plant categories, specialising in plants, as well as buying in other categories that complement our plant offer.
• The successful candidate will also work closely with our Nursery business as we continue to develop our offer in own grown products

We are looking for someone who:

• Drives sales, profitability, and customer valued product propositions
• Has extensive Horticultural knowledge, including familiarity with botanical nomenclature
• Defines ranging and space strategy by format and centre to optimise cash profit per square metre and deliver the customer proposition
• Supports Buyers and Garden Centre teams in range selection and performance
• Works well cross functionally and engages teams and individuals in direction
• Is a team player with integrity and who strives to improve our business for our customers and teams

Skills we are looking for:

• Proactive and eager to learn
• Strong team player
• Results-driven with a commercial mindset
• Strong communication and Influencing skills
• Strong technical proficiency, with an analytical mindset
• Is a team player with integrity and who strives to improve our business for our customers and colleagues
• Selecting and purchasing products in line with category strategy, customer demand and future trends
• Working with suppliers to develop new and exclusive products
• Working with and supporting Senior Buyers in range planning, product development, and supplier negotiations
• Monitor sales performance and analyse data to identify trends and opportunities
• Manage purchase orders, track deliveries, and ensure stock availability
• Work with the Buying Team to ensure accurate product and pricing information in internal systems
• Liaise with suppliers regarding samples, pricing, and lead times
• Conduct competitor and market research, to ensure product proposition is competitive
• Support markdown planning and promotional activity
• Attend trade shows and supplier meetings as required

KPIs

• Financial Performance.
  
  Inventory and stock.
• Market position.
  
  Customer and products.
• Trends and driven ranges.
• ATV and sales growth.
• Percentage and cash margin.

Management competencies and behaviours will include:

Essential Experience/qualifications:

• Experience in Retail Buying
• Strong numerical and analytical skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel/Word
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills
• High attention to detail and strong organizational ability
• Commercial awareness and understanding of retail trends
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment

Desirable Experience/qualifications:

• Experience in EPOS
• Proven track record in delivering margin and sales growth in a retail environment
• Experience of cross functional working

Please ensure your CV and covering letter are included in your application

Squire’s is a family-owned group of 17 garden centres based in Surrey, Sussex, Middlesex, and Berkshire. Since 1936 the purpose of our business has been the happiness of those who work in it.

We are committed to growing our business and to promoting the highest standards in horticulture, catering, and retail.

We want our staff to enjoy…