Junior Buyer

Assistant Buyer / Junior Buyer - Home

Location:

Hybrid / Lancashire

Contract:

Full-time, Permanent

Our client is looking for a driven and commercially minded Assistant Buyer / Junior Buyer to support a busy department in delivering ambitious sales and margin targets through strategic product sourcing, supplier negotiation, and category management.

As Assistant Buyer / Junior Buyer, you'll play a key role in delivering a differentiated, profitable, and innovative product range. You'll support the Buyer in executing the buying and category strategy, ensuring it aligns with merchandising, commercial, and brand goals.

You’ll take ownership of specific product categories, managing everything from supplier relationships and cost negotiations to product development, pricing, and promotion planning.

• Support the Buyer in building and delivering the department's buying and category strategy, identifying opportunities for Lakeland to differentiate and win commercially.
• Source, design, and negotiate product ranges that deliver on sales, margin, and customer appeal.
• Monitor market trends and competitor activity, ensuring Lakeland remains competitive and distinctive.
• Manage supplier relationships, negotiating terms, funding, and promotional opportunities.
• Own the product critical path, ensuring products are delivered on time, within budget, and to Lakeland's high quality standards.
• Collaborate with the Quality Assurance team to meet UK and EU compliance, ensuring every product is fit for purpose and sustainable.
• Analyse performance data, using insight to drive profitable decision‑making and continuous improvement.

Experience:

• Proven experience in a buying or assistant buying role, ideally within non‑food or hard goods retail.
• Experience in own‑brand product development and managing the end‑to‑end critical path.
• Experience working with Far East suppliers and understanding of import processes.
• A multi‑channel mindset with awareness of retail and online trading impacts.
• Strong IT skills, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Capabilities:

• Commercially astute, with excellent numerical and analytical skills.
• A strategic thinker who can turn insight into action.
• Strong negotiation, influencing, and relationship management skills.
• Organised and proactive, able to manage multiple projects and priorities.
• A collaborative team player with confidence, tact, and diplomacy.
• Customer‑focused, with a passion for delivering outstanding value and innovation.