Buyer, Technology - Internal
London Drugs INTERNALOur Richmond Head Office currently has opportunities for:
Why This Role Matters
Our Technology Buying team plays a key role in shaping the products our customers discover every day. As Buyer, Technology, you’ll lead the development of a compelling product assortments, build strong vendor partnerships, and ensure we deliver products that meet customer needs while supporting our financial goals. This role requires strong merchandising judgment, financial acumen, and the ability to collaborate effectively across Planning, Pricing, Space Planning, Supply Chain, and Marketing to drive category performance.
What You’ll Do
Product Selection & Assortment Planning
- Build and maintain product assortments that balance customer needs, market trends, and financial targets
- Identify new products, brands, and vendors to keep our assortment fresh and competitive
- Conduct market and competitive analysis to spot opportunities in pricing, assortment, and merchandising
- Partner with Planning to determine assortment breadth and depth
- Manage the full product lifecycle, including seasonal transitions and end of life planning
- Develop strong vendor relationships to secure favorable terms and promotional support
- Negotiate cost, payment terms, minimum order quantities, and funding
- Evaluate vendor performance and address issues when needed
- Attend trade shows and vendor meetings to discover new opportunities
- Manage vendor contracts and ensure compliance with company policies
- Partner with Pricing on everyday and promotional pricing strategies
- Manage Open to Buy with Planning to balance inventory and sales opportunities
- Analyze category performance (sales, margin, inventory turn, GMROI)
- Identify ways to improve profitability through assortment, cost, or pricing decisions
- Secure vendor promotional funding and cooperative advertising support
- Collaborate with Marketing on promotional messaging and campaign execution
- Work with Space Planning on displays, endcaps, and seasonal merchandising
- Partner with Planning on demand forecasting, inventory levels, and allocation strategies
- Collaborate with Pricing on competitive positioning, promotional mechanics, and markdown optimization
- Work with Space Planning on category space allocation, planogram development, and merchandising standards
- Coordinate with Supply Chain on order timing, shipping requirements, and vendor compliance
- Provide product information to Master Data Management for accurate item
Core Competencies
- Merchandising Acumen: Uses strong product judgment and understands customer needs. Identifies trends early and builds compelling assortments that balance newness with proven performers.
- Negotiation & Influence: Builds productive vendor relationships and negotiates fair, mutually beneficial terms. Influences internal partners without direct authority.
- Financial Discipline: Makes margin conscious decisions and understands trade offs between margin, turn, and market share. Manages Open to Buy responsibly.
- Collaboration: Works effectively with Planning, Pricing, Space Planning, Supply Chain, and other partners. Communicates clearly and builds trusted relationships.
- Results Orientation: Takes ownership of category performance and acts quickly on opportunities or issues.
- Customer Focus: Makes decisions with the customer in mind and evaluates assortment choices through the customer lens.
- Strong product sense and ability to understand customer needs and market trends
- Proven negotiation skills and ability to build productive vendor partnerships
- Understanding of retail financial metrics (margin, turn, GMROI, Open to Buy)
- Strong analytical skills, including proficiency in Excel
- Clear communication and relationship building skills
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast paced environment
- Experience with relevant technology categories
- Familiarity with merchandising or retail management systems
- Experience with retail analytics tools
- Exposure to Planning, Pricing, or Space Planning
- Knowledge of industry trends and consumer behavior in assigned categories
London Drugs is an equal opportunity employer. The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work applicable to this position and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.
London Drugs is 100% Canadian owned and is focused on local customers' satisfaction. Across Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and British Columbia, London Drugs' 79 stores employ more than 8,000 staff dedicated to providing our customers with a superior shopping experience.
At London Drugs, we believe in fostering a culture that treats employees like family. We are committed to providing our employees with a supportive and encouraging environment that promotes professional development and advancement. By fostering this approach, we aim to create an atmosphere where every employee feels supported, appreciated, and motivated to contribute their best to the organization.
When we consider employees for new opportunities or promotions, we see them as integral members of our work family. Our commitment to treating employees like family is reflected in our practices of open communication, recognition of achievements, and providing opportunities for continuous learning and skill development. We want our employees to feel a strong sense of belonging and commitment to their success within the organization.
Therefore, we focus on promoting from within and we invite you to view all live postings to help advance your career with us. We also hold Manager-In-Training programs and LD Career Weeks to help better educate, prepare and support you with your career advancement journey.