Natural Living Buyer

POSITION SUMMARY: This position is responsible for managing the Natural Living Department’s purchasing, inventory, pricing, and merchandising, in coordination with the Department Manager. The goal is to drive sales, maximize margins, and minimize loss through effective ordering and receiving of vitamin, supplement, and body care products.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Purchasing & Procurement

• Maintain healthy stock levels on all supplement and body care items, ordering the proper amount to avoid both excessive inventory and out-of-stocks.
• Build and submit orders with a large variety of vendors, ranging from small directs to large distributors.
• Assist with receiving orders as they arrive in the store, ensuring they get to the retail shelves efficiently and accurately. 
• Participate in meetings with vendors and brokers along with the Department Manager when necessary.

Category Management

• In coordination with the Department Manager, analyze and optimize category sets, ensuring the products on our shelves best meet the consumer’s needs, while driving sales and avoiding loss.
• Create an inviting and shoppable store, using merchandising best practices to make the best use of our physical space.
• In coordination with the Department Manager, oversee product pricing, ensuring healthy yet competitive margins.

Inventory Control

• Participate in regular inventory counts to ensure the accuracy of inventory throughout the year. Work with the Department Manager and staff to complete cycle counts.
• Work with the Department Manager and staff to maintain an organized and efficient back stock area.
• Track and document losses, ensuring they stay within company goals.
• Properly organize and receive all Purchase Orders within the POS system, transferring invoices over to accounting in a timely manner.
• Perform regular inventory maintenance, keeping POS inventory up to date. Correctly edit and maintain inventory profiles and prices, ensuring all stocked items scan-out correctly at the register.
• Maintain and approve invoice submissions in third party bill payment software and help the Office Manager with ensuring that all invoices are submitted, approved, and the proper payment method is used. 

Promotions & Merchandising

• In coordination with the Department Manager, develop sales strategies and promotions in order to maximize our sales potential.
• Work with the Marketing Manager to effectively communicate all store promotions.
• Plan, implement, and maintain an inviting and shoppable store, using merchandising best practices to make the best use of our physical space.
• Work closely with the Department Manager to communicate and effectively implement all promotional endcaps, displays, and shelf sets. 
• Build attractive displays and sets, assisting the Department Manager and staff on proper stocking. 

Department Supervision

• Guide and assist the Department Manager and staff on all aspects of inventory control, promotions, and merchandising. 
• Actively communicate with the Department Manager and staff in order to keep them up-to-date with all orders, promotions, and events.
• Ensure staff follow inventory best practices to keep inventory data accurate.

Point of Sale

• Responsible for the upkeep, organization, and employee training of the Catapult POS system as it pertains to items sold within the Natural Living Department.
• Maintain an organized and accurate inventory database. 

General

• This position may also include general MOD responsibilities, including preparing starting cash, settling drawers, attending to customer service issues that require manager approval, and opening and closing MOD shifts. 
• Participate and potentially lead projects that help improve efficiency and accuracy of business operations.
• All other duties as assigned by management. 

SKILLS, REQUIREMENTS, AND QUALIFICATIONS: 

• 1-3 years’ previous experience in retail buying.
• Must be at least 21 years of age. 
• Knowledge of MS Office applications and Point of Sale database software preferred. 
• Flexibility in scheduling to ensure that all order deadlines set by vendors are met on time.
• High school diploma or equivalent is required. College degree, preferred. Previous experience in vitamins, supplements, and body care, desirable. 
• Must be professional, organized, energetic, a team player, self-motivated, attentive to detail, and flexible. 
• Must possess excellent communication skills. 
• Ability to trouble-shoot problems and present solutions for a variety of situations. 
• Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
• Commitment to company values.