Specialist Buyer (Accessories) (Northern Suburbs (Cape))

Purpose of the job

• As our Specialist Buyer, you won't just be managing a product line—you will be a key driver of growth and a brand custodian for our exclusive PEP-owned brands. You will be at the heart of our commercial strategy, bridging the gap between international factories, local suppliers, and our retail stores.

Key Responsibilities

• Formulate and implement the strategy for our accessory range, driving margin and sales growth while keeping us ahead of the competition.
• Negotiate high-impact deals and promotions with local and international suppliers, ensuring PEP is always the price leader.
• Lead the development of our exclusive, PEP-owned brands, ensuring high product quality and brand resonance.
• Work closely with Marketing, Planning, and Finance to bring campaigns to life, ensuring every promotion is an exciting win for our customers.
• Manage the end-to-end value chain, from procurement and forecasting to shipping and delivery.

Requirements

• Tertiary qualification, preferably purchasing/business management, consumer market and/or marketing management
• 5+ years in buying or account management, with at least 3 years of retail experience.
• A proven track record of securing profitable deals and maintaining strong supplier relationships. Expert at calculating margins, interpreting trends, and managing product life cycles.
• You are a master at organizing your work, structuring tasks, and holding teams accountable to deliver results.
• You have high standards, a proactive nature, and the energy to take on new challenges.
• A passion for people and building strong long term supplier and stakeholder relationships.
• Financial management skills
• PC literacy
• Presentation skills
• Negotiation skills
• Meeting facilitation skills
• In-depth understanding of the buying process
• Understanding of the planning process; store operational process; supply chain processes; market understanding; marketing understanding; and product knowledge