Urban Outfitters Associate Buyer - Men's Woven Tops

Urban Outfitters Men’s is seeking an Associate Buyer to support our Private Label Woven Shirts and Jackets business. This role will drive sales and profitability through the strategic development and execution of compelling, trend-right assortments. Key responsibilities include identifying growth opportunities, and curating a balanced assortment that resonates with our customer while delivering against financial goals.

Role Responsibilities

• Demonstrate an understanding of the UO target customer and the ability to select

the appropriate product/trend that will appeal to the customer and meet their

expectations.

• The ability to recognize a new fashion trend. Work with design to translate

appropriate new ideas from blogs, street and aspirational sources.

• The analytic ability to manage an Open-To-Buy (OTB). Exhibit retail math skills that

allow the individual to achieve bottom line performance.

• Exhibit a professional communication style (both verbal and written) as shown

through strong presentation skills, excellent organizational skills and I high sense of

urgency.

• The ability to prioritize tasks in order to balance the immediate and long term needs

of the business.

• Experience with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook) and the ability to learn new

computer systems quickly and retain the information.

• Merchandise Analysis

o Analyze weekly and monthly sales, stock and on-order with the goal of

optimizing sales and minimizing markdowns.

o Recognize and react quickly to all trends, both major and minor, in the

business, whether they be product related or store related.

• Merchandise Planning

o Work with the Buyer and Planner on revising plans to ensure that sales and

margin are optimized by class.o Ensure that buying direction is on target based on partnering with Buyer and

comprehensive analysis of the business, e.g., last year results, current

trends, attribute selling, etc.

• OTB (Open-To-Buy) Management

o Manage the financial elements of the business, e.g., OTB, IMU, MD’s, etc. for

assigned classes.

o Ensure that the receipt plan is tightly managed and that orders are placed on

a timely basis (neither too late or too soon) and that receipts flow correctly

throughout the month.

• Manage Styleouts

o Manage styleouts to achieve, to the greatest possible degree, that each item

is a winner and that the assortment is properly balanced and invested by

ensuring there is an appropriate balance of looks, silhouettes, fabrics,

patterns, color, price points, etc., and that we are taking the correct inventory

position with key items and fringe and/or new items.

• E-Commerce

o Assist in selecting new products for e-commerce division from retail’s

assortment. Suggest category extensions / web exclusives to further growth.

• Product Development

o Work with designers, Market, and Design to manage the timeline on all

product development.

o Attend all fittings to ensure that sizing is standardized throughout the

assortment.

• Vendor Relations

o Develop effective and beneficial relationships with key vendors.

o Manage vendor performance through effective negotiation and

communication to maximize profitability, achieve financial objectives and

ensure optimal supply chain operations.

• Communication

o Ensure that all communication (listening and directing) is conducted

appropriately with the stores.o Develop collaborative relationships with internal colleagues including:

production, planning, creative, catalog, DC and retail teams.

o Gain understanding of all roles and responsibilities within the organization

and be flexible and cooperative in working with teams to achieve a common

goal.

 

#LI-ME1

Education Requirement: Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion, Business, or a related field

Experience Requirement: 3 years in retail or direct buying office having served as an

Associate Buyer or Senior Level Assistant buyer.

URBN celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression), religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. We believe strongly in fostering a safe, fair and respectful work environment. To ensure compliance with our non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, we offer anti-harassment training to managers and employees.