UPDATE: This position has been closed. Click HERE to see a list of our current openings. To subscribe to our searches, click HERE.
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We are working with The Vermont Country Store in their search for a Personal Care Buyer based in Manchester, VT. The Vermont Country Store (VCS), an Orton Family business, is a premier employer in South-Central Vermont with over 60 years of experience exciting and delighting customers and employees alike. These are seriously nice folks — and this is a very well-run business. (This ain’t no Mom-n-Pop shop!)
The company focuses on “selling products that don’t come back to people who do.” VCS catalogs, Web site, and stores are stocked to the rafters with a combination of more than 5,600 old-time products that are useful today, and brand name products that bring back memories and traditions.
Please Tweet this job, and you’ll be automatically entered into our monthly drawing. Just do it and see what happens: 2010 prizes included $100 Amazon gift certs, Dean & Deluca steaks, and Keurig coffee machines …
Position Description:
The Buyer will ensure success of assigned departments and direct reports while protecting and developing The Vermont Country Store brand by targeting Hard-To-Find, practical and functional products for multiple business channels to meet strategic goals and objectives.
Responsibilities include:
- Select and present new product for inclusion into a specific channel using the assortment plan and customer targeting as guides.
- Collaborate closely with Marketing, Materials Management, Merchandising and Creative teams to ensure appropriate product assortment, selection and presentation.
- Utilize Marketing and Merchandising reports and analysis to ensure appropriate merchandise assortment to maximize sales and profits and minimize risk to the business.
- Direct and manage the sales, margin and return rates to meet budget guidelines and expectations.
- Establish, communicate and execute a clear and specific vision for their assigned departments to maximize sales.
- Develop a buying team for assigned departments and fosters participation in overall department management by collaborating with other buying teams.
- Demonstrate leadership through staff development, promotion of department goals, collaboration with key business partners and participation in various business decisions.
- Develop and maintain partnerships with current and perspective suppliers to maximize product and sale potential.
- Demonstrate strong negotiating skills with current and perspective suppliers.
- Responsible for and manages their team’s participation in sample meetings, creative briefs and catalogue production process according to Merchandising guidelines and standards.
- Strive to continuously improve product offerings by understanding customer attitudes and buying preference through market analysis and customer sales information and sharing this information with their buying team.
- Collaborate with Product and Brand Research teams to ensure product placement that meets new product guidelines.
- Ability to think strategically and implement company strategy, goals and objectives.
- Available to travel domestically and internationally as needed.
- All other duties assigned.
Position Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree and/or at least 5-7 years experience in a Catalogue and/or Retail environment and experience managing a staff of 2+ members.
- Excellent communication skills including confidence in public speaking and presentations.
- Enthusiasm for VCS product and respect for our customer and their needs.
- Enthusiasm and tenacity about the ‘hunt’ for product. Persistence and follow up on leads.
- Innovative thinking to research hard-to-find products.
- Attention to accuracy and detail.
- Positive, team oriented attitude and manner.
- Ability to prioritize work in multi-discipline environment.
- Supervisory Responsibilities – Excels in supervision and leadership of direct reports.
- Ability to read, analyze, and interpret common scientific and technical journals, financial reports, and legal documents. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from customers, regulatory agencies, or members of the business community.
- Excels in understanding of retail mathematical concepts in such a way as to utilize this information for pricing and effectiveness.
- Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Applications for this position are being coordinated by Patti Bongiovi. To apply, CLICK HERE. Candidates, please be sure to ask Patti for packet #1262 of market research and company / competitive intel that will differentiate you in your candidacy. Due to the competitive nature of this search, thorough preparation for these interviews with this proprietary material is strongly recommended.
