Senior Category Buyer Jobs

"We’re hiring! Mastermind Toys - Canada’s Authority on Play - has big plans and we want YOU to join our growing team! We have a customer-obsessed culture, which we believe starts with employee experience. We jump at the chance to co-create with our customers and employees, while staying true to our Canadian roots. Over 39 years later, Mastermind Toys is the nation’s largest specialty toy and children’s bookstore, and we deeply believe that “Play is Kids’ Work”.

We are currently seeking a Senior Category Buyer to join our Merchandising team at our Play HQ location.

At a senior level, the successful candidate will plan, select and implement the purchase of a range of product within a category to sell in store and online, and all attendant needs, in addition to overseas import program and liaises with Category Buyers to execute this specialty.

Job responsibilities

Autonomy and Oversight

·Buyer is responsible for hitting a wide variety of targets and metrics for assigned categories.

·Buyer is expected to seek and gain alignment from buying management on a regular basis.

·Buyer is responsible for the performance of their categories.

Category Management

·Category Strategy

oBuyer is responsible for category strategy at a high-level, communicating to key stakeholders.

oThis includes product feel, space and presentation, online extensions, and general goals and aims on a key metric basis including strong knowledge of current customer wants, needs and desires, 360 lens of customer positioning.

·Item selection

oBuyer must apply Mastermind Toys philosophy in the selection of items and composition of category mix.

oBuyer must determine store assortment strategy by category classification with inventory and shelf space considerations as well as defining the appropriate allocation for web sales.

·Pricing & Margin

oBuyer responsible for negotiating item costs, choosing item prices to maximize margin dollars while managing competitiveness.

oMust consider value proposition to customer, competitive landscape, promotional possibility and overall pricing and margin mix in category.

oEnd goal is to balance to established margin targets.

·Forecasting, Inventory and Open to Buy management.

oBuyer responsible for determining initial buy quantities and shelf loads.

oBuyer responsible for managing ongoing inventory composition to adhere to open to buy targeting set by planning team and working with planning team in this capacity on an ongoing basis, including maintaining strong in-stock positions both in-store, online and in warehouse, balanced against turn and open to buy status.

oBuyer is responsible for monitoring relevant data and executing replenishment orders to achieve sales and inventory objectives.

oBuyer responsible for peak season (Q4) forecasting, working with vendors in this regard, and ensuring balanced and appropriate flow for key selling period.

·Clearance

oBuyer responsible for items exiting the assortment, clearance strategies and overall clearance inventory levels.

·Marketing and Promotion

oBuyer responsible for selecting feature and promotional programs that deliver on merchandising sales and margin goals, works with cross functional teams to ensure executional success.

oBuyer collaborates and contributes to product themes and trends to marketing campaigns.

oNegotiating with suppliers on vendor income, promotional support, giveaways, signage support, etc

·Digital Presentation

oBuyer is responsible for aiding various internal teams to ensure that product is presented in the best possible fashion on Mastermindtoys.com, including reviewing descriptions and images, securing video and other content, providing online buyer reviews, and any other help needed for this effort.

·Product knowledge

oBuyer is responsible for obtaining and creating materials to help store employees understand product.

Vendor Relationship Management

·Reputation and communication

oBuyer is responsible for maintaining positive working relationships with key suppliers.

oBuyer is responsible for frequent and prompt communication with vendors.

·Negotiation

oBuyer must apply learned experience to negotiate programs and opportunities in keeping with Mastermind philosophy and objectives.

·Meetings

oBuyer is responsible for preparing for and conducting regular meetings with suppliers.

·Trade shows

oBuyer will attend trade shows to meet with existing vendors and source new vendors.

Administrative effort

·Buyer is responsible for administrative activities relevant to their role including purchase order management, master data management, ecommerce data management, etc

·Buyer is also responsible for purchase order management in terms of understanding where and when purchase orders will arrive and engaging key logistics and allocation stakeholders as necessary.

·Buyer must aid finance team in resolving discrepancies, disputes and other issues arising from invoice and purchase order resolution.

•Buyer may be aided by support staff in administrative efforts but are ultimately responsible for the integrity of their data.

Qualifications:

·Post- secondary degree/diploma required, Business, Purchasing, Supply Chain Management Professional designation or equivalent experience.

·Minimum 5 years comparable experience.

·Previous retail product purchasing experience required (specific category preferred)

·Detail oriented and able to manage projects from inception to execution.

·Strong & clear verbal and written communication skills

·Proficiency with software applications in desktop environments (windows xp & 7, adobe, inventory software)

Please note, the successful candidate will be required to provide proof of completed COVID-19 vaccination or medical exemption.

Mastermind Toys is committed to accommodating applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment and selection process. Upon request, Mastermind Toys will, in consultation with the applicant, determine the nature of any accommodation that may be required.

We sincerely thank all applicants for their interest in Mastermind; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.