Buyer, Plant - Garden

Central Valley is a leading family-owned and operated building supply company with eight locations throughout Northern California. We have been in business since 1955 and have grown to become one of the largest regional suppliers of building and agricultural products in the United States. Central Valley has been voted among the Best Places to work in the North Bay by the North Bay Business Journal. We are currently seeking a Buyer for or Garden department, located in St. Helena, CA.

We are looking for a Buyer with expertise in horticulture to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to apply their horticultural knowledge at Central Valley! The Buyer will be responsible for developing programs, sourcing and purchasing plants within assigned categories to drive sales and profitability, while analyzing results.

Requirements:

• 3 years' experience managing a retail buying program
• Knowledge of cost of goods, buying, pricing systems and other applicable programs for purchasing
• Analytical ability and proficiency in margin calculations, inventory management and volume forecasting
• Strong planning and organizational skills
• A demonstrated knowledge of the horticulture industry
• Bachelor's degree and/or relative experience
• Experience in negotiations

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Identify, create, and source a mix of plants in line with the company’s position in the marketplace.
• Keep abreast of trends to best select plants and programs. Identify vendors and plants that communicate the look, feel, and value the company is seeking to achieve.
• Develop and monitor financial plans for merchandise mix, sales, and gross margin.
• Purchase merchandise. Plan merchandise promotions and sales. Plan sales goals, manage tie in sales and front-end item execution.
• Manages the supply chain, including assessing vendors’ reliability, product quality, shipping speed, cost and terms; responsible for negotiating costs, tracking shipments, and canceling orders.
• Research and source new plants. Plan and implement a schedule to visit other retail locations and industry events to gather information and ideas on trends, products, pricing, and vendors.
• Develop and maintain a cross-functional partnership with Sales to gain understanding of customer needs and communicate effectively. Support and partner with Marketing on sales, promotions, fulfilling inventory needs, and addressing inventory issues.
• Forecasts product requirements based on category plans, merchandising programs, historical/seasonal trends and store Sales feedback.
• Monitors inventory levels and reacts to shortages & overstocks on an immediate basis.
• Support Sales with sourcing and pricing of special orders.
• Provide customer service.
• Participate in industry events, tours, buying trips, and/or other professional development courses as directed and required. Understand competition in stores and online.
• Complete regular competitive shopping trips to assess pricing, category, and vendor opportunities.
• Participate in sales and product knowledge training. Provide content for store education on plants
• SKU set-up in computer system.
• Ensures costing product codes in system are accurate.
• Resolves costing discrepancies with vendors.

The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of horticultural products and trends, as well as the ability to collaborate with vendors and internal teams to ensure inventory meets customer demand. They will need to stay proactive in identifying opportunities to improve product offerings, manage supplier relationships, and maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace. Strong analytical skills and attention to detail will be crucial in evaluating sales performance, forecasting needs, and making data-driven decisions. This role offers the chance to make a direct impact on the growth and success of the company’s nursery business.

Other Knowledge and Skills:

• Knowledge of Local Suppliers a plus
• Excellent communication skills – includes influencing and negotiation
• High degree of flexibility and initiative
• Proficiency in Spanish a plus
• Highly developed sense of accountability and track record for delivering results
• Computer literate, including Microsoft Office products
• Ability to learn computer systems that are new to you
• Effective and articulate fluency in English, written and oral, including face-to-face, on the phone, in formal letters, texting, and via email
• Able to work effectively and efficiently independently
• Able to multi-task and prioritize projects/activities in a fast-paced atmosphere Possess critical thinking and troubleshooting abilities
• Able to maintain cooperative professional relationships with customers, peers, managers, vendors, and the community in general, while projecting a professional image through in-person, electronic, and telephone interactions

Central Valley is an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.

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