Sr. Buyer, Footwear

Description

Join the LuCrew as a Senior Buyer and lead product strategy for footwear by driving trends, revenue, and innovation while collaborating on development and managing key vendor relationships.

Lulus Vision

At Lulus, our team is committed to offering the best possible service to our customers throughout the world. Our fun and casual work environment focuses on innovation and teamwork at all levels of the organization. We are always on the lookout for talented and dedicated people to join the Lulus team as we continue to build our community!

Our Commitment 

Lulus is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and strives to create an organizational climate that fosters diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging so that all our team members can show up as their authentic selves and thrive. We are committed to increasing the representation of marginalized people across our team through hiring practices that value lived experience and unique perspectives. Our work environment embraces creative expression, collaboration, and connection without the expectation of assimilation.

This hybrid position is based out of our Los Angeles Office, with in-office days on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Job Summary

The Senior Buyer is responsible for executing the overall product strategy for footwear, keeping a pulse on the latest trends, influencers, and aspirational/competitive landscape. In addition, they are responsible for leading a team, managing relationships with key vendors, and identifying sales and consumer insight trends to increase revenue, profit, and market share. They will also partner with the Footwear Developer on all stages of the development process of Lulus branded footwear products (technical specifications, material and vendor selections, mold/tool creation, product costing, and product testing). The Senior Buyer will also manage the reordering of products that will hit revenue targets, optimize conversion, and maximize full-price sell-thru while minimizing inventory risk.

What You’ll Do

• Manage the Strategic Roadmap, Assortment Architecture, Line Plan, and Product Buys for Footwear to provide the most premium product experience in the industry, hit revenue targets, optimize conversion, and maximize full-price sell-through

• Execute with a holistic approach to buying strategy, by incorporating insights derived from multiple business segments including Planning, Marketing, Analytics, and Supply Chain to drive profitable business growth

• Lead and develop team to build out a best-in-class buying organization

• Elevate product range and offering: Contribute ideas for product design, construction, materials, compounds, and components at a high level to achieve performance, margin targets, and retail pricing with an understanding of the Lulus customer

• Operate with a complete understanding of the development process (which may include design, engineering, pre-costing, and overseas development)

• Partner on the product development cycle to effectively deliver high-quality products during seasonally appropriate periods while maintaining established profit margins; Understand the schedules, output, and demands of both domestic vendors and overseas factories

• Analyze and forecast product performance and inventory levels to make informed decisions to achieve continued growth and profitability

• Create/maintain a buy plan; Reconciles back to the OO and communicate the key assortment compilation that will drive sales for each season during the Investment Review

• Partner with Footwear Developer on negotiation of quality, quantity, and delivery with vendors

• Manage pricing strategy and execution; review of all weekly markdowns, promotions, and aged inventory

• Build and maintain strong relationships with Key Cross Functional Partners (Development, Planning, Merchandising, Production, and Marketing) 

• Partner with Planning to manage P&L and achieve KPI Targets and budgets

• Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors

• Stay up to speed on the latest women’s trends, macro-shifts within the women’s industry, and relevant vendor landscape to identify new resources and products to be sold at Lulus

• Communicate regularly with other departments regarding stock level and merchandise needs

• Regularly communicate with marketing/content with stories/campaign ideas

• Attend all internal business and creative meetings with the knowledge to speak on respective categories

• Execution of promotions as needed

• Travel to trade shows as needed

What You’ll Need

• 8 years of retail buying experience; Experience in Women’s Fashion and E-commerce model

• 2 years of experience in leadership or program/project management

• Comprehensive business knowledge of the US marketplace and consumer goods practices including distribution channels, pricing, segmentation strategy, regional variances, product sourcing, planning, forecasting, design, development, and sales

• Proven track record of delivering KPI targets and market-share growth

• Strong business orientation, analytical aptitude, and retail math knowledge

• Experience in managing a team and strong leadership skills

• Thrives in a fast-paced environment with short timelines and changing priorities, a sense of urgency, highly detailed and experienced in meeting deadlines

• Thorough knowledge of trends and fashion

• Keen understanding of the Lulus’ customer

• Ability to make creative buying decisions to meet customer demand

• Excellent communication; written, oral, and group facilitation

• Must be able to work independently

• Strong Excel skills (sumifs, vlookups, pivot tables, etc.)

Nice to Have - Bonus Points!

• Bachelor’s degree preferred

What You’ll Love About Us

• Great Company Culture - Where you can be your true authentic self!

• Employee Bonus Plan for applicable roles

• Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits 

• Voluntary Life & AD&D Insurance, Critical Illness, Short Term Disability

• Prepare for the future - 401(k) plan with company matching 

• Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP)

• Wardrobe Perks - 30% employee discount!

• Recognition of employee birthdays and work anniversaries!

• Work that stays at work - Genuine work/life balance

• Rest and Relaxation - Generous Paid Vacation Sick Time, and Paid Company Holidays

• Paid Parental Leave

We’re ready to meet you! Come help us achieve our ambitious goals!

At Lulus, we believe our people are our greatest asset and we seek to structure competitive compensation offers to ensure that we can attract and retain the best talent. Our job postings include an annual base salary range for the role. The stated base salary range represents our good faith estimate as to what candidates are likely to expect, and we tailor our offers within the range based on several factors, including the selected candidate's educational and professional experience, industry knowledge, location, technical and communication skills, and other factors that may prove relevant during the selection process. Base salary is a part of a total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include an annual bonus and other benefit programs.

Qualifications

Salary : $83,000 - $121,000