Buyer – Footwear

An exciting opportunity has become available at Cape Union Mart for a resilient, innovative and commercially astute Senior Buyer Footwear to join our Outdoor team. This role is ideal for a passionate footwear specialist who thrives in a fastpaced retail environment and is motivated by delivering commercially successful ranges. You will be responsible for the endtoend buying, sourcing and product development of both private label and branded footwear, ensuring ranges are trendrelevant, technically sound and aligned to our brand and business objectives. What youll be doing Preparing, coordinating and presenting seasonal footwear ranges Executing ranges in line with business strategy, brand direction and financial targets Presenting and leading range reviews with key stakeholders Building, maintaining and managing strong supplier relationships Negotiating and managing supplier contracts Collaborating closely with Design, Planning, Quality, Marketing and Stores Overseeing product design, quality, fit and technical performance Managing and controlling sample stock Trading the business inseason to optimise performance Attending local and international trade shows, visiting factories and researching global trends Managing critical path timelines and general buying administration What were looking for Grade 12 plus a relevant tertiary qualification Minimum 5 years experience in retail merchandise buying (footwear essential) At least 2 years product development experience within footwear Strong specialist knowledge of footwear materials, construction and manufacturing processes Deep understanding of technical footwear (highly advantageous) Solid knowledge of the retail product lifecycle, buying principles and critical path management Proficiency in Microsoft Office Experience with Oracle and PLM systems will be advantageous Key competencies for success A strong passion for trends, innovation and product The ability to interpret and adapt trends for multiple target markets Excellent negotiation and commercial decisionmaking skills Strong trader mentality with a strategic mindset Proven ability to build and maintain influential relationships across functions Confident communication and presentation skills Excellent planning, organisation and timemanagement abilities High levels of resilience, agility and drive under pressure Effective conflict management and problemsolving skills Why join Cape Union Mart? At Cape Union Mart, we are passionate about adventure, innovation and building products that enable our customers to explore the world around them. Youll be joining a dynamic, valuesdriven business that offers exposure to global sourcing, trend innovation and meaningful career growth. Transformation is important to us. In line with the Cape Union Mart Groups Employment Equity plan, preference will be given to candidates who will enhance the diversity of our team. Cape Union Mart | Outdoor Division An exciting opportunity has become available at Cape Union Mart for a resilient, innovative and commercially astute Senior Buyer Footwear to join our Outdoor team. This role is ideal for a passionate footwear specialist who thrives in a fastpaced retail environment and is motivated by delivering commercially successful ranges. You will be responsible for the endtoend buying, sourcing and product development of both private label and branded footwear, ensuring ranges are trendrelevant, technically sound and aligned to our brand and business objectives. What youll be doing Preparing, coordinating and presenting seasonal footwear ranges Executing ranges in line with business strategy, brand direction and financial targets Presenting and leading range reviews with key stakeholders Building, maintaining and managing strong supplier relationships Negotiating and managing supplier contracts Collaborating closely with Design, Planning, Quality, Marketing and Stores Overseeing product design, quality, fit and technical performance Managing and controlling sample stock Trading the business inseason to optimise performance Attending local and international trade shows, visiting factories and researching global trends Managing critical path timelines and general buying administration What were looking for Grade 12 plus a relevant tertiary qualification Minimum 5 years experience in retail merchandise buying (footwear essential) At least 2 years product development experience within footwear Strong specialist knowledge of footwear materials, construction and manufacturing processes Deep understanding of technical footwear (highly advantageous) Solid knowledge of the retail product lifecycle, buying principles and critical path management Proficiency in Microsoft Office Experience with Oracle and PLM systems will be advantageous Key competencies for success A strong passion for trends, innovation and product The ability to interpret and adapt trends for multiple target markets Excellent negotiation and commercial decisionmaking skills Strong trader mentality with a strategic mindset Proven ability to build and maintain influential relationships across functions Confident communication and presentation skills Excellent planning, organisation and timemanagement abilities High levels of resilience, agility and drive under pressure Effective conflict management and problemsolving skills Why join Cape Union Mart? At Cape Union Mart, we are passionate about adventure, innovation and building products that enable our customers to explore the world around them. Youll be joining a dynamic, valuesdriven business that offers exposure to global sourcing, trend innovation and meaningful career growth. Transformation is important to us. In line with the Cape Union Mart Groups Employment Equity plan, preference will be given to candidates who will enhance the diversity of our team.