International Buyer - Books

An excellent opportunity for someone who already has some buying experience who is looking to develop these skills further.

Job Purpose
At WHSmith our people are at the heart of everything we do. They are the ones that go the extra mile for our customers. The ones that enable our growth.

That’s why our International Commercial team is passionate about creating an environment where people can be creative, innovative in order to do their best work. As a Buyer (Grade D), you will drive the commercial performance of your category across all our formats. This role will be managing a category with scale and complexity, so you will need to have previous relevant commercial experience. You will be the key decision maker with the autonomy to deliver your category strategy.

Who we are
Celebrating 230 years, we’re proud to have grown and evolved into a globally recognised brand present in over 30 countries around the world, and we’re proud to be that air of familiarity people love and trust on their journey, both in life and through life. As a diverse group of over 11,000 colleagues, we are all on the same journey to a better business through our commitments to our planet, people and the communities we serve.

From the United States to Australia, the Middle East, Asia and Europe, we have c. 600 stores outside of the UK, and we are continuing to grow our International business. Our brand and tailored customer proposition in each location we operate in is synonymous with the travelling experience. Whether it’s hot dogs in Sweden, or luxury chocolates in Belgium, our stores look and feel exciting and relevant to each market. With our ambitious global expansion plans, there’s never been a more exciting time to work in our European markets.

What you’ll do

• Deliver and track against the key commercial KPI’s of sales and profitability
• Curate the optimum assortment for our customers that delivers on all of our commercial targets
• Generate a continuous pipeline of value creating initiatives to deliver sales and profitability
• Be responsible for the category and trade plan that aligns to the overarching business plan
• Negotiate with and manage the supplier base, including a clear supplier strategy and the ongoing maintenance/improvement of terms
• Define the pricing and promotional strategy for the category
• Product/supplier sourcing & development in line with strategy
• Deliver projects and trials within your own area with cross functional engagement
• Contribute to the annual budget building process

Who you are

• Previous buying/commercial experience – necessary
• Computer literate - experience using Microsoft Office (Excel and PowerPoint)
• Great stakeholder management with the ability to communicate and influence effectively
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced environment
• Strong commercial acumen
• Negotiation knowledge and skills
• Strong numeracy skills and ability to analyse data
• Ability to demonstrate problem solving skills
• Proactive and resourceful
• Great team player

Benefits

• Competitive salary and car allowance
• Annual bonus based on company and personal performance
• Hybrid working model from home and in the office
• 25 Days holiday, plus your Birthday off, plus Bank Holidays with an opportunity to buy extra days holiday
• Finish at 4pm on a Friday
• Competitive pension contribution
• Staff discount card for stores and online

Format of Business

Buying

Full Time / Part Time

Full Time

Position Type

Permanent

Salary From

Competitive

Salary To

Competitive

Hours / Week

36.25

Country

UK

County

Greater London

Job Code / Grade

D

Post Code

EC3A 7BX

Function / Region

Commercial (Travel)