Buying Manager

Company Description
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren's reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company's brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps, among others, constitute one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands. At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.

Position Overview
We are recruiting for a Buying Manager to join our Childrenswear Buying team. As the Buying Manager, you will be responsible for formulating key strategies that support hitting performance targets, as well as the overall brand direction. This individual will lead and support the buying team to implement these strategies, as well as partnering with key stakeholders to execute strategies from inception all the way to implementation in store. The successful candidate will continuously manage, coach and inspire the team on their professional and personal development, as well as setting a culture of care and excellence, to drive an engaged, empowered and efficient team.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Team & People Management
* Leads team in running of department, driving the most effective ways of working, via solution-based thinking and liaising with peers to share best practice and continuously evolve ways of working.
* Drives personal and professional development of direct reports via regular touch points throughout the year. Seeks advice, support and opportunities from other resources to expand learning and growth opportunities.
* Adopts an open and authentic approach to gain trust and optimise working relationships.
* Champions cross-functional ways of working to accomplish success across the total ecosystem, avoiding a "me vs you" mentality. Tracking Business Performance & Industry Trends
* Continuously monitors departmental and omni-channel performance and trends, leveraging findings to make short-term decisions and mid-term strategies to seize opportunities.
* Observes the wider competitive landscape for area of responsibility, applying these learnings to product strategies and buy plans, whilst supporting the team to apply to assortment selections and investment, to drive the brand forward.
* Partners with peers and key stakeholders to maximise short and midterm tactics
* Communicates key messages and findings to wider business. The Buy; Seasonal OTBs, Assortment Selection and Investment
* Sets seasonal strategic priorities and OTB in partnership with Merch Planning partners and in line with long term strategies from Leads.
* Comfortably manipulates product and financials to support brand objectives, KPIs and growth strategies and sets assortment and investment direction for the team to deliver this.
* Communicates shifts in strategy with key stakeholders to ensure alignment and most efficient end-to-end execution.
* Leads team with unconditional support in lead-up to Key Milestone meetings, providing guidance on their presentation preparation. Optimise End-to-End Inventory Management
* Leads team to ensure inventory is optimised for area of responsibility. Ensures team accuracy when projecting, tracking and managing inventory at all touchpoints.
* Proactively assess Departmental risk and opportunity with Merch Planning Partner based on evolving macro trading conditions. Consistently considers cross-channel impact to all decisions.

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

* Proven experience managing, coaching and motivating a team.
* Strong commercial acumen and analytical thinking.
* Demonstrates an interest in product and a strong understanding of our Brand DNA.
* Demonstrates agility to balance creativity and analysis to meet business needs.
* Ability to establish and influence effective working relationships.
* Excellent communicator and ability to engage and enrol key business partners through a compelling vision.
* Remains resilient and positive through an ever-changing environment.
* Has a problem solving, resolve focussed, inquisitive approach to work.