Buyer

The Role:
Sports Directory supplies sports and PE equipment to schools. We are looking for an organised, analytical Buyer to manage stock purchasing, ongoing forecast reviews and product maintenance across a broad product range.
You will ensure we have the right stock, in the right quantities, at the right time. You will continually review sales, forecasts, stock levels and outstanding orders, adjusting purchasing plans to maintain availability and control excess stock.
You will take responsibility for placing purchase orders, following up with suppliers and keeping product and purchasing information accurate.
Key Responsibilities:
Stock Purchasing & Forecasting
Continually review and update forecasts using sales, demand, seasonality and planned promotions.
Compare actual sales against forecasts and adjust purchasing plans where required.
Calculate stock requirements, considering available stock, incoming orders, supplier lead times and minimum order quantities.
Place accurate purchase orders and agree costs, quantities and delivery schedules.
Monitor outstanding orders, chase suppliers and maintain accurate delivery dates.
Confirm the products and quantities due in each shipment.
Identify potential stock shortages, excess stock and slow-moving lines, taking appropriate action.
Maintain purchasing parameters, including lead times, order multiples and minimum stock levels.
Review kit and pack components to ensure complete products remain available.
Product Setup & Maintenance
Set up and maintain accurate product records, pricing and specifications.
Gather and enrich product descriptions, images and key information for the website and catalogue.
Ensure products are correctly categorised and ready for launch.
Manage updates, discontinued lines and replacement products.
Supplier & Commercial Support
Build strong supplier relationships and resolve pricing, delivery and availability issues.
Hold regular supplier meetings to review forecasts, stock availability, forward orders and product performance.
Agree changes to delivery quantities and schedules as demand changes, maintaining availability and controlling stock levels.
Negotiate competitive costs and suitable ordering and delivery arrangements.
Monitor supplier performance and challenge delays, shortages or quality issues.
Review costs, selling prices and margins, highlighting changes that require action.
Support range reviews, product sourcing and identification of alternative suppliers.
Work with internal teams to resolve issues and meet deadlines.
You will be passionate about sport and committed to making a positive difference to PE in schools. You will be commercially minded, confident with suppliers and comfortable making decisions across a large and varied product portfolio.
You will be proactive, organised and prepared to challenge products, prices, suppliers and existing ways of working. You will be able to turn sales, stock, supplier and competitor information into clear commercial actions.
You will ideally have:
Experience in buying, purchasing, replenishment or stock planning within a business that holds and sells physical products.
Direct experience of reviewing forecasts, calculating stock requirements and placing purchase orders.
Experience managing outstanding orders and supplier delivery dates.
Strong Excel skills, including lookups, pivot tables and sales and stock analysis.
Experience using purchasing, inventory or ERP systems.
A good understanding of stock cover, lead times, costs and margins.
Strong organisation, attention to detail and the ability to prioritise.
Confident communication skills and the ability to resolve supplier issues.
Desirable Experience
Product setup and maintenance within an ERP or PIM system.
Working with overseas suppliers, imported products or long lead times.
Experience of Sage Intacct, Netstock or comparable systems.
Experience in sports equipment, education supplies, wholesale, distribution or e-commerce.
An interest in sport and an understanding of schools’ equipment needs.

Employment type
Full-time

Work arrangement
No