BUYER | JOB DESCRIPTION
SUMMARY
At Magnolia, the Buyer is responsible for product assortment and collection building within his or her respective categories. The Buyer is the strategic visionary for our product, understanding trends and capitalizing on demand through the lens of the Magnolia aesthetic and brand. Managing the process from concept to launch, the Buyer will research and source potential products and vendors, keeping in mind the current product collection, category strategy, sales, and the company’s creative direction. Magnolia Buyers monitor and determine the product life cycle and work with multiple departments to ensure the product vision and intention are understood and communicated through Visuals, Marketing, Buying, and Planning. This position works from Magnolia headquarters in Waco, Texas. It reports to the Vice President of Merchandising and may have supervisory responsibilities.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Uphold Magnolia’s mission, vision, and values
• Manage assigned categories in partnership with a Merchandise Planner – building the assortment and driving sales to meet assigned targets
• Interpret item and category performance to determine sales trends, opportunities, and recommend actions to maximize revenue while protecting profitability
• Research new vendors and products, staying abreast of current and upcoming trends for managed categories while maintaining Magnolia’s aesthetic, design, and vision
• Clearly articulate product launch season and life cycle strategy
• Set pricing strategy for the category and subcategory levels in accordance with margin goals to optimize revenue and profitability
• Communicate cross-functionally on assortment intention and strategy
• Maintain product and vendor information in software system, ensuring accuracy and troubleshooting problems
• Monitor team progress in achieving financial and professional goals
• Provide guidance and development opportunities for potential direct reports
• Partner with vendors regarding product information, payment information, costing, timelines, lead times, etc.
• Track and organize samples including labeling and preparing samples for presentation and coordinating returns with vendors
• Perform other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS

• Hard skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Excel required; ability to articulate Magnolia’s brand values, design, and aesthetic; financial acumen with ability to translate sales trends and data into actionable assortment strategies
• Soft skills: Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication; strong problem solving and organizational skills, ability to manage multiple tasks with attention to detail and accuracy; ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams on a high level, understanding objectives of all teams; ability to quickly adapt in a high-energy, fast-paced environment
• Education: Bachelor’s degree from a 4-year college or university preferred
• Experience: 3-5 years of related work experience preferred OR an equivalent combination of education and experience required; furniture and textiles experience preferred

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands and arms to reach, handle, feel; utilize fine motor dexterity of fingers; talk or hear and taste or smell. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk. The employee is frequently required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Magnolia is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances.
This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by an employee in this classification. It is not to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications of employees assigned to this job. Management has the right to add to, revise, or delete information in this description at any time.