What are the responsibilities and job description for the Buyer position at Rainbow?
Buyer
Rainbow USA is one of the fastest-growing juniors, kids, plus, and petite specialty apparel chains. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY and founded in 1935, Rainbow is a fashion leader for its 14–49-year-old customers.
We operate nearly 900 stores across 38 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands under brands such as Rainbow, Rainbow Plus, Rainbow Kids, 579, and Marianne’s. Our customers seek fashion-forward trends at unbeatable value prices, and we consistently deliver above-market sales and profit growth. In growth mode, we open 60–80 new stores annually.
Rainbow employees thrive in a progressive, dynamic organization with a hard-working, loyal, and dedicated team. We prioritize internal development—over 60% of our management team is promoted from within—offering clear career paths for driven individuals.
The Buyer plays a key role in driving Rainbow's assortment strategy, selecting and purchasing fashion-forward apparel that resonates with our value-conscious customers while maximizing sales, margins, and inventory productivity.
This position demands strong fashion intuition, analytical skills, vendor negotiation expertise, and the ability to make independent buying decisions in a fast-paced retail environment. Ideal candidates are creative, trend-savvy professionals with proven retail buying experience, a passion for juniors/kids/plus/petite fashion, and the drive to contribute to our continued expansion.
Primary Responsibilities:
· Research and analyze market trends, competitor assortments, and customer buying patterns to identify emerging styles and opportunities aligned with Rainbow's target demographics.
· Develop and curate seasonal product assortments, including selecting styles, colors, fabrics, and quantities that balance fashion appeal, value pricing, and profitability.
· Negotiate with domestic and international vendors/suppliers on pricing, terms, delivery schedules, minimums, and quality standards to achieve optimal cost and margin targets.
· Manage open-to-buy (OTB) plans, monitor inventory levels, and adjust purchases based on sales performance, markdown strategies, and inventory productivity metrics (e.g., turn, GMROI, sell-through).
· Collaborate closely with merchandising, planning, allocation, visual, and store operations teams to ensure seamless product flow, in-store presentation, and promotional execution.
· Track and evaluate post-purchase performance through sales data, reports, and store feedback; make data-driven adjustments to future buys.
· Maintain strong vendor relationships and stay ahead of industry developments through market visits, trade shows, and trend resources.
· Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning for assigned categories or divisions.
· Support special projects, new store openings, and growth initiatives as needed.
Requirements:
· Bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising, Business, Retail Management, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
· 3–5 years of experience as a Buyer, Associate Buyer, or Junior Buyer in apparel retail (juniors, kids, plus-size, or value/fast-fashion preferred).
· Proven track record in retail math: strong proficiency in markup, margin planning, open-to-buy management, inventory productivity measures (e.g., turn, sell-through, GMROI), and sales forecasting.
· Excellent eye for fashion trends and deep understanding of Rainbow's value-conscious, trend-driven customer base.
· Strong negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to make quick, informed decisions.
· Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (advanced spreadsheets, pivot tables, data analysis) and other retail systems; familiarity with merchandising/planning software a plus.
· Exceptional organizational, multi-tasking, and communication skills (verbal and written) in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment.
· Positive, upbeat, team-oriented personality with flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities.
· Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) a significant advantage.
· Willingness to travel as needed for market research, vendor meetings, or trade shows.
This is a full-time position based in Brooklyn, NY, with standard hours Monday–Friday (8:30 AM–5:15 PM), plus occasional flexibility during peak seasons or year-end. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, 401K, vacation, employee discount, free parking, full in-house gym, and long-term stability in a growing company.
We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience (typically in the range of $70,000–$90,000 annually, based on skills, relevant buying experience, and market conditions), with potential for performance bonuses tied to category results.
If you're a fashion-passionate buyer ready to own assortments, drive profitable growth, and grow your career internally at a dynamic retailer, this is your opportunity.
Rainbow USA is one of the fastest-growing juniors, kids, plus, and petite specialty apparel chains. Headquartered in Brooklyn, NY and founded in 1935, Rainbow is a fashion leader for its 14–49-year-old customers.
We operate nearly 900 stores across 38 states, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands under brands such as Rainbow, Rainbow Plus, Rainbow Kids, 579, and Marianne’s. Our customers seek fashion-forward trends at unbeatable value prices, and we consistently deliver above-market sales and profit growth. In growth mode, we open 60–80 new stores annually.
Rainbow employees thrive in a progressive, dynamic organization with a hard-working, loyal, and dedicated team. We prioritize internal development—over 60% of our management team is promoted from within—offering clear career paths for driven individuals.
The Buyer plays a key role in driving Rainbow's assortment strategy, selecting and purchasing fashion-forward apparel that resonates with our value-conscious customers while maximizing sales, margins, and inventory productivity.
This position demands strong fashion intuition, analytical skills, vendor negotiation expertise, and the ability to make independent buying decisions in a fast-paced retail environment. Ideal candidates are creative, trend-savvy professionals with proven retail buying experience, a passion for juniors/kids/plus/petite fashion, and the drive to contribute to our continued expansion.
Primary Responsibilities:
· Research and analyze market trends, competitor assortments, and customer buying patterns to identify emerging styles and opportunities aligned with Rainbow's target demographics.
· Develop and curate seasonal product assortments, including selecting styles, colors, fabrics, and quantities that balance fashion appeal, value pricing, and profitability.
· Negotiate with domestic and international vendors/suppliers on pricing, terms, delivery schedules, minimums, and quality standards to achieve optimal cost and margin targets.
· Manage open-to-buy (OTB) plans, monitor inventory levels, and adjust purchases based on sales performance, markdown strategies, and inventory productivity metrics (e.g., turn, GMROI, sell-through).
· Collaborate closely with merchandising, planning, allocation, visual, and store operations teams to ensure seamless product flow, in-store presentation, and promotional execution.
· Track and evaluate post-purchase performance through sales data, reports, and store feedback; make data-driven adjustments to future buys.
· Maintain strong vendor relationships and stay ahead of industry developments through market visits, trade shows, and trend resources.
· Contribute to budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning for assigned categories or divisions.
· Support special projects, new store openings, and growth initiatives as needed.
Requirements:
· Bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising, Business, Retail Management, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
· 3–5 years of experience as a Buyer, Associate Buyer, or Junior Buyer in apparel retail (juniors, kids, plus-size, or value/fast-fashion preferred).
· Proven track record in retail math: strong proficiency in markup, margin planning, open-to-buy management, inventory productivity measures (e.g., turn, sell-through, GMROI), and sales forecasting.
· Excellent eye for fashion trends and deep understanding of Rainbow's value-conscious, trend-driven customer base.
· Strong negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to make quick, informed decisions.
· Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (advanced spreadsheets, pivot tables, data analysis) and other retail systems; familiarity with merchandising/planning software a plus.
· Exceptional organizational, multi-tasking, and communication skills (verbal and written) in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment.
· Positive, upbeat, team-oriented personality with flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities.
· Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) a significant advantage.
· Willingness to travel as needed for market research, vendor meetings, or trade shows.
This is a full-time position based in Brooklyn, NY, with standard hours Monday–Friday (8:30 AM–5:15 PM), plus occasional flexibility during peak seasons or year-end. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, 401K, vacation, employee discount, free parking, full in-house gym, and long-term stability in a growing company.
We offer a competitive salary commensurate with experience (typically in the range of $70,000–$90,000 annually, based on skills, relevant buying experience, and market conditions), with potential for performance bonuses tied to category results.
If you're a fashion-passionate buyer ready to own assortments, drive profitable growth, and grow your career internally at a dynamic retailer, this is your opportunity.
Salary : $70,000 - $90,000