Assistant Buyer

Assistant Buyer

NY-New York (Union Square)

Job Summary

The Assistant Buyer supports the Buyer in developing and executing on-brand product assortments that drive sales and profitability for both Barnes & Noble and Paper Source. This role plays a critical part in bringing the company's merchandising vision to life through thoughtful planning, keen attention to detail, and strong cross-functional collaboration. The Assistant Buyer is expected to understand the Buyer's overarching strategy and proactively contribute to its success by establishing clear deliverables, adhering to timelines, and ensuring seamless execution. An employee in this position can expect an annual starting rate of 64,350 depending on experience, seniority, geographic locations, and other factors permitted by law.

What You Do

Monitor and respond to issues and opportunities arising from vendor communications, proactively escalating concerns to the Buyer as needed. Manage item setup and ongoing maintenance to ensure accurate and up-to-date product information across systems. Collaborate with the data team to onboard new vendor partners. Attend relevant cross-functional meetings to stay informed of departmental initiatives and strengthen internal relationships. Analyze weekly business performance and collaborate with the Buyer to identify opportunities and address challenges. Partner with New Store Planning as the key liaison for Merchandising, ensuring smooth communication and execution of initiatives.

Knowledge & Experience

Demonstrates strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills to effectively convey ideas and strategies. Highly organized with the ability to quickly adapt to changing priorities. Ability to collaborate effectively with all levels of management and build strong partnerships across cross-functional teams. Demonstrate a deep understanding of the target customer and effectively apply customer insights to guide product recommendations. Strong Excel and reporting skills, coupled with an analytical mindset to interpret data effectively. Excellent communication skills with vendors and internal teams, ensuring timely follow-up and effective collaboration. Bachelor's Degree along with a minimum of two years of experience at BN or Paper Source preferred.