Kitty Hawk Kites:
Buyer Team Leader- Retail Merchandise Buyer Job in Kill Devil Hills, NC

Opportunity for growth and long term employment are part of the Kitty Hawk Kites culture.

We are looking for an experienced retail buyer to join our team. In addition, this candidate needs to be an excellent communicator, confident, and have a flair for negotiation, influencing people and networking. Buyer Team Leads are responsible for training and providing mentor-ship to other company buyers. They are also responsible for purchasing products, goods and materials that meet the organization's standards of price, quality, timing, and reliability of supply. Buyers are active Managers who juggle priorities to cover all aspects of purchasing, assisting with special retail events, working in stores one day per week, assisting with processing inventory and assisting with physical inventory counts.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Train, coach and mentor assigned company buyers
• Keep the Purchasing leadership team abreast of daily activities; actively communicate.
• Identify and document best practices within the function; keep standard operating procedures current and relevant.
• Track and monitor team KPI initiatives; devise course corrections as required.
• Lead special projects as assigned.
• Review and approve assigned inventory forecasts.
• Research, assess, and make recommendations for vendors and/or specific items of request to ensure they that they comply with specifications and meet the organization's quality, pricing, and delivery standards.
• Recognize and evaluate vendor sales, promotional campaigns, and other opportunities to secure reduced prices.
• May negotiate prices and delivery conditions and commit to purchases (within established limits of authority) with terms that are in the organization's best interest.
• Monitor the quality and timeliness of products and materials supplied; may coordinate the return of damaged goods and/or replacement items.
• Negotiate and coordinate vendor returns for aging, expired, or excess inventory; coordinate other liquidation activities as required.
• Follow-up on the status of purchase orders with vendors to ensure timely delivery; and communicate status of orders with internal and/or external customers.
• Communicates with vendors to resolve problems with timeliness and product quality.
• Maintain and cultivate relationships with one or more suppliers, vendors, internal or external customers.
• Assist with identifying opportunities to consolidate suppliers/vendors.

Typical Work Activities
• Typical work activities can vary according to the season. For example: out of season, the majority of the time will be spent in the workplace, during the buying season, a significant amount of time will be spent away from the workplace in order to assemble a new collection of merchandise and potentially in the stores.
• Throughout the year, tasks typically involve:

• Research and analyzing trends
• Review weekly performance indicators for top sellers and maintain inventory levels to meet expanding sales
• Manage plans for stock levels, reacting to change in demand and logistics
• Meeting suppliers and negotiating terms of contract
• Maintain relationships with existing suppliers and sourcing new suppliers for future products
• Liaise with other departments within the organization to ensure projects are completed
• Attend trade shows to select and assemble new collections and write orders with established vendors
• Participate in promotional activities
• Write reports and sales forecasts, and analyze sales figures got your category
• Liaising with store personnel to ensure product/collection supply meets demand
• Seek merchandise feedback from managers and merchandising team
• Train and mentor sales staff in stores about specific categories you are responsible for

Work Conditions
• Working hours are frequently longer than 8:30 to 5:30. Buyers are generally expected to work until the job is completed and this may mean putting in extra hours so good time-management skills is critical.
• Six day work weeks are required in peak season.
• Buying is mostly office-based, although, traveling to trade shows and on-site visits to vendors in order to source new products is expected.
• There is travel throughout the year to trade shows.
• Buyers often visit store locations and during the busy season are required to work in the stores at leas one day a week to assist with sales, merchandising and inventory.
• Buyers assist in setting up new locations and may be required to travel to other states for sales and other events. Participation in these events is required in OBX.
• This role involves frequent contact with wholesalers, manufacturers, and suppliers.
• Flexibility is important.

Although this area of work is open to all, we are looking for someone with preferably a Bachelor’s degree and 4+ years of fashion/apparel buying/merchandising experience for multiple retail locations, with at least 2 years of in-store experience, is preferred. Candidates should demonstrate a strong interest in and commitment to an resort ocean atmosphere.

Potential candidates will need to show evidence of the following:

• Excellent analytical skills
• Strong negotiating and planning skills are a must
• Must have exceptional communication skills which are essential
• Creative flair and good ideas
• Team working ability
• Great organizational skills
• Make important decisions
• Cope with the pressure of meeting demanding targets and working to tight deadlines
• Get along with a wide range of people
• Determination to succeed
• Industrial/commercial awareness
• Must be ready to multi-task
• Leadership ability with a positive outlook
• Proficient with Microsoft Office including Excel advanced functions (i.e. V look up, Pivot Tables, Macros, etc.) and a working knowledge of POS system are a must.

Benefits do include free recreation activities, health - medical, vision and dental, 401K and more!