Temporary Associate Buyer

Company Description
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren's reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company's brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps, among others, constitute one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands. At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.

Position Overview
Experienced retail buyer to help manage and grow the Womenswear Lauren Accessories & Footwear categories. Previous experience with leather goods & footwear preferred but not required; good understanding of APAC & global leather goods and footwear market & trends needed. Passion required, as well as strong skills in data analysis, Excel & PowerPoint, multitasking, organization, and teamwork. Strong English communication skills an absolute must as this role works very closely with the line manager, APAC country leads, North America & EMEA regional counterparts, Corporate partners, and cross-functional partners. The team lead greatly values a positive and balanced team dynamic, so this position must be able to work in harmony with the rest of the team. Given the global nature of the brand, occasional evening calls are required.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
1.Create seasonal strategies that integrate corporate brand direction, regional business needs, and financial targets
* Analyze sales data, APAC initiatives, Country Lead feedback, and Corporate brand direction to formulate new seasonal investment strategies
* Work with division manager and Planning team to determine optimal OTB investment by classification by country
* Create compelling regional assortments based on the established investment strategies
* Identify product opportunities and work closely with Corporate Merchandising to develop new programs to address these opportunities 2.Manage seasonal buy process
* Place unit buys based on seasonal strategy & OTB budget
* Ensure all buys are accurately input into the system on time
* Regularly manage unit buys as line evolves via weekly add-drop process
* Analyze selling and update size curves by category/program/market
* Analyze selling and market competitors to establish local pricing within each country
* Partner with NA & EMEA regional counterparts to meet style MOQs as needed
* Partner with Country Leads to ensure buys balance local needs with brand direction/strategy
* Create product knowledge deck prior to start of seasonal trading 3.Manage in-season trading
* Generate & analyze regular style selling reports to recommend any product rebalances or markdown strategies
* Present regular business summaries to team leads; highlight business performance, risks & opportunities, and potential action plans
* Manage markdown & price reticketing lists; ensure timely and accurate upload into system
* Partner with Country Leads to understand business trends & customer needs
* Partner with Allocation to review receipt status to ensure seasonal deliveries will arrive on time; flag potential issues and propose action plans in the event of delays
* Partner with Visual Merchandising team to build seasonal guidelines to ensure proper product presentation
* Partner with Marketing team to ensure proper promotion of key investments

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

* 3+ years of relevant, retail merchandise buying experience
* Solid understanding of APAC and global leathergoods & footwear market & trends
* Proficient with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
* Strong analytical skills - Must be able to work with raw data and identify sales trends & commercial opportunities
* Strong English communication skills - Must be able to clearly and confidently communicate both vertically and laterally across the organization with colleagues at different levels and of different cultures
* Ability to multitask, prioritize workload, and stay calm & organized in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment
* Ability to operate independently as well as in partnership with a wide variety of colleagues across different departments
* Positive attitude - Curious, willing to develop, solution-oriented, adaptable, and driven, even when faced with challenges