Buyer - Kitchen Category

We are looking for an enthusiastic, commercially driven, and collaborative Buyer to join our Kitchen Category team at Farmers. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is passionate about retail, product development, and creating exceptional customer experiences through a well-curated product range. As a Buyer, you will play a key role in developing and managing the Kitchen category, including sourcing products, building supplier relationships, negotiating commercial outcomes, and delivering ranges that meet our customers’ needs. You will work closely with suppliers and internal teams to drive sales, profitability, and growth across the category. As a key member of the Merchandise team, you will be a team player who builds strong relationships, contributes to a positive team culture, and supports the development of others. Key Responsibilities Develop and manage a compelling Kitchen product range aligned with customer needs, market trends, and business objectives. Build and maintain strong supplier relationships, negotiating the best commercial outcomes across pricing, quality, delivery, and terms. Identify new product opportunities and trends to drive category growth and enhance the customer experience. Support Own Brand development, including direct sourcing, product selection, and product lifecycle management. Analyse sales performance, market insights, and financial data to make informed buying decisions. Work collaboratively with Merchandise, Marketing, Supply Chain, Stores, and other key stakeholders to deliver successful product launches. Lead and mentor team members where required, fostering collaboration, capability development, and high performance. Manage range reviews, promotional planning, forecasting, and inventory decisions to maximise sales and profitability. Use merchandising systems and reporting tools to monitor performance and identify opportunities. About You To be successful in this role, you will be a commercially minded retail professional with a passion for products and delivering great customer outcomes. You will bring: A Retail Diploma or Business Degree qualification. 1–3+ years' buying experience, with exposure across multiple product categories. Experience within the Cookware category is preferred. Experience with Own Brand direct sourcing and product development is highly desirable. Exceptional negotiation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong supplier partnerships. Strong business and financial acumen, with the ability to interpret data and make commercially sound decisions. Advanced Microsoft Excel skills and confidence working with financial and sales analysis. Strong merchandising systems capability and understanding of retail processes. Excellent planning, organisation, and time management skills. Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to coach, influence, and develop others. A collaborative team player who enjoys working cross-functionally and building positive relationships across the business. A proactive approach with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities. Why Farmers? At Farmers, we are proud to be one of New Zealand's most iconic retailers, with a rich history of delivering quality products and exceptional service to our customers. You will have the opportunity to work with a passionate team, influence product ranges, and make a real impact on the growth of our Kitchen category. If you are passionate about retail, products, and creating ranges customers love, we would love to hear from you. Please note that we will be relocating to the new Support Office on Pitt Street by July 2027. #J-18808-Ljbffr