Senior Buyer

Senior Buyer

Application Deadline: 10 October 2026

Department: Product

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Manchester

Reporting To: Head of Buying

Description

We're looking for a Senior Buyer to take real ownership of our jersey-based categories and shape the strategy that drives them. This is a senior, high-accountability role: you'll set the direction for your department's buying strategy, build a product range that's commercially sharp and genuinely customer-centric, and bring the seniority and judgement needed to influence decisions at the highest level.

You'll have advanced technical expertise in jersey categories and a strong track record of hands on buying at a senior level, paired with sharp analytical ability and trend awareness that lets you make confident, high stakes calls on sales, margin, and product performance. Vendor relationships are core to this role - we need someone who has operated at a senior level with suppliers, and who knows how to build the kind of lasting, high value partnerships that a business like ours depends on.

What You'll Do

• Take ownership of Adanola's product strategy for your department, shaping an approach within jersey-based categories that directly informs and feeds into the company's top-line product strategy.
• Lead the partnership with Design and Merchandising to deliver a strategic, commercial, and profitable jersey range for the Adanola customer globally - setting the direction, not just executing it.
• Bring authoritative market and competitor insight to the table, using your understanding of global trends and customer behaviour to identify and act on opportunities ahead of the market.
• Drive new product creation and seasonal direction in partnership with Design, using your seniority and category expertise to influence decisions at the earliest stages.
• Take full accountability for actively trading the department - making fast, data-driven calls on in-season performance and owning the commercial outcome.
• Be answerable for department-level KPIs across sales, margin, stock, and newness, with the autonomy to determine how those targets are met.
• Negotiate and agree department budgets, forecasts, and frameworks directly with Heads of Product, bringing a senior voice to commercial planning.
• Own the critical path end-to-end, exercising judgement to balance supplier lead times against department deadlines.
• Lead range build and present with authority in Sign Off meetings, defending strategy and budget decisions at a senior level.
• Take strategic ownership of the supply base, using seniority and credibility to negotiate risk, margin, and quality improvements, and to build lasting, high-value vendor partnerships.
• Represent Adanola on buying and inspiration trips, including senior-level engagement with key jersey vendors.
• Operate as a senior cross-functional partner, building the kind of trusted relationships that carry weight across the buying function and beyond.
• Shape how Marketing brings product launches and storytelling to life, contributing senior product expertise to that partnership.
• Step up to deputise for the Head of Buying, acting with full authority in their absence.

About you as a leader:

• Set the standard for your team through regular 1-1s, clear job specs, and sharply defined objectives - leading with the authority and clarity expected of a senior buyer.
• Lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing team, building a culture that's both successful and genuinely happy to work in.
• Hold your team to a high standard of accountability, always anchored in Adanola's brand values and guidelines.
• Mentor and develop Assistant/Junior Buyers and Buying Assistants, using your seniority to actively shape the next generation of buying talent.
• Set the tone for best practice across the buying team, taking the lead on evolving processes and tools.

About you

• Significant buying experience in fashion or apparel retail, with proven senior or lead buying experience, with a strong track record within jersey-based categories.
• Established experience leading and motivating a team at a senior level.
• A track record of building strong, genuine, and lasting relationships - both with internal stakeholders and external partners, particularly key vendors and suppliers.
• Strong commercial acumen, with a demonstrable record of driving sales and profitability at a senior level.
• Excellent negotiation, vendor management, and relationship-building skills, with real credibility in front of suppliers.
• Highly analytical and confident working with financial reports, using data to drive senior-level decision-making.
• Deep trend knowledge and a strong understanding of global fashion markets.
• Proven ability to manage multiple seasons and competing priorities in a fast-paced, senior retail role.
• Proficiency in buying systems, Excel, and planning tools; PLM experience is a plus.
• A strategic thinker with a strong commercial mindset, ready to operate at a senior leadership level.

Why Adanola?

We're on a mission to become the go-to destination to shop your everyday uniform and we're looking for talented, positive people to work towards this goal. As the company continues to grow at a fast pace, it's an exciting time to be part of the journey. So, if you're passionate, driven, and ready to make a real impact, we'd love to hear from you!

Some of the benefits we offer our employees:

• Business-wide bonus structure
• Regular in office wellness events
• Private Medical Insurance
• Flexible workplace (3 days a week in our Manchester office)
• 33 days holiday (inclusive of Bank Holidays)
• Day off on your Birthday
• 50% staff discount