Being a Buyer for either John Lewis & Partners or Waitrose & Partners means you need to know our customers inside and out… anticipating not only what they want today, but what might entice them tomorrow (we’re on top of our customers’ attitudes with lots of great research into our different customer groups). But we’ll also expect you to temper innovation with pragmatism, as you’ll act as a brand custodian and need to select only those exceptional, yet commercially viable products, that will lead us on to greater success.
Whatever level our Buyers join us at, they’re tenacious, creative and visionary individuals. They balance flair with business sense and are as inspired by products as they are by retail. And as they progress, so too do their negotiation skills… they are a buyer’s most formidable tool.
Take a look at what life in the John Lewis & Partners Buying and Merchandising teams involve by watching the following video:
We need Buyers on an ongoing basis. A buying career path may take you from a Buying Assistant, to a trainee or Assistant Buyer, then a Buyer. Progression after this would be into roles managing teams of Buyers as Head of Buying or Buying Manager. We also have Merchandising and Space Planning roles for John Lewis.
Visit the Fashion Retail Academy website. The FRA educates and trains people aged 16+ for a career in fashion retail, training them in areas such as merchandising, buying, customer service, visual merchandising, marketing and PR and branding.
