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Buyer - Books
Location: Swindon Support Centre (hybrid working with 3 days per week in the Swindon office)
Grade: D competitive salary plus car allowance & private medical
We are focused on building a sustainable and successful future for the business while continuing to deliver a consistent and valued retail offer. This role offers the opportunity to develop your career within a well-established organisation, contribute to ongoing improvement, and play a part in shaping the next chapter of TGJones.
About the role
At TG Jones, Books play a key role within our broader Stationery, Toys, Cards and Impulse categories. We’re seeking a motivated, commercially driven and customer-focused Books Buyer to join our Commercial team, based at our Support Centre in Swindon.
This role is critical in shaping a books range that works within a high street retail environment - delivering strong sales, margin, and cash profit through a customer focused, relevant and tightly edited fast-moving offer that drives both planned and impulse purchases. It takes a flair for relationship building, negotiation and an analytical approach.
Key responsibilities will include;
- Responsible for achieving sales, contribution and margin targets by selecting and promoting titles, while working closely with merchandising to manage stock budgets and availability
- Define and execute a clear books category strategy, balancing core chart titles, evergreen lines, seasonal ranges, and impulse-led opportunities which set TG Jones apart from competitors
- Building strong supplier relationships, negotiating cost reductions, first-to-market advantages, and supplier income opportunities, while ensuring effective supply chain and cost management
- Overseeing the critical path of key launches, promotions, seasonal and range delivery, leading the development of innovative marketing plans and executing effective range reviews using data analysis to drive continuous improvement
- Staying ahead of market trends, customer demands, and competitor activity to identify commercial opportunities
- Fostering open and effective communication with stores via central operations and regular store visits
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About you
If you're a forward-thinking professional with the ambition to drive change, deliver exceptional results, and bring fresh ideas to the table, you'll thrive in an environment where collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement are at the heart of everything we do. As TGJones continues to grow and evolve, you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact, influence the future of the business, and develop your career alongside a team that values ambition, expertise, and fresh thinking.
Experience required for this role will include;
- An experienced retail/books Buyer who has history in delivering a variety of strategies
- A commercial mindset is essential, with the ability to analyse sales performance, recognising opportunities and risks to support trade decisions and maximise sales and profit
- You will be analytical and insight-driven, confident using data to inform decisions and drive performance
- A skilled negotiator with experience delivering supplier income and building effective partnerships
- You will be passionate about books, trends, and customer behaviour, with the ability to translate insight into a compelling, relevant offer
- You will have strong negotiation skills and be able to effectively manage high income targets across your category
- You will be pragmatic and solutions-focused, able to balance ambition with operational reality
- Strong communicator, able to influence cross-functional teams and simplify complexity for execution in-store
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This is an exciting opportunity to shape the role of books within TG Jones — creating a focused, commercially successful range that complements our core categories and delivers for our customers in a fast-paced retail environment.
About us
At TGJones, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We believe in creating an environment where everyone feels supported, respected, and empowered to succeed. You'll be encouraged to share ideas, develop new skills, and contribute to a team that works together to achieve great results. Whether you're beginning your career or bringing years of experience, you'll find opportunities to learn, grow, and make a meaningful contribution in a business that's shaping its future.
Company benefits for our Support Centre colleagues include:
- 4pm Friday finish
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Your birthday off
- Holiday trading scheme
- Family friendly leave
- Employee discounts
- Free coffee Wednesdays
- And much more!
At TGJones, we're committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace where everyone can be themselves and do their best. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and celebrate the diversity that makes each of us unique. If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process, just let our Talent Acquisition team know, we're happy to help.
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