Adanola
Senior Buyer
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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.
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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.
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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
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