ASSOCIATE BUYER - BIKE COMPONENTS

Our Competitive Cyclist/Backcountry.com associate buyers are responsible for achieving the financial goals within their Merchandise Division (MD). We empower you to set and implement a purchase plan, which allows us to exceed all financial goals. If you want a fast-paced work environment with the opportunity to buy the gear you love, this could be your job!

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assortment Selection: Own business strategy for pricing, category / brand mix, and selection of inventory for the Bikes Components Merchandising Division. Associate buyer must be deeply knowledgeable with current road and mountain market trends and be able to form an opinion on the long and short-term direction of the markets.
• Relationship Management: Develop relationships with bike brands and work to create the best partnership in their customer list. Present brand level performance to brand executives and provide insight on market trends. Associate buyer must be personable and enjoy face-time with vendors – travel for relationship development and occasional bike rides with our brands is required.
• Vendor Negotiations: Negotiate discounts, terms, pricing policies, promotional periods, closeout buys, and order issue resolutions. Associate Buyer will additionally oversee SKU imagery, price-matching, and special / exclusive buys.
• Inventory Management: Manage the Open to Buy (OTB), establishing in-line PO receipt flow while aggressively pursuing closeout opportunities and hind sighting SKU / category performance. Associate Buyer will additionally manage Return to Vendor items (RTVs), shortage and overage shipments, and mark-down dollar requests with vendor – all to ensure inventory management strategy aligns with company-wide financial goals
• PO Management: Develop spreadsheets for SKU / PO worksheet creation, build POs (quantity / dollar / style allocation, size / color breakout) and ensure on time submission to vendors. Associate Buyer will additionally ensure timely management of PO edits as well as execution and maintenance of all PO build types (Pre-season, ASAP, Closeout)
• Marketing Strategy: Brainstorm / hindsight promo concepts and performance. Identify types of promos and build calendar with marketing, picking SKUs to develop collections and site rules pages. Review and provide creative briefs, QA and approve promo functionality, and react to performance. Identify risks in promotional calendar and develop back-up plans for promotional comps
• Pricing: Work with vendors to understand model year pricing strategy – in-line pricing (promo periods, price matching, and promotional calendar management) and end of model year price break dates. Associate Buyer will communicate all price breaks to marketing team and is responsible for assignment to the promotional calendar. Associate Buyer will additionally set and monitor the discount cadence on all Closeout buys adhering to a sell-through schedule
• Online Merchandising: Review / optimize color thumbnail displayed on PLP and search pages as well as oversee the boosting and sort order for responsible brands and categories. Associate Buyer will be responsible for managing backorders and working with Bikes & Frames buyers to develop package SKUs and manage the custom bike kit calculator
• P&L Responsibility: Buyer owns revenue, margin, inventory, receipt flow, and in-stocks levels for their specific brands

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• 2-4 years of relevant bike industry merchandising and buying experience
• Willingness and ability to travel to as needed
• Firm understanding of retail math and fundamentals
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (proficiency in Excel a must)
• Excellent organizational skills and extreme attention to detail
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong analytical skills
• Outstanding time management skills
• Ability to perform under pressure and prioritize competing tasks / initiative

ABOUT BACKCOUNTRY

Seek it. Find it. Send it. We help customers seek the perfect gear for their backcountry, find their awe, and send it their way. Through our five brands—Backcountry, Competitive Cyclist, MotoSport, Bergfreunde, and Steep&Cheap—we give our customers the gear, knowledge, and inspiration they need to chase life’s greatest moments. We foster local outdoor communities around the locations of our expanding number of retail stores, and we’re actively creating a more inclusive and equitable outdoors for all through our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives.

We’re a company of Gearheads and we offer personalized expertise at every level of the organization. This means we curate the best assortment of premium gear and apparel, a premium shopping experience, personalized Gearhead advice, super-fast and accurate fulfillment, and aspirational and informative content.

We take growth and personal fulfillment seriously. For our employees—aka, our Herd—this means career growth potential and the ability to take ownership and make an impact daily. We offer perks like an exceptional gear discount, an annual summer Adventure Contest, summer barbecues, and a pet-friendly office.

When you join the Backcountry Herd, you join a crew that is passionate about their jobs and equally stoked on the outdoors. Pre-dawn skintrack laps are the norm, MTB rides are our lunch break, and you’ll regularly find coworkers hitting the trail together post-work. Benefits are competitive and include medical, dental, vision, and disability & life insurance, paid maternity and paternity leave, 401(k) matching, Flexible Spending or Health Savings Account.

Thanks for applying! For your time and effort, use promo code CAREERS22 for 15% off full-price items in your cart. Some exclusions apply.