Role Purpose:

Key administration support for the buying team, working directly with the Buyer.

You will be working in a fast-paced and demanding environment, in a high-profile category with a large amount of new product development. Therefore, you must be a self-starter with exceptional attention to detail, and strong communication & numerical reasoning skills to be successful in this role.

You will be responsible for the overall administration of the Biscuits category, reporting directly to the category Buyer, and the primary point of contact for the supply base and internal stakeholders. There will be plenty of opportunity to support and influence the direction of the category – therefore, this role would suit an experienced buyer’s admin assistant who is looking to take the next step in their career development.

You will be involved in product set up, price changes, supplier on-boarding, managing the supplier-sampling calendar & sample cupboard, partaking in tasting sessions & product benchmarking, managing the critical path and handling all invoice and account queries. You will also be the data administration lead for managing the product system, range plans, and product quality assurance documents, PR briefs and technical & CSR briefs.

You must be a confident user in using Microsoft Excel, as this role will involve managing several Excel range plans and data sheets. You must be confident and enjoy using systems for managing administration.

Experienced in working with power point for presentations & Trello for project management.

Reports to: 

Buyer Biscuits

Key interfaces:

Merchandising, Retail, Design, Technical, Warehouse, Marketing, Online, International Wholesale

Key Accountabilities:

Administration:

*       Ownership and accountable for managing product system data ensuring the system & range plans are updated & accurate. Including: Product set up, supplier on boarding administration, pricing, descriptions, weights, hierarchies, commodity codes, shelf life,

*       Supporting online trading team with product launch & data management, including supporting with web range plan, samples for photography, availability dates & report actions, copy, preventing sale online when product has sold through

*       Ensuring training packs for new product launches are accurate and shared on time

*       Managing invoices for the department by liaising suppliers and finance team

Critical Path & NPD:

*       Maintaining & updating the critical path ensuring it is accurate and up to date

*       Support Buyer in chasing suppliers for updates & submissions

*       Taking meeting minutes for NPD, agreeing key actions and circulating to the key stakeholders

*       Supporting in checking artwork alongside buying team for spelling, grammar, and best before, storage, weight, description accuracy and barcodes

*       Supporting in chasing printer proofs

*       Supporting merchandise planning team sharing product measurements and sharing images for the management and execution of store drop plans

*       Chasing in gold seal final samples, management of storage

*       Supporting the team on benchmarking, competitor shops, pricing reviews, seasonal wash up reports

Reporting, Commercial & Trade Actions:

*       Supporting the team in achieving sales and margin targets for the department

*       Working through key trade driving or corrective actions identified at the trade meeting

*       Working with merchandising to manage short dated product taking action for mark downs on the system

*       Supporting on floor walks, taking meeting notes, following up on actions

*       Manage in store sampling with suppliers to ensure we have a bustling food hall throughout the year

Customer & QC:

*       Managing the administration for QC & customer complaints, Logging & Investigating with support of Buyer, working closely supporting customer services channel

Marketing:

*       Leading key activations and events, support in administrative tasks related to event planning and marketing

*       Responsible for briefing signage for new launches & seasonal campaigns

Reporting:

*       Supporting the Buyer in creating the trade reports in a timely and accurate manner

Sample Management:

*                Managing, organising, cataloguing, chasing in, and sending out transit test samples

*                Working closely with merchandising team to manage ingredient & packaging no charges /sales orders

Role Specific Criteria (Experience/Behaviours/Technical Ability):

We expect the successful candidate to have the following skills and experience:

*       Keen to learn and conscientious, high attention to detail, takes pride in their work

*       Demonstrate an ability to communicate and work well as part of a team

*       Tenacious, with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment

*       Exceptional organisational skills, with meticulous attention to detail

*       Ability to work to a deadline and manage multiple work streams and priorities at a time

*       Experience using Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint, Trello

*       Keen interest in food and must be up to date on the latest food trends

*       Competent numerical skills (ability to calculate margins, percentages)

*       Experience in luxury retail, or Food desirable

We are committed to developing your career and nurturing your talent, regardless of age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; sexual orientation. We respect and embrace each other's differences, to create a truly inclusive environment.

In the last year alone, our people have been recognised and celebrated, winning awards for their outstanding contributions to Retail, Technology, Global Hospitality & Tourism, Visual Merchandising & Display, Customer Service and Local Community Awards.

In return, we offer:

• A competitive salary
• A generous store and restaurant discount of up to 40%
• 25 days holidays pro rata (excluded bank holidays) and an extra day off for your birthday
• A fantastic subsidised staff restaurant which uses Fortnum’s ingredients
• A range of opportunities to develop and grow personally and professionally
• Excellent pension scheme