Holt Renfrew Assistant Buyer
- Address
- 60 Bloor Street W, Toronto, ON View map
- Employment
- Full-Time
- Seniority
- Junior
- Compensation
- $52,000–62,000/year
- Department
- Merchandising, Buying & Planning
- Industry
- High Jewelry
- Posted
- Oct 7, 2026
About Holt Renfrew
Founded in Quebec City in 1837, Holt Renfrew is one of Canada’s leading luxury retailers, bringing together distinguished international fashion, accessories and beauty brands. Its heritage combines an enduring appreciation of craftsmanship with a contemporary approach to retail and personalised service. As an employer, Holt Renfrew offers career paths across client-facing roles, personal shopping, merchandising, digital commerce and corporate functions. Its retail environment calls for product expertise, commercial awareness and the ability to cultivate lasting client relationships. For professionals drawn to luxury, it provides a setting where Canadian retail heritage meets the evolving expectations of a discerning, internationally minded clientele.
The Assistant Buyer supports Holt Renfrew’s jewellery business through sales and margin analysis, purchase orders, forecasting, inventory management, store allocations and vendor coordination. The role partners with Buyers and Planners on financial plans, seasonal reviews, product knowledge initiatives and events; the stated hiring range is CAD 52,000–62,000 per year, with the listed benefits.
Role & Responsibilities
- Monitor sales and margin performance and interpret variances against budget and forecast.
- Assist with purchase order creation, tracking and open-to-buy reporting.
- Verify vendor order confirmations for accuracy and compliance with purchase orders and agreement terms.
- Follow up on purchase orders with vendors and resolve related distribution issues.
- Support forecast preparation.
- Assist with monthly and seasonal markdown sessions.
- Monitor stock levels and recommend repeat orders and consolidations.
- Assist with pre-market analysis preparation.
- Partner with Buyers and Planners to create financial plans.
- Work with the Buyer and Planner to prepare seasonal business reviews.
- Monitor buying-office and sample inventory.
- Provide in-season sales analysis for recommended repeats, consolidations and returns to vendor (RTVs).
- Complete and revise store allocations for merchandise on order.
- Build and maintain strong vendor and internal-department relationships to achieve goals.
- Follow up with stores at appropriate intervals and through suitable communication channels on consolidations, repeats, RTVs, and product and merchandise information.
- Initiate and coordinate in-store product knowledge sessions and contests with vendors and stores.
- Prepare seasonal store product knowledge and road-tour information with the Buyer.
- Track line budget performance and activity, including plans and actuals.
- Coordinate activities for trunk shows, special events and personal appearances with the Buyer and vendor.
- Manage sample inventory from ordering through merchandise returns.
- Prepare presentations, media kits and event materials.
- Comply with Health and Safety policies and requirements.
- Ensure compliance with privacy policies, regulations and cybersecurity measures.
- Perform other assigned duties.
Qualifications
- Post-secondary degree in a related field or equivalent work experience.
- 1–2 years of post-university work experience.
- Sound knowledge of purchasing principles and practices and retail math.
- Previous analytical experience, including use of system-based tools, is an asset.
- Demonstrated leadership and influencing skills, with the ability to get things done.
- Excellent interpersonal skills; able to contribute as both a leader and an individual contributor as required.
- Confident and effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity and change.
- Highly service-oriented, with exceptional organizational and follow-up skills.
- Passion for fashion and luxury retail.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.
Skills
Experience
1–2 years of post-university work experience.
Education
Post-secondary degree in a related field or equivalent work experience.
Workplace
The role is situated in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Compensation
The base compensation for this position ranges from CAD 52,000 to CAD 62,000 per annum.
Benefits
Competitive total compensation, employee discount, pension, health and dental benefits, tuition assistance, continuous learning and development, pension matching, incentives and a comprehensive benefits package.
Culture
Holt Renfrew’s workplace culture blends its Canadian luxury retail heritage with a strong focus on personalized service, fashion expertise and lasting client relationships. Across its stores and corporate teams, collaboration, attention to detail and a shared passion for exceptional brands shape a client-focused working environment.
About Cerulean
Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Holt Renfrew, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Assistant Merchandiser», «Buying Assistant», «Merchandising Assistant», «Junior Buyer», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.