Saks Fifth Avenue Associate Buyer, Women's Accessories

About Saks Fifth Avenue

Saks Fifth Avenue is a premier luxury department store and a cornerstone of the Saks Global portfolio. Renowned for a carefully curated assortment of designer fashion and high-touch client service, the brand blends immersive in-store experiences with an elevated digital offering across its North American locations.

Role & Responsibilities

• Lead the market cycle, manage orders, and collaborate with Brand Partnerships and the Buying Lead.
• Oversee checkbook management and support brand growth strategies.
• Analyze product selection and pricing, and negotiate with vendors.
• Manage the portfolio, in-season product, markdowns, and returns to vendor (RTVs).
• Track receipts and ensure inventory targets are met.
• Develop assortment strategies to meet financial goals and KPIs.
• Negotiate with partners and review financial plans.
• Manage open-to-buy (OTB), markdown projections, and RTV negotiations.
• Build cross-functional relationships and manage vendor communications.
• Collaborate with marketing, Store Planning, and the Bangalore team.
• Mentor and guide others in the ECDP program.
• Execute assortment strategies and financial planning.
• Develop promotions with sales support teams.
• Meet sales and profit goals and manage buying office operations.
• Support vendor selection and partnership development while helping ensure assortments meet customer needs and Saks Global standards.
• Contribute data and insights for inventory productivity analysis, vendor profitability reviews, and pricing strategy.
• Support sales growth and financial performance; may lead and mentor a team of Assistant Buyers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent retail experience.
• At least 3 years of buying-office experience, with a strong understanding of buying operations and retail strategy.
• At least 5 years of relevant experience, with strong leadership, management, and organizational skills.
• Self-starter able to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Strong communication skills and executive presence, with the ability to lead meetings and build trust with stakeholders.
• Track record of consistently exceeding goals and driving positive outcomes in complex organizations.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and a creative approach to new challenges.
• Ability to apply retail math concepts, including markup, margin planning, OTB, WOS, T/O, and GMROI.
• Strong proficiency in MS Office, Google Sheets/Docs, and PowerPoint.
• Strong interpersonal, customer-focus, conflict-management, and negotiation skills.
• Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment.

Skills

Experience

At least 3 years of buying-office experience and at least 5 years of relevant experience.

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent retail experience.

Compensation

The base compensation for this position ranges from USD 75,000 to USD 97,000 per annum.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance; 401(k) retirement plan; basic and supplemental life insurance; disability insurance; additional voluntary benefits, including critical illness, hospital, and accident insurance; employee discount; and career advancement opportunities.

Culture

Saks Fifth Avenue emphasizes a high‑standard, client‑centric retail culture that fuses creative visual storytelling with commercial rigor. The environment rewards initiative and offers cross‑functional career mobility across retail, digital and corporate disciplines within the Saks Global portfolio.

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.