Sephora Assistant Buyer (Apprenticeship)
- Employment
- Internship
- Seniority
- Intern
- Department
- Merchandising, Buying & Planning
- Posted
- May 21, 2026
About Sephora
Sephora is a leading prestige beauty retailer and owner of the Sephora Collection brand, operating internationally with a reputation for assortment innovation and experiential retail. The brand is part of the LVMH group and combines retail expertise with product development capabilities to deliver trend-driven cosmetics, skincare and fragrance assortments.
Sephora in Neuilly‑sur‑Seine seeks an Assistant Buyer (Apprenticeship) — 12‑month alternance in purchasing, supplier management and SAP.
Role & Responsibilities
- Support the purchasing lifecycle from brief intake to contract award under the guidance of a tutor, including challenging briefs and proposing improvements.
- Prepare and manage requests for proposals (RFPs) and follow supplier selection processes.
- Run margin simulations and commercial analyses, and recommend levers to achieve predefined financial objectives.
- Assess suppliers' production capacities and propose optimisation and risk mitigation measures.
- Negotiate pricing, commercial conditions and supply terms for product launches and replenishments.
- Administer procurement data entry and transactional records in SAP.
- Initiate and follow supplier onboarding and referencing processes, coordinating necessary legal documentation.
- Collaborate with legal and cross‑functional teams to secure supplier relationships and prepare business meeting dossiers (sales trends, KPIs).
- Manage end‑of‑life communications with suppliers and assist with contract allocation.
Qualifications
- Currently enrolled in higher education (Bachelor’s or Master’s level) in procurement, supply chain, business, or a related discipline.
- Strong numerical aptitude with the ability to perform margin and commercial analyses.
- Rigorous, organized and detail‑oriented with a methodical approach to data.
- Curious, proactive and business‑minded, with a clear desire to learn the buyer role.
- Good interpersonal and communication skills for supplier and internal stakeholder interactions.
Skills
Experience
Open to early‑career candidates; suitable for students seeking a 12‑month alternance/apprenticeship to gain hands‑on experience in purchasing, supplier management and commercial negotiation.
Education
Enrolled in a Bachelor's or Master's programme in procurement, supply chain, business administration, or a closely related field.
Workplace
The role is situated in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Île-de-France, France — conveniently close to Paris.
Culture
Sephora fosters a fast‑paced, inclusive culture rooted in diversity and continuous learning. The environment emphasizes cross‑disciplinary collaboration, professional development and hands‑on exposure to product and commercial decision‑making within a leading beauty retailer.
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 Sephora, 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 «Junior Buyer (Apprenticeship)», «Purchasing Assistant – Alternance», «Procurement Assistant (Apprenticeship)», «Sourcing Assistant – Apprenticeship», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.