The role
At Neptune, our passion for great design and an appreciation of our customers are at the heart of everything we do. Our highly visionary Buying and Product Development team help define, drive and perfect new and existing products, which range from beautiful furniture right through to our stunning selection of home accessories.
We are searching for an Assistant Buyer to join our superb Buying and Product Development team. Based at our stunning support office in Swindon, Wiltshire, in this fast paced and exciting role you will support our Buyer and Lead Buyer on specific categories through our critical path from brief to launch, ensuring deadlines are met and communicated throughout the business.
As part of the role, you will support the Buying and Product Development team from the concept and development of exciting new ranges and product categories, whilst managing continuity product. You'll manage and maintain areas of our critical path including sampling, sealing and line raising, as well as communicating with external teams on critical path dates and samples.
Day to day you will be responsible for:
- Supporting the wider product team on the critical path, ensuring dates are correct and communicated effectively to all internal departments
- Overseeing our sample management, ensuring samples and swatches are appropriately organised, filed and archived
- Working closely with the product development technologists, designers and manufacturers to negotiate and establish the best route to final approved samples
- Researching and preparing reports on competitor products and price for the use of the wider team
- Meeting all stages and deadlines within the seasonal product development plan and recording the status of each product
- Communicating effectively with our supply base and building strong supplier relationships
- Ensuring accuracy and attention to detail at all times when managing our range plan and supplier information in addition to additional ad-hoc administrative responsibilities
We are looking for someone who has outstanding organizational skills and a disciplined approach to deadlines and able to work flexibly using their initiative. Bringing previous buying experience within development and sourcing of homeware and furniture, you'll have an exceptional eye for detail and a strong visual perception. You'll also have experience managing a critical path, within a retail environment.
What Benefits we can offer you
- Competitive salary
- Generous Holiday Allowance
- Life Assurance
- Company sick pay
- Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
- Cycle to work scheme
- Gym membership
- Generous Neptune new item and outlet discounts
- Perkbox: Wellbeing Hub and Retail Discounts Portal
- Your birthday day off
- Two paid volunteer days a year
- Day off if you become a Grandparent
- A week off to celebrate a life event
- Refer a friend scheme
- Long service holiday allowance increase
- Training Workshops
Across all locations, we stay united by our company values: Do The Right Thing, Do It Together, Aim High and Keep It Real.
We're an equal opportunities employer; our mission is to welcome everyone and create inclusive teams, with all colleagues and applicants afforded the same opportunities. We encourage everyone to join us and be themselves at work, in an environment that actively promotes equality, diversity and inclusion and where everyone's voices are heard.
Our Story
Founded in 1996 by friends John Sims-Hilditch and Giles Redman, Neptune design and make pieces for your whole home. Recognised for our exacting standards, design-led aesthetic and expert craftsmanship, we're perhaps most known for kitchens - with heirloom-worthy dressers not far behind. Neptune's trademark 'look' is British: refined, simple, sturdy, and with an almost obsessive attention to detail. We're also respected for our commitment to craft and quality. Put simply, we make things we're proud of, and that are designed to last a lifetime.
