Category Buyer - Footwear

Job description
About Us:

The Souled Store is a homegrown youth casual-wear brand started in 2013. We are one of India’s largest online merchandising platforms with licenses like Disney, Warner Bros; WWE, IPL, Viacom18 to name a few. Apart from selling products with themed designs such as superheroes, movies, TV shows, and cartoons, the brand also

is at the forefront of the latest youth style and fashion trends. In addition to core men and women wear apparel categories, we have also expanded to new categories and introduced new product lines like activewear, supima products, innerwear, personal care products like perfumes etc. We have also launched footwear and kidswear

recently.

Although we are primarily an online brand, we’ve expanded in the offline retail space as well and have stores pan India. The Souled Store was born out of the idea of loving what you do, from the soul. We believe that people do their best work when they love what they do. There are too many Monday mornings and you can’t go dreading every single one of them. Over the years, we have built a strong team of like-minded people that work smart, own their work, and think like leaders. If you identify with what we do and are interested in being a part of an aggressively growing brand, we would love to have you on Board!

Role Overview :

We are seeking a dynamic and detail-oriented Category Buyer to oversee the procurement and category management of our Footwear department. You need to have a strong understanding of fashion trends, sourcing strategies, and vendor management, coupled with the ability to make data-driven decisions to drive category growth. This role involves collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless operations and delivering high-quality products that resonate with our brand and customer base.

Responsibilities:

Develop and execute a comprehensive buying strategy for the footwear category, ensuring alignment with brand vision and business goals.

Work closely with design and merchandising teams to conceptualize and launch new collections.

Source footwear from domestic and international vendors, ensuring quality, design, and pricing benchmarks are met.

Monitor inventory levels and ensure optimal stock availability to meet sales demands.

Collaborate with planning and logistics teams to forecast demand and manage stock replenishment

Analyse category performance to ensure profitability and achieve margin targets

Present reports on key metrics, including sell-through rates, margins, and category growth, to senior management.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Fashion Management, NIFT, or a related field.

4-6 years of experience in category management, buying, or merchandising, preferably in men’s apparel.

Strong expertise in Womenswear categories is essential.

Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and make informed decisions.

Exceptional communication and stakeholder management abilities.

In-depth knowledge of apparel manufacturing processes, fabrics, and quality standards.

Understanding of customer preferences and seasonal trends in the Footwear category. Read more