Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Jewelry Buyer

🎯 Role Definition

The Jewelry Buyer is the strategic heart of our product assortment. You are more than just a selector of products; you are the architect of our collection's story and its commercial success. This role owns the entire lifecycle of our jewelry offerings, from identifying emerging trends and sourcing new designers to negotiating terms and analyzing performance. You will be responsible for crafting a balanced and profitable assortment that reflects our brand's unique identity, delights our loyal customers, and attracts new ones. Your decisions will directly impact the company's revenue, profitability, and brand positioning in a competitive luxury market.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Assistant Buyer / Associate Buyer
Merchandise Planner
Gemologist / Diamond Grader with retail experience

Advancement To:

Senior Jewelry Buyer / Buying Manager
Director of Merchandising / Category Director
Head of Product Development

Lateral Moves:

Product Development Manager
E-commerce Merchandising Manager
Brand Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and execute comprehensive seasonal and long-term merchandising strategies for all jewelry categories, ensuring alignment with overall company financial targets and brand vision.
Curate, manage, and continuously evolve a balanced product assortment that meets customer demands, aligns with our brand aesthetic, and achieves sales and margin goals.
Conduct in-depth competitive analysis and market research to identify emerging jewelry trends, white-space opportunities, and potential market threats to maintain a competitive edge.
Define and manage the product lifecycle for each item, from its introduction and initial launch to its peak selling period and eventual markdown or exit strategy.
Source, cultivate, and maintain strong, collaborative, and long-term relationships with a diverse network of domestic and international jewelry designers, artisans, and suppliers.
Lead all contract and cost negotiations, including pricing, payment terms, delivery schedules, co-op marketing funds, and exclusivity rights to maximize margin and secure favorable terms.
Partner proactively with top vendors to co-develop exclusive products and bespoke collections that differentiate our brand and create unique value for our customers.
Rigorously evaluate vendor performance through scorecards, analyzing on-time delivery, quality control, sell-through rates, and compliance with ethical sourcing standards.
Develop, manage, and meticulously track the Open-to-Buy (OTB) plan to optimize inventory levels, control stock flow, and maximize profitability across all categories.
Analyze sales data, inventory turn, and margin performance on a weekly, monthly, and seasonal basis to identify actionable insights, risks, and growth opportunities.
Execute purchase orders with a high degree of accuracy and manage the end-to-end flow of inventory from the vendor to our distribution center to ensure timely product availability.
Formulate and implement strategic pricing and markdown strategies to drive sales velocity, manage aging stock, and protect overall gross margin.
Collaborate closely with the Merchandise Planning team to ensure financial targets for sales, margin, and inventory are well-defined, tracked, and achieved.
Partner with Marketing, PR, and Creative teams to develop compelling product stories and ensure new arrivals are featured effectively across all channels, including email, social media, and print.
Work hand-in-hand with the E-commerce and digital teams to optimize online product presentation, categorization, site navigation, and the overall customer shopping experience.
Provide expert product knowledge training and detailed assortment insights to Retail, Customer Service, and Personal Styling teams to empower them to sell with confidence and authority.
Attend domestic and international trade shows, market appointments, and designer studio visits to discover new talent, source product, and stay ahead of global industry trends.
Maintain an expert-level understanding of diamonds, gemstones, precious metals, and fine jewelry construction techniques to ensure product quality and authenticity.
Analyze customer feedback, product returns data, and on-site search behavior to gather qualitative insights that inform future buying decisions and assortment adjustments.
Lead product selection and strategy meetings, confidently presenting your assortment plans, business rationale, and trend forecasts to senior leadership and cross-functional partners.

Secondary Functions

Mentor and actively develop junior members of the buying team, such as Assistant Buyers or Merchandise Assistants, fostering their growth within the organization.
Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to uncover deeper business insights.
Contribute to the organization's broader data and merchandising technology strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data and reporting needs into clear requirements for our analytics and engineering teams.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Expert Retail Math Proficiency: Deep understanding and practical application of retail metrics, including calculating margin, turn, sell-through, IMU, and Open-to-Buy (OTB).
Advanced Excel Skills: Mastery of Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, SUMIFs, and complex formulas for robust data analysis and reporting.
Merchandising Systems Experience: Proven experience with retail planning, inventory management, or ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Blue Yonder, Aptos).
Deep Product & Gemological Knowledge: Strong command of fine jewelry specifics, including the 4Cs of diamonds, gemstone identification, precious metal properties, and jewelry manufacturing processes. A GIA certification is a significant plus.
Financial & Assortment Planning: Demonstrable ability in building and managing complex financial plans and creating curated, data-informed product assortments.

Soft Skills

Masterful Negotiation & Influence: Exceptional negotiation and vendor management skills, with a track record of building strong, productive partnerships and achieving favorable business outcomes.
Keen Eye for Product & Trend: An innate sense of style and a commercial eye, with the ability to forecast trends and translate market insights into a profitable assortment that resonates with the target customer.
Compelling Communication: Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills, capable of articulating a clear vision and influencing stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
Sharp Analytical & Strategic Mindset: Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a data-driven approach to decision-making and strategic planning.
Exceptional Organization & Time Management: Highly organized with a proven ability to multitask, manage multiple complex projects, and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree from an accredited four-year university.

Preferred Education:

GIA (Gemological Institute of America) certification (e.g., Graduate Gemologist, AJP).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Fashion Merchandising
Business Administration
Marketing
Finance

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5-8 years of progressive experience in a retail buying or merchandising role.

Preferred:

Direct buying experience in the fine jewelry, luxury goods, or high-end accessories category is strongly preferred. Experience with both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce channels is a major asset.