Footwear Buyer

Position Summary:

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Footwear Buyer to join our dynamic merchandising team. The ideal candidate will be responsible for sourcing selecting and purchasing a diverse range of footwear products that align with our brand aesthetic target customer and financial goals. This role requires a keen eye for trends strong negotiation skills and a deep understanding of the sports fashion market. This individual should effectively exhibit JD Finish Lines core values of Customer People Winning Community and Financial Responsibility in everything they do by performing the following main duties:

Key Responsibilities:

Product Sourcing and Selection

• Identify and evaluate new suppliers brands and product opportunities that align with company strategy and customer preferences.

• Conduct market research to stay abreast of current and emerging footwear trends competitor activities and consumer demands.

• Attend trade shows fashion events and vendor meetings to discover new products and build relationships.

• Curate a compelling and balanced footwear assortment across various brands & categories (e.g. classics seasonal basketball running) ensuring a fresh and relevant offering.

• Analyze product performance and customer feedback to inform future buying decisions.

Vendor Management and Negotiation

• Build and maintain strong collaborative relationships with new and existing suppliers.

• Collaborate with brand partners to gain access to relevant unique products categories to position JD to gain market share.

• Collaborate with brand partners to introduce new products and/or create exclusive styles/collections as well as position early/lead time in the market.

• Negotiate favorable terms pricing payment schedules and delivery agreements with vendors to maximize profitability.

• Monitor vendor performance ensuring adherence to quality standards delivery timelines and ethical practices.

• Resolve any issues or discrepancies with suppliers promptly and effectively.

• Partner with brands to assess performance and take action to maintain company profitability and credibility in the US market.

Inventory Management and Financial Performance

• Develop and execute seasonal buying plans including open-to-buy (OTB) and inventory forecasts.

• Monitor inventory levels sales performance and markdown strategies to optimize stock turnover and minimize liabilities.

• Collaborate with the planning and allocation teams to ensure optimal product distribution across channels.

• Analyze sales data margins and other key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify opportunities for growth and improvement.

• Manage budgets effectively to achieve sales and profit targets.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with the planning marketing and digital teams to develop and execute promotional strategies and campaigns for footwear.

• Collaborate with visual merchandising to ensure effective product presentation in-store and online.

• Partner with the digital operations & brand team to optimize online product presentation descriptions and customer experience.

• Provide product knowledge and training to retail visual merchandising and allocation as needed.

• Trains develop Associate Buyer to position them for a future buying or lead role within JD Group.

Qualifications:

Required Education and/or Experience

• Bachelors degree in Merchandising Business Administration or a related field.

• 4-7 years of experience as a Footwear Buyer Assistant Buyer or similar role in a retail environment.

• Proven track record of achieving sales and profit targets.

• Internal JD Finish Line experience strongly preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong understanding of footwear apparel & accessories trends materials construction and market dynamics.

• Excellent negotiation and communication skills both written and verbal.

• Highly analytical with the ability to interpret sales data and market trends.

• Proficiency in retail math and inventory management principles.

• Ability to build and maintain strong vendor relationships.

• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management skills.

• Proficiency in Google & Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel) as well as retail management software.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced environment.

• Passion for sports fashion and retail with a keen eye for style.

• Ability to work in a fast paced environment with competing priorities

• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team with multiple dynamics

• Ability to work up down and across levels within the JD Group and our brand partners

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Sit for more than 6 hours per shift

• Use hands to finger handle and feel

• Reach with hands and arms

• Talk and/or hear

• Walk or move from one location to another

• Occasionally may need to climb balance stoop kneel or crouch

• Lift and/or move up to 10 pounds regularly and up to 25 pounds occasionally

• Punctuality and regular attendance consistent with the companys policies are required for the position.

• Average work week is 45-50 hours which can vary depending on business need.

• The work environment for this position is a moderately noisy office setting.

• Spending less than 20% time traveling (by air or land).

The company reserves the right to modify this job description with or without notice. Employees may be asked to perform additional duties outside of normal job scope on a temporary basis per company policy.

#LI-DNI

This job description is not intended to cover all aspects duties and/or responsibilities required of employees. Employees may be asked to perform additional duties outside of normal job scope on a temporary or permanent basis per company policy. The company reserves the right to modify this job description with or without notice.

EEO Statement:

The Finish Line Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and is committed to complying with all federal state and local EEO laws. The Finish Line Inc. prohibits discrimination against employees and applicants for employment based on race or color religion or creed national origin alienage or citizenship status marital status sex pregnancy status age military status disability or any other characteristic or class protected by law. The Finish Line Inc. provides reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable laws including for disabilities pregnancy and religious practices.

Need accessibility assistance to apply
Applicants who require accessibility assistance to submit an employment application can either call Finish Line at or email us at A member of our Talent Acquisition team will respond as soon as reasonably possible. (This email address and phone number is only for individuals seeking accommodation when applying for a job.)