Company Description

WIDDOP and Co. is a leading supplier of gift and homeware, offering an innovative range of over 8,000 unique and affordable products, most of which are exclusively designed in-house. With a strong portfolio of original brands, including collaborations with globally renowned names like Disney, Warner Brothers, Paramount, and Hasbro, WIDDOP and Co. combines creativity with market trends to serve a diverse array of retailers. Renowned for outstanding customer service, the company has won The Greats award for Best Service to the Independent Trade 14 times. Headquartered in North Manchester with regional and international sales teams, WIDDOP and Co. supplies products to over 60 countries worldwide.

Role Description

This is a full-time on-site role for a Senior Buyer/ Product Developer based in the Manchester Area, United Kingdom.

The Senior Buyer will be responsible for designing and creating brands, ranges and products including procurement activities, managing supplier relationships, conducting market research, and ensuring stock levels are optimized. This person will work across a portfolio of brands including some of the worlds buggest licenses. Responsibilities also include analyzing sales trends, negotiating contracts, overseeing product lifecycle management, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure the sourcing and delivery of high-quality products that meet market demands.

Qualifications

• Proven expertise in sourcing and developing commercial gift and homeware product, managing suppliers and designers and their briefs and priorities
• Proven experience and success in developing licensed products with brands such as Disney, Warner Brothers and Fashion/ Celebrity Brands.
• Expertise in supplier communication, negotiation and relationship management
• Strong analytical skills in Market Research, Demand Forecasting, and Sales Trend Analysis
• Experience in Inventory planning and Optimization
• Experience in brand management and development including the marketing, visual merchandising and sales planning
• Attention to detail with excellent Organizational and Time Management skills
• Effective Communication and Interpersonal skills for collaboration and stakeholder engagement
• Proficient in planning, reporting, analytics and presentation/ visualisation tools from excel to powerpoint, canva to chat gpt.
• Experience in or knowledge of the giftware or retail industry is a must
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, or a related field is desirable