Urban Outfitters Buyer - Women's Branded Apparel

Urban Outfitters is looking for a Buyer of Women’s Branded Product—a visionary curator who can navigate the complex world of wholesale with finesse. You aren't just selecting product; you are building a marketplace. You will be the bridge between UO and the world’s most iconic legacy brands, while simultaneously scouting the "next big thing" to launch on our platform.  We are on a mission to fuel the next generation of individuality by being the ultimate destination for both the brands they already love and the ones they haven’t discovered yet. 

The Impact You’ll Make: The Brand Architect

In this role, you blend the eye of a stylist with the mind of a high-stakes negotiator. You will manage a portfolio of third-party brands, ensuring their DNA aligns perfectly with the UO aesthetic while driving explosive commercial growth.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Branded Curation

• The Mix: Architect a customer-oriented product mix that balances "Legacy Cool" (the heritage brands that anchor the industry) with "Emerging Heat" (the indie, niche, and viral brands of tomorrow).

• The Vision: Sell the UO story to external partners. You are the ambassador who convinces the world’s most coveted brands that UO is the only home for their exclusive capsules and top-tier distributions.

• Exclusivity as Currency: Negotiate for UO-exclusive colorways, fits, and collaborations that ensure our customer can’t find the "vibe" anywhere else.

2. Relationship Building & Wholesale Mastery

• The Power Negotiator: Use your deep background in wholesale to navigate pricing, delivery terms, and exclusivity agreements. You represent the brand with integrity, building long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships.

• The Talent Scout: Be a "first mover." Use social listening, market immersion, and your own intuition to identify emerging brands before they hit the mainstream, bringing them into the UO ecosystem at the perfect moment.

3. Trend-Relevant & Commercially Viable Growth

• Market Pulse: Stay ahead of cultural shifts. You don’t just follow trends; you anticipate which brand’s aesthetic will define the next season.

• Thoughtful Assortment: Ensure every branded piece is "UO-ified"—meaning it fits our quality standards, price point, and our customer’s specific lifestyle.

4. Analytical Rigor & Financial Ownership

• Data Over Gut: Use performance data (velocity, margin, returns) to minimize risk. You’ll manage the Open to Buy (OTB) with precision, knowing exactly when to double down on a winning brand and when to pivot.

• Strategic Reaction: Analyze business trends in real-time to execute reorders, manage markdowns, and maximize profitability within your brand portfolio.

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What You Bring

• The Track Record: 5+ years of experience in a fast-paced buying role, with a heavy emphasis on branded/wholesale procurement. You have a proven history of managing high-volume accounts and a "hit list" of brands you’ve successfully launched or scaled.

• Wholesale Fluency: You speak the language of wholesale. You understand the nuances of vendor terms, margin protection, and shipping windows.

• The "Eye": You have an innate ability to spot the "Next Big Brand." You understand why a brand is cool, how to keep it cool, and how to sell that cool to a global audience.

• Analytical Power: You’re a pro with retail math (IMU%, MD%, WOS). You turn complex data into a crystal-clear strategy for growth.

• The Connector: You are an expert at building relationships. Whether it’s a legacy CEO or an indie designer, you build trust and excitement.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: 

Education: Fashion or merchandising degree or equivalent experience desired.  

Experience: 5 years of experience in a buying role is preferred.  

Demographic Knowledge: Demonstrate an understanding of the target customer and the ability to select the appropriate product/trend that will appeal to the customer and meet their expectations. 

Analytical Understanding: Comfort with use of statistical components of the business (IMU%, MD%, GM%, selloff, WOS, etc.) and the OTB.  

Communication: Positive, professional, and timely communication with teams, supporting departments, vendors, and suppliers.  

Assertiveness: Clearly and confidently express ideas, needs, and boundaries in a respectful manner. 

Time Management: Proactively plans and controls time to efficiently deliver team priorities and meet deadlines.  

Detail Orientation: Focus on and manage the small details of a task or project to consistently produce high-quality work.  

Ownership: Take responsibility for the outcomes of your work and the decisions that lead to those outcomes. Hold yourself accountable.  

Inclusivity: Commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within the workplace.  

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URBN offers comprehensive Perks & Benefits to employees. Availability and eligibility to specific benefits may be subject to your location and employment status. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, PTO, generous employee discounts, retirement savings and much more! For additional information visit www.urbn.com/work-with-us/benefits

URBN celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression), religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. We believe strongly in fostering a safe, fair and respectful work environment. To ensure compliance with our non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, we offer anti-harassment training to managers and employees.