Head of Buying - Women's Fashion

About the role

A founder-led Australian womenswear ecommerce brand is recruiting a Head of Buying through its partner, ETISK. The role leads buying and oversees planning, joining the executive leadership team and working directly with the founder and COO on product strategy, ranges and commercial growth. It sits behind a Senior Planner who manages day-to-day planning.

Key responsibilities

• Set the product direction: develop a buying vision based on customer insight, market trends and commercial opportunity, and turn it into clear priorities for the team.
• Build ranges customers want: lead range selection and development, balancing newness and creativity with wearability, relevance and profitability.
• Connect buying and planning: oversee open-to-buy budgets and seasonal plans, work with the Senior Planner on investment and respond to trading performance.
• Drive revenue and profit through sales analysis, pricing, promotional activity and product life-cycle decisions.
• Develop the team: coach and mentor people, build capability and succession plans, and set clear accountability for performance.
• Strengthen supplier partnerships through negotiation, supporting competitive pricing, quality and reliable delivery.
• Work closely with Marketing and other teams to align campaigns, launches and seasonal direction.

Required profile

• Strong womenswear buying background and an eye for commercially successful product.
• Experience leading people.
• Experience in an online or fast-moving womenswear business where customer feedback, short lead times and trading performance inform buying decisions.
• Product development and design experience.
• Supplier management and negotiation experience, including working with suppliers in China.
• Understanding of ecommerce and how digital and social activity influences customer demand.

Required skills

• Strong retail maths, budgeting and open-to-buy management, with a sound understanding of planning and merchandising principles.
• Confidence using buying, planning and reporting systems alongside Excel or Google Sheets.
• Clear communication, sound judgement and a practical approach when priorities change.