Associate Buyer
Join Our Family of Brands – Northern Reflections, Ricki's & Cleo
At Northern Reflections, Ricki's, and Cleo, we are united by a shared vision: to inspire and empower women through fashion that fits their lives. With a proud legacy in Canadian retail, we bring together decades of expertise, a passionate team, and a commitment to delivering exceptional style, quality, and service.
As part of our growing organization, you'll join a collaborative and dynamic team that values innovation, customer connection, and the power of great fashion. Whether it's timeless comfort, polished workwear, or versatile style, each of our brands plays a unique role in serving women across generations.
We provide an environment of empowerment where cross-functional teams collaborate and support one another to achieve mutual goals. We value high-performing teams where Associates passionately engage in building relationships that foster loyalty and trust. We pride ourselves on building lasting relationships with our Customers through an exceptional experience.
As our business evolves, our vision has remained constant...
We are devoted to our customers, passionate about our brands, and inspired by our people.
Position Summary
Reporting to the Category Manager, the Associate Buyer plays an integral role within the Merchandising team, supporting Northern Reflections, Ricki's, and Cleo across multiple product categories and brands
This role sits at the intersection of merchandising, product development, operations, and technology, combining traditional buying and merchandise administration responsibilities with modern digital tools and AI-driven solutions to improve efficiency, accuracy, and decision-making across the product lifecycle.
The successful candidate will support the development and execution of product assortments from concept through production while coordinating critical operational processes including purchase orders, sample management, product information management, photoshoots, marketing initiatives, and cross-functional project support. This is an excellent opportunity for an individual looking to build a career in merchandising and buying while gaining exposure to multiple brands, categories, and all aspects of the product journey within a leading Canadian fashion retailer.
Key Responsibilities
Merchandising & Buying Support
- Support Category Managers in developing product assortments that align with departmental financial, sales, inventory, and strategic objectives.
- Assist in product development activities from concept through production, ensuring timelines, quality standards, and cost objectives are achieved.
- Work closely with Design, Vendors, Quality Assurance, and Sourcing teams to support product development and execution.
- Partner with Sourcing on factory coordination, lead time management, costing information, and product readiness.
- Maintain accuracy of style, costing, delivery, and product information across merchandising systems.
- Support in-season business management activities including reorders, cancellations, markdowns, and inventory management.
- Collaborate with Planning to monitor inventory flow, buy quantities, and department performance against plan.
- Analyze sales performance, product trends, and market opportunities to support assortment planning and business decisions.
Merchandise Operations
- Maintain buying documents, product development trackers, assortment plans, and merchandising reports.
- Coordinate purchase order information and support system entry, validation, and ongoing maintenance.
- Assist with monthly purchase order controls and verification against department financial plans.
- Maintain fabric, trim, colour, and lab dip libraries and associated records.
- Ensure product information is complete, accurate, and maintained throughout the product lifecycle.
- Coordinate product samples across Merchandising, Design, Technical Design, Marketing, and eCommerce teams.
- Manage sample inventory and organization for all brands and categories.
- Support cross-functional timelines to ensure on-time delivery of products and product information.
Marketing & eCommerce Support
- Coordinate and schedule product samples for eCommerce photography, marketing campaigns, and promotional initiatives.
- Support monthly, seasonal, and special project photoshoots by ensuring product readiness, sample management, and styling coordination.
- Provide outfit styling recommendations and product insights to support marketing and digital content development.
- Serve as a key contact for product information and content inquiries from internal partners.
- Support Marketing and eCommerce teams with product launches, campaigns, and special projects.
- Coordinate product-related requirements and timelines across Marketing, eCommerce, and Merchandising teams.
Process Improvement & Technology
- Utilize AI-powered tools and technology solutions to improve product data accuracy, content management, reporting, and workflow efficiency.
- Participate in process improvement initiatives across merchandising, buying, and product development functions.
- Assist in maintaining data integrity within merchandising, PLM, ERP, and related business systems.
- Identify opportunities to streamline processes and improve operational effectiveness.
- Support adoption of new tools and technologies that enhance team productivity and decision-making.
Qualifications
- Undergraduate degree or diploma in Fashion Merchandising, Business, Retail Management, Marketing, or a related field.
- Minimum 2 to 3 years of experience in merchandising, buying, product development, retail operations, or a related field.
- Experience within a private-label apparel or fashion retail environment is considered an asset.
- Knowledge of merchandise trends, garment construction, fabrications, quality standards, and product development processes.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
- Experience working with PLM systems and Microsoft Dynamics NAV is considered an asset.
- Experience using AI tools and digital technologies to support business processes is preferred.
- Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills with the ability to interpret sales performance, identify trends, and support business decisions.
- Excellent organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Collaborative team player with strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
- Passion for fashion retail and curiosity about how technology is shaping the future of the industry.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, evolving environment with a willingness to learn and grow.
Why Join Us?
At Northern Reflections, Ricki's, and Cleo, you'll have the opportunity to work alongside experienced merchandising, design, planning, marketing, and eCommerce professionals while gaining hands-on exposure to the full product lifecycle.
This role offers a unique opportunity to gain experience across three distinct Canadian retail brands while developing expertise in merchandising, buying, product development, marketing, and retail operations.
Join us and help shape the future of Canadian women's fashion.
