Senior Buyer (Furniture, Home Decor, Jewelry)
6 - 10 years
Mount Pleasant, SC
Full-time
Onsite
1 month ago
About the role
Reports To: General Manager / Owner
About Elizabeth Stuart
Elizabeth Stuart is a premier destination for elevated home interiors and garden, offering a blend of high-end furniture, antique finds, distinctive décor, and garden elements. We are known for our strong brand aesthetic, blending timeless, unique pieces with exceptional design sensibilities. We are seeking a passionate and experienced Senior Buyer to join our team, lead our sourcing efforts, and drive our product assortment strategy in collaboration with the Director of Visual Merchandising.
Role Overview
The Senior Buyer will be responsible for sourcing, purchasing, and managing the product lifecycle for our luxury home furnishings, and antiques. This role requires a blend of creative vision, market knowledge, and operational precision. The ideal candidate will maintain a strong point of view aligned with the owner-led brand aesthetic while expertly managing inventory, sell thru, vendor relationships, and container logistics.
Key Responsibilities
2. Container & Assortment Planning
3. Vendor & Dealer Management
4. Product Setup & Launch
5. Inventory & Merchandising Support
6. Sales & Performance Analysis
7. Operational Coordination
Key Skills & Qualifications
Other Requirements
About Elizabeth Stuart
Elizabeth Stuart is a premier destination for elevated home interiors and garden, offering a blend of high-end furniture, antique finds, distinctive décor, and garden elements. We are known for our strong brand aesthetic, blending timeless, unique pieces with exceptional design sensibilities. We are seeking a passionate and experienced Senior Buyer to join our team, lead our sourcing efforts, and drive our product assortment strategy in collaboration with the Director of Visual Merchandising.
Role Overview
The Senior Buyer will be responsible for sourcing, purchasing, and managing the product lifecycle for our luxury home furnishings, and antiques. This role requires a blend of creative vision, market knowledge, and operational precision. The ideal candidate will maintain a strong point of view aligned with the owner-led brand aesthetic while expertly managing inventory, sell thru, vendor relationships, and container logistics.
Key Responsibilities
- Product Sourcing & Buying
- Source high-quality furniture, antiques, décor, and garden elements aligned with the luxurious brand aesthetic.
- Identify unique, one-of-a-kind pieces and build distinctive collections.
- Shop domestic and international markets, dealers, and vendors (approx. twice a year).
- Maintain a strong, cohesive point of view while aligning with the owner-led creative direction.
2. Container & Assortment Planning
- Plan, organize, and execute container shipments, focusing heavily on European sourcing.
- Build balanced, cohesive, and intentional assortments across categories (Antiques, Garden, Furniture, Décor/Tabletop).
- Manage product mix, scale, and pricing tiers to ensure inventory aligns with brand positioning.
3. Vendor & Dealer Management
- Build and maintain deep relationships with antique dealers, artisans, manufacturers, and import partners.
- Negotiate pricing and favorable terms.
- Track vendor performance regarding quality, lead times, and reliability.
4. Product Setup & Launch
- Create SKUs and maintain accurate product information in the inventory system.
- Set and confirm retail pricing to achieve margin targets.
- Prepare detailed product information (tags, descriptions) prior to arrival.
- PO entry and invoice management
- Coordinate with the Director of Digital Experience for photography and ensure timely product uploads.
- Ensure all items are ready for sale immediately upon arrival.
- Arrange product knowledge training sessions to educate the ES team.
5. Inventory & Merchandising Support
- Partner with the General Manager, Director of Merchandising and Store Experience regarding new arrivals.
- Support floor flow with informed reorders.
- Monitor inventory levels across the store and warehouse, ensuring proper category balance.
6. Sales & Performance Analysis
- Review weekly sales reports to identify top-performing items and slow-moving inventory.
- Recommend reorders, markdowns, or product adjustments based on performance.
- Track and maintain margin goals.
7. Operational Coordination
- Maintain accurate container manifests and purchase records.
- Track shipments, shipping timelines, and final deliveries.
- Work closely with the General Manager on receiving and logistics.
- Ensure inventory is properly tracked and accounted for with the Receiving Lead.
Key Skills & Qualifications
- Experience: 2–5 years of experience in luxury retail buying. Experience in home furnishings, antiques, or interior design is strongly preferred.
- Design Sense: Exceptional design taste, visual judgment, and a strong understanding of high-end, curated styling.
- Operational Skills: Strong organizational skills and project management abilities.
- Systems Proficiency: Highly comfortable working with inventory systems and spreadsheets.
- Communication: Strong negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
- Detail-Oriented: Highly meticulous with a focus on accuracy.
- Decisive: Strong point of view and ability to act on trends and unique finds.
- Proactive: Resourceful and capable of managing multiple vendors and tight timelines.
- Passion: Deep passion for interiors, antiques, and lifestyle retail.
Other Requirements
- Travel: Ability to travel to domestic and European markets at least twice a year.
- Schedule: Available to work 1 Saturday a month (a comp day is provided in the same week).
Skills
Design Services