Buyer - Art

Company Overview

The Warehouse Group is one of New Zealand’s best-known retail businesses, operating across The Warehouse, Warehouse Stationery, and Noel Leeming. The company is shifting toward a brand-led approach, with a strong emphasis on agility, teamwork, and placing people in roles where they can make a real impact.

Role Overview

This opening is a chance to influence a high-priority category that the business sees as a major growth opportunity. The focus is on building the Art range so it stays fresh, competitive, inspiring, and aligned with customer interests, while also delivering solid commercial results.

The position combines buying, trading, and relationship management. You will work closely with suppliers and internal teams to bring trend-aware, locally relevant products to market, with a stronger emphasis on local sourcing than overseas supply.

Key Responsibilities

• Create and implement category plans that reflect customer preferences, creative interests, and business objectives.
• Design and improve product assortments that are both inspiring and commercially strong.
• Use sales performance, market movement, and customer insight to spot new opportunities.
• Develop productive supplier relationships built on trust, communication, and collaboration.
• Work with cross-functional teams to ensure smooth and consistent range delivery.
• Negotiate with suppliers to secure innovative, competitive, and locally suited products.
• Apply trading tactics to manage category performance and improve outcomes.
• Keep up with developments in the art space so the offer remains relevant and appealing.

What Success Looks Like

You should be commercially sharp, creatively minded, and strongly customer-focused. The role suits someone who enjoys growing a category, improving performance, and building lasting supplier partnerships in a space that encourages creativity and exploration.

Requirements

• Experience in retail buying and category management.
• Strong capability in managing relationships and engaging stakeholders.
• Proven ability to build and execute strategic category plans.
• Good commercial judgement, negotiation ability, and analytical thinking.
• A customer-led mindset with the ability to read and respond to market and creative trends.
• Experience using trading levers to improve category performance.
• Ability to develop long-term, sustainable supplier partnerships.
• Confidence, resilience, and drive in a fast-moving environment.
• A collaborative and approachable working style.
• Interest in art or creative-product trends would be an advantage.

Additional Information

The company offers a dynamic, flexible, and supportive team environment alongside colleagues who share similar values. The organisation also places importance on recognising and caring for its people.

Purpose

The wider mission is to make sustainable living easy and affordable for everyone.