Buyer

The Buyer leads product selection, merchandising strategy and seasonal timeline management for an assigned category within the IRONMAN merchandise business. The role owns the end-to-end assortment from concept and vendor selection through pricing, delivery and in-season performance, and is accountable for revenue, margin and athlete engagement results. The Buyer works cross-functionally with Planning, Product Development, Marketing, Operations, Logistics and Event teams, supported by an Assistant Buyer who executes purchase order, shipment and allocation activity.

• Lead product selection for the category, choosing the styles, colours and price points that best represent the IRONMAN brand and athlete.
• Develop and own the seasonal merchandising strategy, translating business objectives into a compelling, profitable assortment and determining product mix, pricing strategy and vendor allocation across channels.
• Analyse sales trends, athlete insights and market/competitive opportunities to inform selection decisions and drive category performance against sales, gross margin and inventory productivity targets.
• Own the seasonal buying calendar and key milestone dates from concept through delivery, setting and enforcing deadlines for product selection, vendor commitments and order placement.
• Partner with Planning to align purchase timing with inventory and demand forecasts, proactively identify and resolve calendar risks, and support forecasting and inventory planning activities.
• Build and maintain vendor relationships, negotiate pricing, payment terms, minimum order quantities and production lead times, identify and onboard new vendors, and lead regular business reviews.
• Review weekly and monthly sales performance, identify opportunities to maximise sales, margin and inventory productivity, and make in-season assortment and pricing recommendations.
• Partner with Event Operations and eCommerce teams to ensure assortments support event-specific needs and optimise online product offerings, and support onsite events to gather athlete insights.
• Direct the Assistant Buyer on purchase order, shipment and inventory allocation priorities across events, warehouses and channels to keep the calendar on track.
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing team through clear expectations, regular feedback and meaningful career conversations, fostering an inclusive, safe culture, modelling BE ICONIC behaviours and an athlete-first mindset, building creativity, accountability and continuous improvement
• And partnering cross-functionally to strengthen alignment, role clarity and performance outcomes.

• Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Business, Retail Management, or related field.
• 4+ years of buying or merchandising experience.
• Strong understanding of retail mathematics, inventory management and assortment planning.
• Demonstrated experience leading vendor relationships and negotiations.
• Exceptional organisational and project/timeline management skills.
• Advanced Excel and merchandising analytics capabilities.
• Strong merchant instincts combined with disciplined project management.

• Experience in sporting goods, apparel, lifestyle brands or event retail.
• Experience in a multi-channel retail environment.
• Passion for endurance sports and active lifestyles.

Its purpose is to inspire people to unlock their greatest potential through sport, and its BE ICONIC vision focuses on building loved brands, producing inspiring events and fostering deeply engaged communities.