Buyer (Home, Art and Garden)

ABOUT US 

Uncommon Goods partners with independent makers and small businesses to offer a wide, constantly evolving assortment of original, creative products. 

We are built on better business practices and committed to having a positive impact. Learn more here.  

The best part of Uncommon Goods is us—our team. We've been around for over 20 years because of all the wonderful people who make UG the one-of-a-kind company it is. 

Learn more about our products, B Corp certification, guiding principles, Better to Give program, and team members you might be working with. Listen to the story of Uncommon Goods from our Founder and CEO here and here. 

EVERYONE IS WELCOME HERE 

At Uncommon Goods, we believe we're all out of the ordinary. That's why we're committed to making diversity, inclusion, equity, and belonging part of everything we do. We strive to make significant changes to our business, from how we find our products to how we build and cultivate our team—so we can be everyone's favorite place to work. 

We are an equal-opportunity employer. If you would like to request any accommodation during the application process, please email [email protected]. 

ABOUT THE ROLE 

This hybrid role works on-site at our waterfront Brooklyn location 2 to 3 days a week reporting to our Senior Director of Merchandising.

ABOUT YOU 

You are a natural problem solver who brings solutions to the table. You are an extremely organized and efficient worker. You have a great eye and are passionate about creatively designed items. You are the one who can always find the needle in the haystack, and you obsess over the details. You have a knack for using data to build on current success and are not afraid to champion new ideas. You have an interest in developing and bringing to life product ideas of your own. You are excited to explore the endless possibilities of e-commerce and won't settle for business as usual. 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Lead the Home, Art and Garden categories to successfully launch brand right and commercially successful products based on ROI, assortment, and business needs
• Manage a team including an Assistant and Associate Buyer
• On-board artists and designers and develop strong relationships that support our brand and business goals.
• Analyze assortment and industry trends, staying current on product distribution, competitive pricing, and market positioning
• Initiate and develop effective vendor partnerships through market research and attending trade shows and following up on product leads
• Collaborate with other departments to ensure the highest level of merchandise quality and customer satisfaction
• Partner with creative, site merchandising, and marketing teams in showcasing new items in print and on the web
• Partner with product development and design teams to create exclusive products for your assortment 
• Perform weekly, monthly, and quarterly business analysis and hindsight presentations to executive leadership team
• Achieve topline revenue, new item revenue, gross margin, gross profit and exclusive sale goals
• Partner with planning to manage cost on hand inventory and profitability.
• The ability and willingness to travel, with approximately 25-30% travel expected.
• Must have the ability to lift, move, and carry sample product boxes independently.

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor's Degree preferred 

• Passion for the Uncommon Goods brand and artisan-made products 

• 3-5 years of equivalent work experience within cross-functional merchant roles 

• Excitement for home décor, garden and gifting industries preferred 

• Self-motivated with the ability to perform in a fast-paced environment, consistently meet deadlines, and creatively solve problems 

• Extreme attention to detail and highly organized 

• Excellent communication (verbal and written) skills and collaboration with cross-functional partners 

• Track record for exceeding expectations and striving for excellence 

• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and retail math required 

• Basic knowledge of Tableau, JIRA, Asana, and Trello encouraged 
• Basic knowledge of dropship and marketplace fulfillments encouraged

COMPANY PERKS 

• Benefits: We invest in your well-being through subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance, and in your future via 401K matching. You can even invest in our future through team member stock options. 

• Education Subsidy: We reimburse up to $5,250 (the yearly IRS limit) of tuition for college coursework or professional training. 

• Service: We offer eight hours of paid time-off each year for volunteering. 

• Commuter benefits: We offer a pretax discount for those who take public transportation (train, bus, and ferry). For those who prefer to pedal to work, we offer significantly discounted yearly Citi Bike memberships and/or will provide money to help with the purchase or repair of your own bike. 

• Team member discounts: Our team members can buy our goods at a 40% discount (and take our Uncommon Experience classes free). 

• Work/life balance: We offer generous paid time off, and we supplement New York State Short-Term Disability for 3 weeks and New York State Paid Family Leave for 8 weeks. 

• Casual environment: No need to dress up—wear comfortable clothes every day. And we hold occasional, fun, company-wide events. 

• Open book policy: We share our financial results with the entire team every week in our management update email and our monthly company-wide meeting, UncommonCo. 

• Collaborative environment: Whether it's a data analyst recommending products to the buyers or a warehouse manager providing the theme for an email blast, we welcome your talents and insight, wherever they apply. 

• Learn more about your FMLA rights here. 

This is a full-time salary position with an annual base salary range of $100,000-110,000. This role is eligible for our annual performance bonus program and options.