Head of Buying

Are you a strategic and commercial Buying leader ready to shape the future of product at Hunkemöller? We are looking for a Head of Buying who can bring vision, pace, and excellence to our product organisation while creating customer-focused ranges that drive growth across channels.

About Hunkemöller

At Hunkemöller, we are transforming the way we work across product creation, sourcing, and go-to-market, and this role will be central to that journey. If you are energized by pace, product, and people leadership, this is an opportunity to make a real impact.

Your impact

You will lead the Buying function to deliver a compelling, profitable, and customer-focused product offer across all channels.

You will own end-to-end seasonal buying execution, ensuring strong range architecture, on-time delivery, and commercially sound buy decisions.

You will play a key leadership role within the Product organisation, balancing strategic direction with hands-on execution and cross-functional collaboration.

You will be accountable for category performance, driving margin, value, and long-term business growth.

Reporting line and key partnerships

• Reporting to the Director of Buying & Technical, you will work as a senior leader within the Product organisation.
• You will partner closely with Design, Merchandising, Technical, Operations, Marketing, IT, Logistics, CSR, suppliers, and channel teams.
• You will build strong relationships across the business to align product vision, sourcing decisions, and go-to-market execution.

What you will do

Lead product excellence

• Lead and inspire the Buying team to deliver aspirational, brand-right, and commercially strong product ranges.
• Embed deep customer understanding into assortment decisions, ensuring relevance across categories, channels, and seasons.
• Partner cross-functionally with Design, Merchandising, Technical, Marketing, and Operations to deliver ranges that are both exciting and executable.
• Drive excellence in product build-up, buy readiness, and launch execution.

Own sourcing, costing, and value creation

• Lead a proactive and data-driven approach to costing, supplier planning, and forecast accuracy.
• Use open costing and smart negotiation to improve margin while protecting product quality and brand standards.
• Drive consolidation strategies across categories, components, and materials to simplify the product landscape and unlock scale benefits.
• Build strong supplier partnerships and increase transparency across the value chain to create long-term commercial advantage.

Deliver end-to-end execution

• Own end-to-end Buying execution, ensuring strong governance, clear prioritisation, and on-time delivery across the critical path.
• Act as a senior gatekeeper for key milestones, ensuring product development moves forward with pace and discipline.
• Lead go-to-market execution with cross-functional partners so launches are trade-ready and aligned to commercial goals.
• Strengthen ways of working, data quality, and operational discipline across the product lifecycle.

Drive commercial performance

• Work in close partnership with Merchandising on seasonal trade, range architecture, and in-season performance.
• Shape line plans, option depth, and price architecture that reflect customer needs, channel strategy, and brand direction.
• Create a strong trading culture that drives productivity, agility, and proactive decision-making.
• Make commercial decisions that balance product ambition, margin, speed, risk, and production feasibility.

Lead people and transformation

• Coach and develop a high-performing Buying team with clear accountability, strong capability building, and succession planning.
• Act as a transformation leader, embedding new ways of working, governance, and operating discipline across the Product organisation.
• Bring energy, clarity, and leadership to senior discussions, helping shape business planning and strategic direction.

What success looks like

• Customer-right, brand-right ranges that are clear, relevant, and commercially strong.
• On-time, trade-ready launches supported by strong critical-path ownership and cross-functional alignment.
• Improved margin and better value creation through smart costing, negotiation, and sourcing choices.
• A high-performing Buying team with strong ownership, clear priorities, and room to grow.

Who you are

• You are passionate about product and deeply connected to the customer.
• Deep understanding of the lingerie, apparel, and swim market, with proven end-to-end business acumen and commercial instinct.
• Strategic, analytical thinker with the ability to translate insight into clear execution and prioritisation.
• Proven leader who inspires teams and drives change in a fast-paced retail environment.
• Collaborative, confident in constructive challenge, and acts with integrity.
• Commercially astute, resilient, and outcome-driven.
• Challenges the status quo and delivers results under pressure.

Skills & Competencies

• Proven senior Buying leadership experience within fashion retail, with deep end-to-end ownership from concept through to production and trade.
• Strong, hands-on experience in open costing, including cost-breakdown analysis, margin engineering, and supplier negotiations.
• Demonstrated ability to drive material/component consolidation strategies—leveraging the Toolbox—across categories to improve margin, speed, and operational efficiency.
• Solid experience in production planning, including capacity considerations, lead-time optimisation, and alignment of buy decisions to GTM calendars.
• Experience influencing upstream value-chain cost drivers, including engagement with second- and third-tier suppliers and/or nominated sub-suppliers (raw materials, components, and processing/finishing).
• Deep understanding of product build-up, including option depth, buy quantities, phasing, and readiness for on-time, trade-ready launches.
• Commercially astute, able to balance product ambition, customer needs, cost, margin, and execution realities.
• Strong communication, influencing, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage ambiguity, set priorities, and deliver under pressure.
• Proficient in Buying systems (PLM, SAP) and critical-path management.
• Comfortable operating at pace, making prioritisation and trade-off decisions in complex, fast-moving environments.

We offer you

• Hybrid work with a 60:40 policy based on your working hours.
• Buy & Sell Days, with the option each April to buy or sell additional vacation days.
• Continuous learning opportunities and professional growth through training programs and workshops.
• 25 holidays per annum, based on a full-time role.
• 25% staff discount on all Hunkemöller products, with additional discount opportunities on selected occasions.
• The opportunity to work from abroad for up to 2 weeks.

The buying team drive success working closely with supplier partners, with a mission of strategic sourcing, negotiation and managing product development from sketch to customer. The technical team ensures every piece fits flawlessly, feels exceptional, and meets the highest quality standards.