Associate Buyer: Food & Drink

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

As an Associate Buyer – Food & Drink, you will be responsible for driving growth through commercially successful products and expanding our reach in the food & drink community through innovative partnerships. Associate Buyers are entrepreneurial business drivers and self-starters who can create structure and work independently with limited supervision. We are always in search of the next great uncommon good and are passionate about the people and the products we work with.

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

ABOUT YOU

You are naturally curious and love to discover uncommon products that nobody else has to offer. You are excited by artisanal, sustainable, functional, and inclusive food & drink products. You are a problem solver who brings solutions to the table more than issues. You are an organized and efficient worker with a great eye for creatively designed items.  You are the one that can always find the needle in the haystack. You are persistent in pursuit of your goals and do not back down from a challenge. You have a knack for using data to build on current success and are not afraid to champion new ideas. You are excited to explore the possibilities of e-commerce and won’t settle for business as usual.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Lead the Food & Drink categories to launch new and commercially successful products based on ROI, assortment, and business needs
• On-board makers and vendors 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
• Effectively communicate with vendors in resolving issues
• Collaborate with other departments to ensure the highest level of product quality and customer satisfaction
• Collaborate with ops team on FIFO processes and managing expiring product
• Recommend products for print and digital marketing campaigns
• Partner with the creative team in showcasing new items in print and on the web
• Perform weekly, monthly, and quarterly business analysis
• Achieve new item, gross margin, gross profit, and exclusive sale goals

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s Degree preferred.
• Design eye and understanding of UG brand and market positioning.
• Strong relationship manager and negotiation skills: market and business savvy.
• Excellent analytic and communication (verbal and written) skills.
• Track record in design, product and business negotiations
• 4+ years’ experience in buying, product development, and/or the consumer products industry required
• Experience managing food and/or drink items preferable but not required

 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 employee 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 $68,500-76,500. This role is eligible for our annual performance bonus program and options.

To apply, please submit: 

• Resume 
• Cover letter that includes answers to the following two questions in the application form: 
  • What motivates you to excel in a buyer role, and why are you particularly interested in joining our organization?
  • What excites you about the food and drink industries?

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