A Food or Beverage Buyer is responsible for sourcing and purchasing the food and drink needed for ongoing or future business in a restaurant, bar, hotel or other catering business. Responsible for maintaining supplier relationships. May also be responsible growing supplier relationships with new and/or existing suppliers.
Lead Merchandising Strategy & Drive Growth Location:
Anchorage, AK Pay:
Competitive Salary |
Exempt Schedule:
Full-Time | On-Site Why Big Ray's? For more than 75 years, Big Ray's has helped Alaskans work, explore, and enjoy the outdoors with quality gear and exceptional customer service. We're a team built on collaboration, integrity, and a passion for serving our communities. If you're looking for a place where your experience can make an impact and your career can grow, we'd love to meet you. Why This Role Matters The Senior Buyer plays a key role in shaping what Big Ray's sells and how our merchandise performs. You'll develop and execute the merchandising strategy for your assigned department(s), balancing sales, margin, inventory, market trends, and customer demand. This role manages a multi-million-dollar budget and significant inventory , making strategic purchasing decisions that directly impact the financial performance of the business. What's in It for You? This is an opportunity to take real ownership of a department and make decisions that have a direct impact on the business. You'll work closely with vendors, stores, warehouse, marketing, and leadership while managing the full lifecycle of the merchandise you purchase. If you're someone who understands the numbers, has a strong eye for product, and knows how to turn data and trends into smart buying decisions , this could be a great fit. What You'll Do Develop and execute merchandising strategies that support sales, margin, and inventory goals. Manage and adhere to Open-to-Buy for assigned department(s). Analyze sales, margin, inventory turn, sell-through, and product performance to guide purchasing decisions. Use market trends, customer insights, and analytics to build profitable assortments. Determine what to buy, how much to buy, when to buy, and how merchandise should be distributed across stores. Identify opportunities and know when to chase a product or pull back. Manage the full merchandise lifecycle from planning and procurement through pricing, promotion, inventory management, and liquidation. Build and maintain strong vendor relationships. Collaborate with stores, warehouse, marketing, and leadership to support inventory needs and merchandise flow. Attend trade shows, markets, and industry events to stay current on trends and identify new opportunities. Take ownership of the financial and inventory performance of assigned department(s). What You'll Bring 5+ years of retail experience. 3+ years of experience in buying, purchasing, procurement, or a related field. Experience with product planning, sales forecasting, and significant or multi-million-dollar budgets. Experience managing and adhering to an Open-to-Buy. Strong analytical and financial skills with the ability to interpret complex data. Strong merchandising and product judgment. Excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills. Demonstrated leadership experience. Ability to make independent decisions and take ownership of results. Associate degree or equivalent experience; bachelor's degree preferred. Willingness to travel for trade shows, markets, vendor meetings, and other business needs. Benefits Competitive pay Medical, dental, and vision insurance Paid time off and holidays 401(k) with company match Employee discount Opportunities for growth and advancement Ready to Join the Team? If you're ready to take ownership of a department, combine financial strategy with product expertise , and help shape what Big Ray's brings to customers across Alaska, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today and join the team at Big Ray's!
Job Type:
Full-time Pay:
$65,000.00 - $80,000.00 per year
Benefits:
401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Vision insurance Application Question(s): Tell me about your experience managing a buying budget. What was the size of the budget, and how did you manage it to meet sales and margin goals? How do you use sales, margin, inventory, sell-through, and other data to decide what to buy, how much to buy, and when to reorder? Tell me about a time when you identified a product or trend that became an opportunity. How did you decide to invest in it, and what was the outcome? This role requires balancing financial data with product and merchandising instinct. Tell me about a time your judgment influenced a buying decision, even when the numbers didn't tell the whole story.
