Assistant Buyer

About Rent the Runway:

Rent the Runway is transforming the way modern women get dressed and disrupting the $2.4 trillion fashion industry by pioneering dynamic ownership and enabling women to rent, subscribe to and purchase secondhand clothing. Founded in 2009 with a vision to build the world’s first living closet, RTR believes that women everywhere will soon have a subscription to fashion. By creating a new model of dynamic ownership rooted in sustainability, RTR has made apparel rental an indispensable utility while also powering women to feel their best every day. RTR offers apparel, accessories and home decor from over 700 designer partners and has built in-house proprietary technology and a one-of-a-kind reverse logistics operation. Under CEO and Co-Founder Jennifer Hyman’s leadership, Rent the Runway has been named to CNBC’s “Disruptor 50” five times in ten years, and has been placed on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies list multiple times.

Position Overview:

Join Rent the Runway's Fashion Team as an Assistant Buyer, where your entrepreneurial spirit, proactive attitude, and sharp interpersonal skills will flourish. In this role, you will not only support the Buying Department's strategic initiatives but also gain in-depth insights into the fashion industry’s inner workings. Our team, known for its passion and collaborative ethos, offers you a platform to work across the company, contributing to and learning from every interaction. We are looking for a multitasker with a strong desire to grow, engage actively with our team, and foster enduring relationships with our hundreds of Designer Partners.

What You’ll Do:

• Scheduling and attending market appointments prepared with strategic assortment plans, brand insights and understanding of product with a data backed approach.
• Actively participate in seasonal buys, applying insights from customer behavior, product performance, and industry trends to inform purchasing decisions.
• Oversee the creation, updating, and maintenance of purchase orders. Ensure product attribute accuracy within our management databases and synchronize across systems.
• Monitor & project inventory orders to guarantee on-time delivery by liaising continuously with Buyers, Logistics, and Brand Partners.
• Collaborate with accounts payable to rectify any discrepancies in pricing and terms on invoices and inventory payments.
• Execute weekly reports diligently, analyze category and vendor performance, and identify business opportunities and challenges.
• Support Buyer in cross-functional initiatives to maximize performance results and scale the team.
• Partner with the Merchandising and Operations Teams to ensure new merchandise meets durability standards and assist with inventory maintenance issues as needed.
• Monitor fashion and industry trends. Actively looks at competitors sites and brings information/trends/findings to the team.

About You:

• Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Merchandising, Marketing, Business, or a related field preferred, but not required.
• At least one year in a related industry role or relevant internships.
• Self-starter with team-player attitude who takes ownership and initiative and can excel in a fast-paced, high growth environment.
• Exceptional ability to analyze sales data and trends. 
• Highly organized with meticulous attention to detail.
• Skilled in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Google Suite, and adaptable to learning new systems.
• Strong written and verbal communicator with a professional demeanor and positive attitude.
• Collaborative, enthusiastic and research minded; ability to use feedback from others in a constructive way.
• Results and deadline-oriented with a strong sense of follow through.
• A strong sense of style and current knowledge of fashion trends and designers are highly desirable.
• Proven ability to work independently and collaboratively on team projects.

Benefits:

At Rent the Runway, we’re committed to the wellbeing of our employees, and aim to create a workplace that fosters both personal and professional growth. Our inclusive benefits include, but are not limited to:

• Paid Time Off including vacation, paid bereavement, and family sick leave - every employee needs time to take care of themselves and their family.
• Universal Paid Parental Leave for both parents + flexible return to work program  - because we know your newest family member(s) deserve your undivided attention.
• Paid Sabbatical after 5 years of continuous service - Unplug, recharge, and have some fun!
• Exclusive employee subscription and rental discounts -  to ensure you experience the magic of renting the runway (and give us valued feedback!).
• Comprehensive health, vision, dental, FSA and dependent care from day 1 of employment - Your health comes first and we’ve got you covered.
• 401k match - an investment in your future.
• Company wide events and outings - our team spirit is no joke - we know how to have fun!
• Office centric work - our corporate employees and technical leaders have the option to work remotely on Fridays, in accordance with Company policies.

Rent the Runway is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with applicable law, we prohibit discrimination against any applicant or employee based on any legally-recognized basis, including, but not limited to: race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, childbirth or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, age (40 and over), national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), veteran status, uniformed service member status or any other status protected by federal, state or local law.

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The anticipated base salary for this position is $55,500 to $60,500. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including without limitation, the qualifications of the individual applicant for the position, years of relevant experience, level of education attained, certifications or other professional licenses held.