Associate Director - Buying - eCommerce

Position: Associate Director Buying - Flipkart

In retail, customers can purchase as much as they can see. In e-commerce, customers can purchase as much as they want. Flipkart's ability to deliver great prices and great service to our customers hinges upon our ability to build a great selection at great prices.

A number of decisions, both strategic and tactical will require your insights. Can you gauge the pulse of the market? Can you decide what selection to keep? Can you decide whom to buy from? When do you go cheap, when do you go fast? Can you balance tough negotiations with relationship building? Can you communicate with CXOs of large brands? Can you create value for Flipkart, our customers and also our vendor partners?

Sourcing requires multiple skills and is one of the most challenging roles at Flipkart. Are you ready for it?

Business strategy

- Know the customer: Deeply understand customer behaviour, develop new customer insights

- Own the business: Co-own the P&L, develop the business model, understand where opportunities are and create a viable business to service them

- Know the market: Stay on top of trends in an ever-changing landscape, find opportunities and prioritize based on size, internal capabilities, etc.

- Know the competition: Understand on-line and off-line players. Ensure Flipkart selection stays well ahead of competition

- Influence the leadership: Convert strategies into action by liaising with cross-functional leadership and drive the changes required

Vendor Management

- Develop deep and long standing relationship with the vendors - to drive relationships from the strategic to the tactical

- Own the terms of business with the vendor - products, returns, ordering, etc.

- Ensure high-share of mind from the vendor. Build deep ties.

- Make vendors partners in driving disruptive changes for the category

Market Understanding

- Develop a thorough knowledge of the market - short term and long term trends

- Have an in depth knowledge of competition and vendor and ability to influence the market

- Develop and implement industry best practices. move the industry with you!

Selection and Offers

- Own buying cost improvement and overall portfolio management

- Manage in store promotions along with brands - make brands partners in customer communication

Make Flipkart the - destination of choice- for the customers through the largest and the greatest assortment of products on offer

- Drive portfolio management for best offers and discounts for the customers

Purchasing and Inventory

- Key driver of working capital management and inventory - ensure an optimal

- Develop and manage a purchase strategy with the brands to ensure best selection along with the optimal cost and service

People leadership

- Build, retain and groom a strong team to deliver across functions

- Set goals, define KPIs and ensure team tracks effectively towards goals

Desired background

- Educational background - should be from premier institutes

- 5-10 years of work experience, 4+ years in buying role or 2-4 years in a premier consulting company.

- Knowledge of Retail, consumer goods / FMCG industry is a plus

Desired Competencies

- Desire and ability to think like the customer

- Ability to translate strategies into execution plans and take them to completion

- Highly analytical

- Willing to take calculated risks to grow the category

- Excellent verbal and written communication with interpersonal skills

- Strong understanding of technology and business

- Must be willing to learn

- Ability to connect with people across teams & levels

- Strong bias for Action - Flipkart works at a very rapid pace