Buying Manager, Dresses

# Buying Manager, Dresses

LA Office - Los Angeles, CA 90021## Description
** Job Summary
** The Buying Manager, Dresses plays a critical role in shaping and executing Lulus’ newness strategy, owning the creation of compelling, trend-forward assortments that drive category growth, business opportunities, and customer engagement. This role leads the New Dresses team and is accountable for all classes within the New Dresses category, and collaborates closely with the Buying Manager, Replenishment Dresses to deliver a unified and cohesive total dress assortment.

This individual will own the assortment direction for New Dresses, ensuring a strong balance of trend relevance, commerciality, and price-value alignment for the Lulus customer. With a sharp eye for product and a data-informed mindset, the Buying Manager, Dresses will translate our customer feedback, trends, and competitive insights into assortments that feel fresh, exciting, and distinctly Lulus.

The ideal candidate brings a blend of creative intuition and strong analytical discipline, with the ability to lead teams, influence cross-functional partners, and build strong vendor relationships that support speed, innovation, and profitability.
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* Schedule:

** This is a hybrid role working out of our Los Angeles, CA office. The candidate is expected to be on-site on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with flexibility to come in on Monday or Friday as needed.
** What You’ll Do
*** Own and execute the buying strategy and assortment architecture for New Dresses, ensuring alignment with seasonal business goals and brand vision
* Drive revenue, profit, and market share through disciplined buying decisions and continuous assortment optimization
* Work closely with Senior Leadership on strategic initiatives and white space opportunities
* Curate balanced, commercially strong assortments that align with Lulus’ consumer profiles, are trend-relevant, and deliver compelling price-value
* Partner closely with Planning to manage category P&L, achieve KPI targets, and deliver to revenue, margin, and inventory budgets
* Analyze sales, margin, and customer insights to inform assortment decisions and identify growth opportunities
* Build and maintain strong cross-functional partnerships with Development, Planning, Merchandising, Production, Marketing, and Site teams to ensure cohesive execution across the product lifecycle
* Build and maintain strong vendor relationships, including scouting new vendors and product opportunities aligned with brand and quality standards
* Communicate regularly with internal partners on inventory levels, stock needs, and business risks or opportunities
* Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Buyers, fostering strong talent growth and accountability
* Maintain a deep understanding of fashion trends, influencers, aspirational brands, and the competitive landscape
* Support ad hoc analysis, projects, and problem-solving as requested by Buying Leaders
* Travel as needed (approximately 10%)
** What You’ll Need
*** Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (Merchandising, Data, or Business)
* 8+ years of retail buying experience
* 2+ years of leadership or supervisory experience
* Experience in Buying Women's Apparel and/or Accessories
* Proven track record of delivering KPI targets and market-share growth
* Strong business orientation, analytical aptitude, and retail math knowledge
* Strong negotiation skills
* Thorough knowledge of women’s fashion trends
* Keen understanding of the Lulus Girl
* Ability to make creative buying decisions to meet customer demand
* Excellent written, oral, and group facilitation communication skills
* Solution-oriented & strong problem-solving skills
* Ability to work collaboratively throughout the organization
* Can thrive in a fast-paced environment with short timelines and changing priorities
* A sense of urgency, highly detailed, and experience in meeting deadlines
** Bonus Points!
*** Strong fashion point of view with a clear understanding of the Lulus brand and customer
* Proven experience leading buyers and managing complex assortments in a fast-paced environment
* Ability to balance creative vision with data-driven decision making
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