Buyer, Retail

About the Team

Pet Smart’s Canada Home Office (CHO) is home to approximately 50+ associates who work in departments such as Merchandising, Marketing, Demand Planning, Pricing, Space Planning, Digital/e-Commerce, Human Resources, Legal, IT and more. The small but mighty team at the CHO supports the operations of 160+ Pet Smart stores in Canada and works closely with counterparts at Pet Smart’s global corporate headquarters located in Phoenix, Arizona.

We also share the Canada Home Office with our colleagues at Pet Smart Charities of Canada—an independent, registered charity. Pet Smart Charities of Canada is committed to making the world a better place for pets and all who love them by connecting pets with loving homes through adoption, improving access to veterinary care and supporting families in times of crisis with access to pet food, shelter, and emergency relief.

At Pet Smart, teamwork and connection are core to how we thrive. This role is based at our Canada Home Office, with an expectation of working a minimum of three days in the office each week. In a standard work week, associates may work up to two remote “flex day” (with leader approval). Our hybrid approach is designed to foster strong collaboration while also supporting flexibility and individual success.

As a Buyer, you are responsible for setting and managing the merchandise strategy, assortment selection, pricing, and promotions to facilitate sales. You will manage product selection to maximize sales and margin dollars in support of the business and financial goals of the Merchandising department, lead the effort to direct vendor selection and negotiation of product purchase terms in addition to develop and maintain ongoing relationships with selected vendors, and stay abreast of current and future market and competitor trends that will impact the business.

• Manage product assortment and product specifications in assigned areas to identify and address opportunities within the business and the market to maximize sales and margin opportunities
• Provide leadership for negotiating product costs, terms and shipping/returns issues in addition to being the liaison between supply chain, distribution centers and stores
• Develop and manage vendor relationships in order to ensure the best prices, products and shipments, identifying products and developing promotional plans to maximize marketing strategies to deliver sales and margin metrics based on internal and external data
• Work collaboratively to provide input to the other merchandising functions to determine the product lifecycle, exit strategy and inventory aging standards within the assigned area
• Assist with the development of financial plans that maximize sales, margin dollars, margin percentage and profitability targets
• Participate in recommending, setting and approving product pricing strategies to achieve specific margin objectives, implement exit strategies and recommend appropriate markdowns

• Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Business, Economics or related degree from an accredited 4 year college or university required
• Minimum 4 years of retail experience that includes direct buying experience plus cross functional experience and training in various facets of Merchandising such as pricing, planning, presentation management and replenishment
• Effective communication, analytical, negotiation and organizational skills and solid financial and business acumen
• Ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams
• Ability to foster relationships to create value for internal and external customers

• This role requires collaboration, teamwork, and face-to-face interaction with colleagues, leaders, and/or clients.
• Being in the office ensures access to leaders, cross-functional partners, and resources necessary to make timely decisions and drive results.
• On-site presence in accordance with our Flex Smart policy supports our culture of innovation, mentorship, and engagement, which is integral to our success in developing the best team.

* This is not intended to be an…