Tender Loving Empire Hiring for Buyer at Portland, OR Full Time

Tender Loving Empire operates 6 brick-and-mortar stores in the greater Portland area + online, curating a collection of goods and music from hundreds of independent makers for people who want to support their creative community, surround themselves with beauty, and live wholehearted. TLE has been part of the creative community in Portland since 2007 with a simple, three-part mission statement: empower and support creatives, enrich and fulfill employees, and to delight and inspire patrons. We truly believe when you live wholehearted you are an optimist and a do-gooder, a dabbler and a dreamer; you go after your dreams and help others succeed in theirs; you understand that small businesses keep our communities from being boring, homogenous, impersonal, money-over-people type places.

Applying to work at Tender Loving Empire is a choice to support hundreds of makers, musicians and small businesses. Together we can make our communities more vibrant, creative, compassionate and connected.

Job Summary:

We are looking for someone creative, goal-oriented, and tenacious to join our Buying Team at Tender Loving Empire. We are problem solvers and strivers, choosing the best of handmade and independent goods to inspire and delight our customers while maintaining the bottom-line success of the company. Through a discerning and knowledgeable eye, attention to detail and data, and a consistent commitment to excellence, our team manages all wholesale and consignment inventory from over 350 independent artists and businesses across all of our many outlets and e-commerce revenue streams. We’re a small team, but our goals and responsibilities are not – The right person for this role will epitomize open communication, diligence, flexibility, creativity, and a willingness to take on new challenges.

Core Responsibilities Include:

• Wholesale and consignment purchasing of assigned product types for all physical & e-commerce outlets based on a comprehensive understanding of sales data, company-wide and buyer-specific goals, and merchandising needs per location
• Maintaining accurate spending logs, product orders, vendor databases, and other various internal inventory management systems
• Critically evaluating product performance and opportunities via thorough regular data analysis, merchandising & retail feedback, and team KPIs
• Researching, procuring, and evaluating new product needs as directed, negotiating for terms and exclusivity contracts as necessary
• Overseeing inventory fulfillment timelines and accurately evaluating inventory discrepancies
• Communicating and collaborating efficiently with other departments for product success, including Warehouse, Web, Merchandising, Retail, Accounting, Family Brands, Marketing, and Content teams
• Fostering positive, prompt, & mutually beneficial relationships with all vendors
• Attending relevant community events and pop-ups regularly

Job Requirements & Preferences:

• 3+ years of retail experience; 1+ year of buying/inventory management experience or applicable degree preferred but not required
• Google Sheets or Excel aptitude; familiarity with basic formula building strongly preferred
• A comprehensive understanding of Slack, ShopifyPlus, and Lightspeed Point Of Sale preferred but not required
• Understanding of common buyer KPI (Key Performance Indicator) terms – revenue, gross profit, margin, sell-through, cost of goods sold, etc.
• Strong multi-tasking and time management skills – must be able to self-prioritize and manage a wide variety of responsibilities and tasks both with and without concrete deadlines
• Intuitive problem solving skills – must be willing to investigate and solve issues independently and in a timely, accurate manner
• Profound attention to detail and an appreciation for organization, accuracy, and system building
• Familiarity with the scope of artists and products at Tender Loving Empire, or familiarity with the Pacific Northwest handmade and/or small business community
• Strong work ethic – TLE is a fun place to work, but we work hard! A good attitude and an ability to stay solution-focused in the face of challenges are a must
• Full time availability

Compensation & Benefits:

• Full Time Salary
• PTO + Sick Time
• Health & Vision Benefits
• 401K w/ up to 2% company match at 1 year of employment
• Generous employee discounts
• Hybrid work model – office workspace provided & flexibility to work from home
• Company laptop provided
• Technology Stipend
• Working alongside kind, hard-working, hilarious, value-driven, talented humans 🙂

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