*** INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY PLEASE ***

We’re looking to recruit an Assistant Buyer to join our retail team at the National Trust on a fixed-term basis until 5th May 2027. This is an exciting, yet challenging time to join as we prioritise our long-term commercial growth plans alongside ensuring our offer is competitive and matches current market trends.

Your contractual location will be our head office in Swindon and there’ll be an expectation for you to attend the office on a Wednesday and Thursday. However, there’s flexibility on where you’re based at other times. You’ll be required to work at a National Trust location for 40-60% of your working week. This’ll be discussed in more detail at interview.

You'll work with the buyer to grow the Souvenir, Food & Stationery business commercially and in new and innovative directions, identifying and developing new opportunities to meet budgets. You'll be responsible for creating ranges that link back to cause, engaging both the organisation and our supporters - and in turn extending the Trust’s reach and emotional connection to our audiences.

You’ll be highly organised with excellent time management skills, able to prioritise your workload effectively while managing multiple critical paths. With proven experience in own-brand product development across a variety of material substrates, you’ll be confident working with both UK and Far East suppliers. You’ll also have a strong track record of collaborating with freelance designers and artists - briefing, managing, and delivering projects from concept through to completion.

You'll be a strong negotiator and will build solid relationships, internally especially with the merchandising team and externally with suppliers to achieve team KPIs. You’ll be an experienced assistant buyer with previous experience of working with either Souvenir, Food or Stationery categories.

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

• Knowledge of the UK retail market and supply base for the relevant product areas.

• Experience and understanding of product design and manufacturing processes. 

• Experience of range building, product management and understanding of the drivers for customer satisfaction, repeat business, spend, margins and profitability.

• Knowledge of buying planning systems. 

• Strong interpersonal, influencing, negotiation and communication skills. 

• Experience in ensuring policies, frameworks and standards are fully implemented.

• Own brand product development experience.

• Operating at Assistant Buyer Level or higher. 

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary

• Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)

• Rental deposit loan scheme

• Season ticket loan

• EV car lease scheme (for roles that meet the salary criteria)

• Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts

• Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.

• Flexible working whenever possible

• Employee assistance programme

• Free parking at most Trust places

Click here to find out more about the benefits we offer to support you.