Assistant Manager – Buying & Merchandising

Job title: Assistant Manager – Buying & Merchandising

Company: PALMONAS (Demifine Fashion Private Limited)

Department: Buying & Merchandising

Location: Pune

Employment Type: Full-time

About PALMONAS

PALMONAS is a modern demi-fine jewellery and lifestyle brand, offering contemporary jewellery designed for everyday wear. We are looking for a commercially driven and detail-oriented professional to join our Buying & Merchandising team and support the development of a strong, trend-relevant and profitable product portfolio.

About the Role

The Assistant Manager – Buying & Merchandising will be responsible for managing the end-to-end buying and merchandising process, including product planning, sourcing, vendor management, range development, costing, inventory management and sales performance analysis. The role will involve close coordination with Design, Product Development, E-commerce, Retail, Marketing and Supply Chain teams to ensure the right products are available at the right time and at the right price.

Key Responsibilities

1. Buying & Category Management

• Develop and execute buying strategies aligned with business goals, customer preferences and category requirements.
• Plan product assortments and collections based on market trends, sales data and seasonal demand.
• Identify opportunities for new product categories, designs and styles.
• Manage the product lifecycle from concept and sourcing to launch and performance review.
• Ensure the right product mix across price points, categories and sales channels.2. Sourcing & Vendor Management
• Identify, evaluate and develop vendors and suppliers for jewellery and related products.
• Negotiate pricing, minimum order quantities, lead times and commercial terms.
• Build strong vendor relationships to ensure quality, timely delivery and competitive pricing.
• Coordinate with vendors for sampling, product development and production timelines.
• Explore new sourcing opportunities to improve product quality and cost efficiency.3. Merchandising & Product Development
• Work closely with Design and Product Development teams to develop commercially viable collections.
• Track product development timelines, sampling, approvals and final production.
• Ensure product specifications, quality standards and design requirements are met.
• Monitor new launches and ensure timely availability across retail and online channels.4. Sales & Inventory Planning
• Analyse sales trends, sell-through, stock levels and product performance.
• Identify fast-moving, slow-moving and non-performing products.
• Plan replenishment and inventory allocation based on demand.
• Monitor ageing inventory and recommend markdowns or liquidation strategies where required.
• Maintain optimal inventory levels while minimizing stock-outs and excess inventory.5. Market & Trend Analysis
• Track jewellery, fashion and lifestyle trends, competitor offerings and market developments.
• Conduct competitor benchmarking on product assortment, pricing and collections.
• Identify emerging consumer preferences and translate insights into buying decisions.
• Support pricing and margin strategies to improve category profitability.6. Cross-Functional Coordination & Reporting
• Coordinate with Retail, E-commerce, Design, Marketing, Finance and Supply Chain teams.
• Maintain buying plans, vendor trackers, order status and merchandising reports.
• Track key category metrics such as sales, margins, sell-through, stock cover and inventory ageing.
• Share regular performance updates and actionable insights with management.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• 4–7 years of experience in Buying, Merchandising, Category Management or Sourcing.
• Experience in the jewellery, fashion accessories, lifestyle, fashion or retail industry preferred.
• Strong understanding of product sourcing, vendor management, costing and commercial negotiations.
• Experience in assortment planning, inventory management and sales analysis.
• Good understanding of product development and buying cycles.
• Strong working knowledge of MS Excel and Google Sheets.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple categories and timelines in a fast-paced environment.

Key Skills

• Buying & Merchandising
• Category Management
• Jewellery Sourcing
• Vendor Development & Management
• Product Development
• Range & Assortment Planning
• Costing & Price Negotiation
• Inventory Planning & Control
• Sales Analysis & Forecasting
• Market & Competitor Research
• Margin Management
• Cross-Functional Coordination
• Advanced MS Excel / Google Sheets

What You’ll Do at PALMONAS

You will play a key role in building a commercially successful jewellery portfolio by combining market insights, product understanding, strategic buying and effective inventory management. Your contribution will directly support product availability, category growth and overall business profitability.