Urban Outfitters Buyer - Beauty
Role Summary Urban Outfitters is looking for a Beauty Buyer! This isn't just a job—it's a mission to Fuel The Next Generation of Individuality. Our beauty department is a destination for discovery, self-expression, and the "next big thing." You will be the architect of a customer-obsessed mix of cosmetics, skincare, and wellness products that are bold, viral, and commercially explosive. If you’re ready to use your expertise and a relentless focus on data to drive a beauty resurgence, this is your platform. The Impact You’ll Make As a Beauty Buyer, you are a curator of self-care and a strategist of self-expression. You’ll move beyond personal favorites, using performance data and deep social immersion to build an assortment—from cult-favorite skincare to trending color cosmetics—that electrifies our customer base and propels the UO brand forward. Role Responsibilities Curate the Next "It" Routine
- Architect the Mix: Build a balanced, brand-defining beauty assortment by translating customer feedback and social media buzz into a cohesive, commercially viable product offering.
- Drive Viral Growth: Own the "Must-Have" strategy. Identify the next viral ingredient or brand and maximize sales through aggressive chasing and strategic online-exclusive launches.
- Discovery & Private Label: Strategically manage the blend of established cult brands, emerging indie labels, and high-margin UO private label collections (Oibi, etc.).
Pulse of Beauty Culture
- Be the Pulse: Live and breathe the "Get Ready With Me" (GRWM) culture. Monitor TikTok trends, skin-fluencers, and global wellness shifts to stay at the cutting edge of the industry.
- Translate Trends into Action: Identify emerging movements (like "glass skin," "clean girl," or "90s grunge revival") and quickly translate them into actionable product opportunities.
Innovative Product & Brand Development
- Collaborate for Perfection: Partner with our in-house teams to develop exclusive beauty products, focusing on innovative formulas, sustainable packaging, and "shelfie-worthy" aesthetics.
- Regulatory Awareness: Work with Production and Compliance to ensure all beauty products meet quality standards and safety regulations while maintaining speed-to-market.
Strategic Partnerships & Brand Discovery
- Expand the Beauty Closet: Attract, negotiate with, and secure new, distinctive beauty and wellness brands to create a differentiated mix that only UO can offer.
- Negotiate for Growth: Leverage your expertise to negotiate pricing, exclusivity, and marketing support that aggressively support our business objectives.
Financial Mastery & Data Leadership
- Own the Business: Proactively manage the Open to Buy (OTB). Use real-time sell-through trends to execute timely reorders, cancellations, and markdown strategies that maximize profitability.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Analyze velocity, return rates, and category performance to constantly optimize the mix. You lead with insights—not just intuition—to drive growth.
#LI-ME1 Role Qualifications What You Bring
- Experience: 5–7 years in a fast-paced retail buying role, specifically within the Beauty, Skincare, or Wellness sectors.
- Education: A degree in Merchandising, Business, or equivalent experience that has fueled your understanding of the beauty landscape.
- Analytical Power: Full command of retail math (IMU%, MD%, GM%, WOS, OTB) and the ability to pivot strategy based on weekly category performance.
- Beauty Fluency: A deep, demonstrated understanding of ingredients, skin types, and the target UO customer’s beauty habits.
- Leadership & Influence: Proven ability to build trust with cross-functional partners and communicate complex strategy effectively to leadership. You are a mentor who develops junior talent (Assistant/Associate Buyers).
Other Details
- Work Location: Home Office – 5 days a week.
- Reports to: Senior Buyer or DMM.
The Perks URBN offers comprehensive Perks & Benefits to employees. Availability and eligibility to specific benefits may be subject to your location and employment status. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, PTO, generous employee discounts, retirement savings and much more! For additional information visit www.urbn.com/work-with-us/benefits EEO Statement URBN celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression), religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. We believe strongly in fostering a safe, fair and respectful work environment. To ensure compliance with our non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, we offer anti-harassment training to managers and employees.