Assistant Buyer - San Diego - Petco

Description

This role is based in San Diego and with a Tues/Wed/Thurs in office hybrid work schedule.

Want to help pets live their best lives?

We're proud to be where the pets go and where the pet people go. If you want to make a real difference, create an exciting career path, feel welcome to be your whole self and nurture your wellbeing, Petco is the place for you.

Our core values capture that spirit as we work to improve lives by doing what's right for pets and people.

• Pet First – Protect & Empower. All pets should Live their Best Life. We put the needs of pets and pet parents at the center of everything we do.
• Foster the Fun – Connect & Bond. Our Passion for pets brings us together We celebrate the journey of pet parenthood through district experiences, products, and services.
• Let's Go Own & Commit. We are stronger as One Petco team. We bring our unique superpowers and champion authenticity in everyone to drive success.

The Assistant Buyer is an entry omnichannel merchandising professional responsible for owning and driving key components the end-to-end product lifecycle across stores and digital channels. This role is highly detail-oriented and performs work directly related to merchandising and category operations and performs analysis and exercises independent judgement in making recommendations that directly influence merchandising, assortment, and financial decisions. The work is focused on flawless coordination, execution accuracy, and on-time delivery of product and program initiatives.

Working close partnership with the Buyer or Senior Buyer, the Assistant Buyer exercises judgement to prioritize initiatives, identify business risks, determinate corrective actions, and ensure accurate execution of assortment execution, vendor coordination, item setup, and go-to-market activities.

This role is designed as a development path toward an Omnichannel Associate Buyer role and provides foundational exposure to vendor management, cross-functional collaboration, and category operations. The Assistant Buyer brings strong energy, ownership, and a growth mindset, continuously improving in service of internal partners, frontline teams, and customers while building core retail fundamentals and trend awareness.

Key Responsibilities

Product Lifecycle Coordination & Execution

• Lead coordination and execution of the product lifecycle from item setup through launch and in-season execution across channels.
• Ensure item data, attributes, costs, retails, and timelines are accurate and complete in all systems. Investigate discrepancies and recommend corrective action.
• Manage product setup, maintenance, and change requests with merchandising standards and timelines.
• Oversee milestone deliverables including samples, approvals, and packaging inputs to ensure alignment with launch and financial objectives.
• Manage timely product launches and assortment updates across store and digital platforms and communicate potential risks or delays.
• Identify process inefficiencies and suggest improvements to support operational effectiveness.

Category & Business Support

• Prepare, review, and analyze reports related to sales performance, inventory levels, promotional activity, and vendor funding to develop.
• Summarize key findings and provide insights to support category discussions and planning decisions.
• Administer and reconcile vendor funding programs, identifying discrepancies and recommending resolution to protect margin performance.
• Maintain documentation of vendor agreements, costs, and program details.
• Evaluate and support execution of promotional and assortment changes, providing recommendations to align with category objectives.

Vendor & Cross-functional Coordination

• Serve as primary contact for routine follow-up regarding documentation, samples, timelines, and data accuracy.
• Participate in vendor meetings and line reviews to gain exposure to assortment and cost discussions.
• Coordinate deliverables across cross-functional teams including Merchandising Planning, Demand Planning, Space & Visual Planning, Owned Brands, Product Development, Sourcing, QA, Store Operations, Digital, and Marketing.
• Use independent judgement to prioritize requests, escalate issues appropriately, and maintain alignment on timelines.

Go-to-Market & Launch Support

• Contribute to planning and lead coordination of go-to-market activities including product launches, resets, and seasonal transitions across channels.
• Prepare launch materials, product information, and execution checklists to ensure operational readiness.
• Partner with Digital and Store Operations teams to confirm accurate product presentation and setup.

Professional Development & Retail Fundamentals

• Build foundational knowledge of retail fundamentals, merchandising processes, and category performance drivers.
• Conduct competitive research and share insights on trends, pricing, and assortment positioning.
• Support assortment reviews and product audits.
• Develop understanding of category KPIs, margin structure, and merchandising strategy.

Qualifications

Experience

• 0–3+ years of retail, merchandising, buying, or related business experience preferred.
• Experience working with product data, reporting, data analysis, or operational coordination processes is a plus.

Skills & Capabilities

• Strong attention to detail and organization skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to analyze data and summarize findings in a clear, business-focused manner.
• Sound judgement in prioritizing tasks and escalating issues.
• Ability to manage multiple timelines and priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficiency in spreadsheets and ability to learn merchandising systems
• Collaborative communication style with cross-functional partners.

Development & Success Profile

• High-potential future Associate Buyer with strong growth mindset.
• Brings positive energy, ownership, and commitment to the team and business.
• Takes accountability for mistakes and quickly applies learnings.
• Uses their voice to identify risks and improvement opportunities.
• Eager to learn the business and excel at retail fundamentals.
• Curious about trends, products, and customer needs.
• Motivated to continuously improve in service of internal partners, frontline teams, and customers.