Overview
Associate Buyer Jobs in North Bergen, NJ at MadRag
Title: Associate Buyer
Company: MadRag
Location: North Bergen, NJ
ABOUT MADRAG
MadRag is a fast-paced, value-driven specialty retailer with a 50-year history and 93 stores across 14 states. We are committed to delivering on-trend fashion at extraordinary prices for our loyal customer. Our buying team is at the heart of everything we do — curating assortments that excite our customer, drive business results, and reflect a deep understanding of the marketplace. We are looking for a driven, curious, and commercially minded Associate Buyer to join our team and help shape the future of our product offering.
ABOUT THE ROLE
The Associate Buyer plays a critical role in executing MadRag's buying strategy. Working closely with the Buyer, you will own the day-to-day management of your business area — from analyzing performance data and managing purchase orders, to building vendor relationships and identifying emerging trends. This role is ideal for a self-starter who takes ownership, communicates proactively, and thrives in a fast-moving retail environment.
You will be expected to bring a solution-oriented mindset, a strong sense of accountability, and a genuine passion for fashion and the retail landscape.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Analyze sales, margin, markdown, inventory, and regional performance to identify risks and opportunities and drive data-informed business decisions.
• Develop and execute assortment and inventory strategies aligned with business goals, customer trends, and market opportunities.
• Manage purchase orders, reorders, cancellations, and delivery flow with urgency and accuracy to support inventory productivity.
• Maintain strong vendor partnerships through consistent communication, business reviews, market appointments, and performance follow-up.
• Prepare for and lead vendor meetings with a clear understanding of selling performance, inventory position, competitive landscape, and business objectives.
• Conduct regular market, trend, and competitive shopping across specialty and off-price retail to identify emerging trends, assortment gaps, and new opportunities.
• Partner cross-functionally with Planning, Allocation, and Visual Merchandising teams to execute assortment strategies and support overall business performance.
• Demonstrate strong understanding of retail fundamentals including sales, margin, markup, markdown, turn, and open-to-buy management.
• Travel to local markets, trade shows, LA market, as needed.
QUALIFICATIONS
- 2+ years of retail buying or merchandising experience, preferably in an off-price, specialty, or value-oriented environment.
- Strong analytical skills with a solid command of retail math and key performance metrics
- Demonstrated experience managing purchase orders and vendor communications.
- Proven ability to build and maintain productive vendor relationships.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail.
- Highly organized and capable of managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Competitive shopping experience with a genuine passion for trend and product.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables and VLOOKUP.
- Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Business, or a related field preferred.
WHY MADRAG
- A close-knit, entrepreneurial buying environment where your contributions have immediate and visible impact.
- Direct mentorship and collaboration with experienced buyers and cross-functional leaders.
- A fast-moving, trend-driven culture that rewards initiative, curiosity, and ownership.
- Competitive compensation, benefits package, and associate discount.
- Clear pathway for growth within the Buying organization.
