Trainee Buyer
Next · Market Harborough
The Role
Step into the role of Trainee Buyer in our Menswear team.
Discover an exciting opportunity to launch your retail journey right here at Joules Head Office, following a dedicated, product-led development programme designed to give you a thorough grounding in buying. We are shortlisting in Spring 2026 for a Summer 2026 start, welcoming a motivated graduate who brings a fresh perspective and a genuine appreciation for menswear.
You will join our collaborative Buying department, working side by side with Design, Garment Technology, and Merchandising to build collections that balance our British heritage with a clean, preppy modern feel. You will also have the unique chance to learn alongside our Founder, Tom Joule, and his senior leadership team, picking up invaluable industry knowledge as you develop your commercial eye.
Working Pattern
This is a full-time graduate role based onsite at The Barn, Joules’ purpose-built Head Office in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, with occasional field visits to our stores or events. The typical working hours for this role are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Our Location
Market Harborough in Leicestershire is where the Joules story began in 1989. This vibrant market town is home to the brand’s Head Office and is packed with independent shops, lively pubs, and fantastic restaurants. It also benefits from great transport links to London, making it easily accessible for commuters and visitors alike. It is the perfect place to mix a rewarding retail career with plenty of well-dressed time off.
What You’ll Do
You will be right at the centre of the action, learning the retail buying cycle from the ground up and seeing how great product moves from initial sketch to final delivery. In this role, you will champion our menswear range, keeping everyday processes moving swiftly and ensuring our collections delight our customers season after season.
You will be responsible for:
Monitoring the market: Keep a close eye on competitor activity and shifting menswear trends, partnering with your Merchandising counterparts to review weekly bestsellers, slow movers, and fast lines to shape upcoming ranges
Learning the commercial numbers: Assist your Buyer with competitor price benchmarking and seasonal analysis, helping ensure our collections offer brilliant value and effortless appeal
Nurturing supplier relationships: Build positive relationships with our key global suppliers, issuing purchase orders accurately and keeping communication channels clear and helpful
Tracking production progress: Check in with our supply base weekly to protect key delivery dates, updating critical path records and intake sheets so the wider business stays in the loop
Taking pride in samples: Take full ownership of our sample room, ensuring every garment is tagged, logged, steamed, and prepped to perfection ahead of range reviews and sign-off meetings
Supporting product development: Join your Buyer on store visits and inspirational research trips, bringing back fresh insights that feed into new menswear designs
Powering team meetings: Set up key meetings with the right product selections, taking clear notes and circulating accurate actions to keep projects moving forward
Mastering our systems: Take ownership of our internal databases and order systems, applying your digital fluency to ensure every code, cost, and description is spot-on
What You’ll Bring
To really shine in this role, you will bring an energetic, inquisitive mind, great communication skills, and a genuine passion for modern menswear. You love getting to know how things work, pick up new software quickly, and naturally enjoy rolling up your sleeves to keep internal systems and sample rails in top shape. You are self-effacing, approachable, and thrive when collaborating with diverse personalities across Design, Merchandising, and Garment Tech.
We would also love to see:
A degree in Fashion Buying, Merchandising, Fashion Management, or a related discipline, with a solid foundational understanding of the fashion retail industry
A natural affinity with menswear, appreciating classic British tailoring, casual layering, and preppy heritage style
Strong communication and interpersonal skills, feeling comfortable chatting with colleagues across all levels and external suppliers alike
High digital fluency and process discipline, picking up internal buying and inventory software with confidence and ease
An agile, quick-learning attitude, ready to adapt at pace in a fast-moving retail environment
Exceptional attention to detail, taking pride in accurate data entry, organised paperwork, and well-kept sample archives
A collaborative team spirit, lots of positive energy, and genuine excitement for the future of Joules
Your Application
Due to the high volume of applications received for our roles, please note that applications not accompanied by a relevant cover letter are unlikely to be progressed. Please tell us about your passion for menswear, what draws you to our 1989 heritage, and why you would love to start your career at The Barn.
Sponsorship
In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates will be required to evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. Joules does not hold a Sponsor Licence and would not, therefore, be able to sponsor a successful candidate under the Skilled Worker route. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate the right to work without sponsorship.
We encourage early applications, as our recruitment process begins as soon as the role is advertised. If we successfully fill the position, this advert may close earlier than planned.
#LI-Onsite
Our Working WayAt Joules, we honour our British heritage while creating products and experiences that delight, inspire, and connect with our customers every day. We are committed to bringing freshness and innovation to our collections, delivering style, quality, and joy in every season. We strive to be the leading brand in preppy, heritage ‘time off’ clothing, offering standout outerwear and rainwear, layered autumn and winter essentials, fresh spring and summer styles, and a broad selection across womenswear, menswear, kidswear, and homeware.
At Joules we lead on product, design, print, creative brand strategy and marketing whilst NEXT supports retail, HR, finance, distribution, customer service and returns - offering operational excellence.