Permanent - Junior Product Developer - Johannesburg (Incl. Northern Suburbs) - South Africa

Building and managing ranges

• Develop and maintain the seasonal buy plan for your assigned categories, keeping the range balanced across price points, occasions and customer needs.
• Manage product lifecycle status and act on trading performance.
• Contribute to strategy and range reviews, and identify underperforming SKUs for exit.

Bringing new products to life

• Research consumer, competitor and market trends and turn them into product ideas.
• Write clear product briefs covering specifications, quality requirements, packaging and commercial targets.
• Run the sample and quality approval process from request through to sign-off.
• Keep critical timelines on track so that stock lands in time for launch, and coordinate launches with Marketing, Planning, Site Merchandising and Operations.
• Run post-launch reviews against sales, margin and availability targets.

Driving commercial performance

• Monitor sales, margin and category performance using our BI and reporting tools, and flag risks and opportunities early.
• Understand the drivers behind margin, margin mix, price architecture and landed cost, and help protect profitability.
• Work within Open-to-Buy parameters and identify cost-saving opportunities.

Working with suppliers

• Run structured supplier meetings and range planning sessions, and track actions through to completion.
• Review supplier performance on quality, delivery, cost and service.
• Build your negotiation skills, starting alongside your line manager and progressing to leading supplier discussions yourself.
• Identify supply risks and alternative sources for key lines.

• A relevant Diploma or Degree, e.g. Retail, Buying, Merchandising, Marketing, commerce or Product/Design.
• 1–3 years' experience in product development, buying, merchandising or a similar retail or e-commerce role. Experience as a trainee or assistant buyer/product developer is ideal.
• Strong Excel skills (Pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, data analysis and margin calculations), with comfort using reporting and dashboard tools.
• A working understanding of gross margin, pricing and the product lifecycle.
• Exceptional attention to detail and accuracy, especially in product data and SKU management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, and confidence dealing with suppliers and internal teams.
• Strong organisational skills: you manage multiple timelines, follow through and escalate early.
• A customer mindset and genuine interest in gifting, lifestyle and seasonal trends.