Head of Buying and Merchandising

About The CompanyRise & Fall is a fast-scaling, premium D2C brand with a mission to make luxury quality essentials more accessible. Their approach cuts out traditional retail markups while prioritising ethical production and transparency. With a strong foundation built on quality, value and sustainability, Rise & Fall is proud to be B-Corp certified and operates with a limited waste, small-batch production model.Having quickly grown revenue to eight figures in under four years, the business is preparing for significant international expansion. Their ambition is to reach £100m revenue within five years.The business is led by a high-calibre team with a strong growth mindset. They're passionate about disrupting the category and building a household name in premium consumer goods.The OpportunityThe Head of Buying & Merchandising is a pivotal leadership role responsible for shaping and executing Rise & Fall’s product strategy to fuel growth, profitability, and brand desirability. This leader will blend deep market knowledge, strong commercial acumen, and exceptional product instinct to deliver compelling ranges that exceed customer expectations while meeting margin and financial targets.The Head of Buying & Merchandising will report into the founders and work closely with the in-house Head of Design, Head of Product Development and Creative Director. They’ll be managing an internal team of three with the expectation that this will grow over time.Key ResponsibilitiesDevelop and own R&F’s buying strategy, ensuring it aligns with brand positioning, customer expectations, commercial targets, and growth ambitions.Build and maintain a balanced, commercially robust assortment across categories combining core continuity lines, seasonal newness, and innovative opportunities.Lead end-to-end range architecture, ensuring optimal breadth, depth, pricing architecture, and product flow to maximise sales, sell-through, and full-price performance.Continuously analyse markets, competitive assortments, and emerging trends to identify whitespace and commercial opportunities.Translate market and trend intelligence into clear product recommendations, ensuring Rise & Fall stays ahead of customer needs while remaining true to its premium-value positioning.Own category financial performance, ensuring margin targets, profitability goals, and trading KPIs are met or exceeded.Oversee merch planning and forecasting, aligning buys with trading expectations, demand curves, and growth plans.Provide accurate, timely reporting on performance, risks, and opportunities to senior leadership.Build and lead a high-performing buying & merchandising team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and commercial excellence.Build and maintain a high-performing supplier base, ensuring competitive pricing, reliability, and scalability across all womenswear categories.Who We're Looking ForYou’ll be a hands-on buying and merchandising leader, excited by both strategic thinking and execution. You’ll bring ideas, energy, and hustle to a fast-paced business with high standards and a test-and-learn mentality.We’re Looking For Someone Who CanCommercially decisive and data-driven, able to translate complex trading, customer and market insights into clear product and margin strategies across all categories.Strategic range architect with strong financial discipline, building assortments grounded in demand forecasting, sell-through behaviour, and performance analytics.Highly analytical operator who balances intuition with evidence, using data to pressure-test buys, validate opportunities, and reduce risk.Clear, influential communicator who aligns cross-functional teams around a single, insight-led buying vision, ensuring consistency, focus, and accountability.CultureRise & Fall is an ambitious, agile and mission-driven business. Their team thrives on pace, autonomy, and high standards – but without ego. They care deeply about product integrity, sustainability and building something meaningful. It's a place where ideas are encouraged, pace is embraced, and curiosity is celebrated. They're building a culture where smart, passionate people can do their best work, grow quickly, and shape the future of the brand.Office 2-4 Exmoor St, W106BD. Just off Ladbroke Grove, a short walk to Goldborne Rd and Portobello Road.Hybrid working - currently minimum two days in the office.Interview ProcessScreening call with the founder or head of design1st Stage Interview – Founder/Leadership TeamTask PreparationTask Presentation and 2nd Stage InterviewFinal Interview – Wider Team & Cultural FitBenefits & PackageCompetitive leading salaryGenerous options grant – participate financially in the growth you will help createFlexible/remote working environmentGenerous holiday allowance (33 days)Generous employee product discountsOpportunity to be part of a high-growth, purpose-driven brand with international ambitions