Retail Buying Assistant, Cornell Retail Services

Student and Campus Life (SCL) inspires transformation in all Cornell students on their journey of individual, academic, and personal evolution. Our division is comprised of leading student affairs experts who support our campus on pressing student life matters, including public service, health, wellbeing, connection and belonging, residential living, food services, sports, recreation, career services, and student activities and organizations, including sorority and fraternity life. We provide support and services to roughly 25,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students on multiple campuses in the U.S. and abroad.

As a dynamic hub of the Cornell University campus, a recognized national leader in collegiate retailing, and a self-funded enterprise, Cornell Retail Services strives to deliver legendary customer service and quality products to meet the needs of the Cornell Community. In service of Cornell students, faculty, staff, alumni and visitors, the Cornell Retail Services team leads a multi-channel retail business, including a 22,000 sq. ft. flagship campus store, three e-commerce sites, and satellite store locations throughout the Ithaca area, ultimately producing $26 million in annual retail sales.

Within the Cornell Store, the merchandise and inventory planning team has oversight of a broad selection of product categories throughout multiple brick-and-mortar stores and online channels. Merchandise categories include emblematic clothing and gifts, food and perishables, art and general supplies, non-emblematic gifts and accessories, convenience items, dorm supplies, and academic materials. This buying team plays a critical role in determining what products the stores will carry and what items our customers need.

Under the general direction of the Manager of Retail Buying, the Retail Buying Assistant will support the procurement of general merchandise for The Cornell Store, branch store locations, and the e-commerce website. This includes selecting products, negotiating terms, developing pricing strategies, and achieving established financial objectives to increase revenue. This position also assists with managing product selection for the e-commerce website by evaluating sales performance, developing seasonal merchandise assortments, identifying trends, determining the timeliness of merchandise deliveries to maximize sales performance and achieve customer satisfaction, and maintaining inventory to minimize markdown liabilities.

A successful Retail Buying Assistant will:

• Multitask and work effectively with both customers and clients

• Develop and implement process improvements to streamline efficiencies and/or reduce costs.

• Gather, analyze, and effectively utilize internal and external data to make appropriate ordering and pricing decisions.

• Work collaboratively with other functional departments within The Cornell Store organization to support merchandising and product strategy in coordination with Retail Store Managers.

Required Qualifications

• Associate's degree with at least 2 years of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with a strong focus on customer service.

• Experience with Microsoft Office software (especially MS Excel) and previous experience with retail inventory management and ordering systems including Point-of- Sale (POS) software is critical.

• May occasionally need to lift and/or move 10-20 pounds.

• Must be willing to travel and be able to work some evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed

• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Preferred Qualifications

• Additional education and/or experience (beyond 3 years) specifically in the retail or college store industry

• Experience with emblematic apparel and gifts, convenience items, supplies, perishables, and other merchandise categories.

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. This position is located in Ithaca, New York. The successful applicant will be expected to work on campus.

University Job Title:

Sales Asst IV

Job Family:

Auxiliary Services

Level:

D

Pay Rate Type:

Hourly

Pay Range:

$26.00 - $30.05

Remote Option Availability:

Onsite

Company:

Endowed

Contact Name:

Jana English

Contact Email:

[email protected]

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2026-01-14