Vendor Trade Compliance Specialist

Role Overview

The Vendor Trade Compliance Specialist – Risk & Compliance supports the Buying organization to maximize trading opportunities while ensuring full legal and regulatory compliance within an off-price retail model.

This role partners closely with internal stakeholders and external vendors to identify and manage compliance risks, support business growth across Europe, and protect both customers and company reputation. The Specialist proactively enables commercial decision-making while ensuring adherence to legal, ethical, and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities Compliance & Ethical Responsibility

• Act as the primary point of contact for Buying on all trade compliance and legal matters.
• Partner with Buying to assess risks and enable entry into new markets, balancing commercial opportunity with legal and compliance requirements.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders including Logistics, Legal, Risk, and Compliance to support compliant trading strategies.
• Develop and implement compliance strategies within Buying that align commercial objectives with regulatory and legal risk management.
• Lead change management initiatives, engagement activities, and training within Buying to support corporate compliance responsibilities.
• Stay up to date on emerging retail industry issues and upcoming legislation; assess business impact and advise Buying on implications for sourcing and strategy.
• Support Buying in managing and developing vendor relationships in line with compliance standards.
• Monitor, measure, and report on vendor compliance:
• Collect and manage product testing, certifications, and registrations from vendors.
• Review product labelling to ensure compliance with EU regulations.
• Capture and maintain compliance data to support analysis, trend identification, and risk forecasting across the business.
• Provide clear, constructive feedback to both the Buying organization and vendor community.

Key Skills & Experience

• 2-3 years of work experience
• Beauty compliance and/or EU/UK regulatory compliance knowledge (desirable).
• Strong curiosity and interest in product compliance, and legal considerations and their impact on Buying.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders.
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently, take initiative, and assume strong personal accountability.
• Understanding of the off-price retail model, Buying organizations, and the role of compliance and ethical trading within this context.
• Ability to build, maintain, and leverage strong relationships across Buying and wider business functions.
• Critical thinking skills with the ability to prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to interpret complex regulatory requirements and translate them into clear, commercially pragmatic guidance.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.