Kate Keey
Senior Buyer Homeware
Cape Town
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Buyer – Homeware
Takealot Online
Cape Town
01.2025 - Current
- Senior Buyer for Bathroom and Bedroom categories in the Retail division
- Responsible for product sourcing, range planning, and supplier management within e-commerce environment
- Manage category performance, pricing strategies, and inventory optimization for online retail platform
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams including marketing, merchandising, and logistics
- Drive product innovation and new product development initiatives across bathroom and bedroom categories
- Analyze market trends and customer insights to inform buying decisions and category growth
- Maintain strong supplier relationships and negotiate favorable terms
- Support online retail growth through strategic category management and range development
Senior Buyer – Homeware
Woolworths
08.2018 - 12.2024
- Home Softs and Hards experience – extensive and broad product knowledge across categories
- Extensive Industry knowledge within Homeware categories from sourcing to product development and strategic implementation thereof
- Experience as Bedroom and Kitchen buyer for Woolworths Home
- Strengths include a flair for product and colour, strong creative product development skills, a natural taste level, collaboration-oriented, and strong organizational skills.
- Developed strong relationships with suppliers, fostering collaboration and mutual growth.
- Managed a diverse portfolio of products, ensuring timely delivery and quality standards.
- Highly people oriented (ability to work well within a team)
- Successfully put together balanced, stylish and exciting ranges that entice customer
- Effective communication and presentation skills
Buyer - Womenswear
Truworths LTD.
02.2013 - 12.2017
- Successfully completed rigorous trainee buyer programme
- Most recently worked as a buyer for brand called Outback Red (Leisure ladieswear division within Truworths) responsible for buying all knit top categories
- I have been a buyer in various divisions within Truworths ladieswear over the last few years giving me range of experience and skills, from buying specialty brands (Daniel Hechter, LTD) to mainstream areas like Outback Red
- Role revolved around being able to build fashionable, balanced ranges tailored for a particular brand and lifestyle
- Relied heavily on creativity, innovation and attention to detail which are some of my key strengths
- As demanded by the job, I continually demonstrated the ability to perform at high energy levels under pressure and time constraints
- Demonstrated the ability to work within a team and display a high-level of conflict management skills
- Ability to negotiate strongly and build supplier relationships
- Ability to effectively present strategies/ranges in various forums to key stake holders
- I showcased the ability to combine technical skills and product knowledge to ensure the right combination of fabric, construction and fit was adhered to within cost parameters
- Application of knowledge of market and trend changes (local and international) to ensure the ranges were exciting and current, reacting quickly to opportunities to trade area
- Involved travel overseas on buying trips and sourcing/development trips to the East
Education
IEB MATRICULANT -
Matriculated: Diocesan School For Girls
Grahamstown, Eastern Cape01-2007
Bachelor of Social Science - English (with distinction), Politics
University of Cape Town
Cape Town01.2010
Interior Decorating
Boston House College School of Design
DIPLOMA -
Fedisa Fashion College
Cape Town01.2013
Skills
Product development and range building
Homeware Industry expertise
Supplier relationship management
Supplier negotiations
Category management
Purchasing expertise
Accomplishments
- Cum Laude distinction for Academic Honours 2007
- Form prize winner in Grade 9 and 11
- Proficiency prize in Grade 10 and 12
- Art and Drama subject prize winner in Grade 12
- Ann Murray Drama scholarship winner
- Advanced Speechmakers certificate
- Head Sacristan
- Completed Charity Triathlon (Robben Island to Grahamstown)
Timeline
Senior Buyer – Homeware
Takealot Online
01.2025 - Current
Senior Buyer – Homeware
Woolworths
08.2018 - 12.2024
Buyer - Womenswear
Truworths LTD.
02.2013 - 12.2017
IEB MATRICULANT -
Matriculated: Diocesan School For Girls
Bachelor of Social Science - English (with distinction), Politics
University of Cape Town
Interior Decorating
Boston House College School of Design
DIPLOMA -
Fedisa Fashion College
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