Head of Buying - Beyond Books

About Crossword Bookstores

Crossword Bookstores is one of India’s biggest retail chains for books and stationery, with more than 140 stores spread across 45+ cities, plus one international location in Dubai. What started as a single bookstore has grown into a much-loved brand that reaches millions each year with reading, learning, discovery, and gifting. The business is family-run and currently in a strong growth phase, with plans to expand to 300+ stores in the coming years.

Role Overview

This Pune-based leadership role is responsible for the entire Beyond Books business at Crossword. The position reports to the MD and leads a team of 8+ people that is still expanding. The right person will treat the non-books category as their own business, managing performance, assortment, sourcing, inventory, and team capability end to end.

What Success Looks Like

The role is built around three major outcomes over the first 12 to 18 months: improving profitability, creating a differentiated product and sourcing engine, and building a strong team and operating model that can scale with the business.

• Take full ownership of the Beyond Books P&L across the network, including topline, margins, sell-through, and contribution by category.
• Improve profitability through sharper buying decisions, tighter assortment control, better pricing discipline, and stronger vendor terms.
• Use data consistently to review performance on a weekly and monthly basis and make decisions based on numbers rather than assumptions.
• Decide what to expand, what to support, and what to discontinue with an owner’s mindset.
• Build a sourcing engine that sets Crossword apart through global imports, private label, and exclusive product lines.
• Identify suitable markets and manage the complete import cycle, from landed cost to lead times and quality control.
• Negotiate directly with domestic and international vendors to secure better commercial outcomes and long-term partnerships.
• Develop products and assortments that are not easily available elsewhere and keep the category fresh and relevant.
• Lead and develop the buying team so the business is not dependent on one person.
• Create planning rhythms and systems that support rapid store expansion and keep buying operations predictable.
• Maintain strong inventory health and working capital discipline so stock is available without locking up excess cash.
• Put scalable processes in place for a network that is moving toward 300+ stores.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a strong commercial operator with an owner’s mindset. The category background matters less than the level of accountability previously carried, as long as the candidate has managed real commercial outcomes and worked closely with numbers.

Experience and Background

• About 8 to 12 years of experience in category, product, or business ownership is preferred, though exceptional candidates with slightly less experience are also welcome.
• Prior responsibility for a category or business with direct P&L accountability is important.
• Experience in stationery, toys, gifts, or accessories is helpful, but candidates from general merchandise, consumer electronics, home, FMCG, e-commerce category management, apparel, or similar buying-led roles may also fit.
• Strong vendor negotiation experience is expected, including securing better pricing, terms, and products.
• A disciplined approach to inventory and working capital management is required, including understanding stock turns, holding days, dead stock, and cash tied up in inventory.
• Experience building an import program or sourcing internationally is a strong advantage, including landed cost, lead times, and foreign vendor management.
• Exposure to private label or exclusive ranges is a plus.
• Experience leading a team and developing capability in others is important.

Working Style and Attributes

• Strong comfort with data, spreadsheets, and commercial analysis.
• Ability to move quickly, make decisions fast, and close tasks without delay.
• Hands-on working style, including vendor communication, costing, and store-level checks.
• Practical approach to cost and budgeting.
• Clear ownership mentality and accountability for results.
• Direct, transparent communication style with early escalation of issues.
• Willingness to keep learning and stay curious.
• A genuine desire to build something large and lasting.

Why This Role Stands Out

This is a high-trust, high-exposure opportunity to work closely with the business owners and learn at a fast pace while shaping an important growth area of the company.

Additional Information

Location: Pune
Reporting line: MD
Team size: 8+ employees and growing

Eligibility

Any graduate may apply.