Merchandiser (Maternity cover)

We are making waves in the menswear industry and if that interests you then you’ll want to know that we have an exciting new opportunity to join our dynamic Merchandise team on a temporary contract, based at our new state of the art Head Office at Thorpe Park, Leeds.

As a Merchandiser you will play a lead role within our Buying and Merchandising teams, across all levels. You will be responsible for the planning and trading for your area of the business; building the strategy for future ranges to deliver sales, markdown, and margin budgets. Effectively managing stock levels in the business vs target and deliver exit strategy for all terminal stock.

Key Accountabilities

• Work alongside your buyer to own the range plan to deliver budgeted sales and margin for your area. Present in all range reviews & sign off meetings to senior management team.
• Create financial building blocks to highlight any potential opportunity or risks to sales & margin budget.
• Accurately forward forecast required intake and plan OTB for ranges to deliver sales and margin plans whilst in line with stock targets; ensuring timely submission of production planning requirements on supplier mill summaries to ensure capacity is reserved and stock is booked in line with critical path to ensure timely deliveries.
• Own weekly forecasting for sales and margin document, highlight any risk or opportunity and recommended trading actions on a continual basis.
• Set-up and execution of the branch distribution plan, capturing store level differences in customer profile, within the agreed option/space plans.
• Produce and execute a clear line level exit strategy for range to reduce terminal stock levels in the business. Forecast & highlight margin impact on delivering this plan to Senior Management.
• Training and support of your direct reports; manage their workload, setting priorities to deliver business requirements & increase morale where applicable.
• Continual forward forecasting of your Business Unit reviewing month/season/year sales and margin plan. Highlighting any risk to sales, margin & stock levels and propose any actions required to rectify.
• Review core line cards on a weekly basis with Assistant merchandiser on current performance. Propose any actions required in weekly trade on re-groups, par adjustments, phasing current commitment or any additional buys required.
• Drive actions in weekly trade on best/worst sellers; Regroups, distribution, intake & markdown proposals.
• Intake, working closely with Buyer to review weekly delivery schedule and critical path manage intake into the business. Take required actions to deliver; product launches, promotional activity or reduce over stocks.
• Management of working closely with the retail team to address any store stock issues and action accordingly
• WSSI maintenance; ensure OTB is updated on a weekly basis, intake is in the correct week & have an understand of closing stock targets of store group and YOY stock variance.
• Identify any overstock issues with clearly considered proposals made on how to reduce surplus stock and increase sell through.
• Own the critical path and sign off of key promotional activity and forecast sales, markdown and margin. Build stock package to deliver sales plan.

If that excites you then we are looking for the following key skills and experience;

Knowledge / Skills

• Numeracy – Highly numerate with strong analytical skills
• Logical / systematic – clear reasoning for decision making
• Communication – written and verbal with all levels of seniority
• Adaptable – flexible to change
• Problem solving – able to provide solutions
• Commercial awareness
• Needs to be highly organised and self-motivated individual who works well on his or her own initiative yet is also seen as a confident and strong team player.
• Ability to engage with several different stakeholders, both internally and externally

Qualifications & Experience

• GCSE level C in Math’s & English
• Ideally to have a buying, fashion, textiles, or business management degree
• Currently working as a Merchandiser or a Junior Merchandiser

What We’ll Do For You

• State of the art new offices based at Thorpe Park with great transport links
• A culture which is inclusive, supportive and rewarding
• We have a fantastic induction process which takes you through every part of our business, we will invest in you every step of the way in your career with us
• Hybrid working across our teams offering a balance of office and home working with 16:30 finishes on Fridays
• Excellent Refer a friend scheme
• Generous Employee discount scheme
• Health and well-being initiatives including access to mindfulness, yoga and arts
• Fun Socials and a great team
• Complimentary membership to the Retail Trust including support helplines and extensive website content
• Regular sample sales with access to limited edition product