Senior Merchandiser - Footwear

Senior Merchandiser
- Footwear
- Permanent

As a Senior Merchandiser, you’ll take the lead in shaping and delivering a compelling, customer‑focused proposition across Footwear. You’ll translate the category strategy into a clear commercial vision, driving sales, margin, stock, availability and digital performance. You’ll own the end‑to‑end category process, from range planning and forecasting, to supplier management, sourcing, budgeting and trading. Working closely with Buying, Design, Technical, Online and supply chain partners, you’ll ensure ranges land on time, perform strongly, and meet customer needs across all channels.

You’ll also coach, lead and develop a high‑performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration, commercial thinking and continuous improvement. You will have the opportunity to attend and lead periodic finance reviews and annual budget meetings with the senior leadership team.

Who You Are

You’re an experienced category or merchandising professional with a strong track record of delivering commercial results in a fast‑paced retail environment. You combine analytical thinking with creativity, using insight to drive customer‑led category plans and trading decisions.

You’re confident working across multiple channels, including digital and bring expertise in forecasting, replenishment, stock flow and supplier management. You’re a natural collaborator, able to influence at all levels and build strong cross‑functional relationships.

You thrive in a dynamic environment, balancing detail with big‑picture strategy, and you’re motivated by leading teams, driving efficiency, and contributing to business‑wide improvements.

Essential Criteria

• Proven, recent experience in a senior merchandising role
• Digital and multichannel clothing/footwear experience
• Strong knowledge of merchandising systems
• Exceptional analytical, commercial and problem‑solving skills
• Experience delivering financial plans, forecasts and KPIs
• Confident influencing and engaging senior stakeholders
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast‑moving commercial environment
• Experience leading, coaching or developing teams
• Solid product, market and customer understanding
• Demonstrated involvement in cross‑functional or change‑driven projects
• Cross Functional Leadership

#Commercial

We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. Here, everything in our stores starts in Sainsbury’s Commercial. From product, proposition, packaging and price, to whether it meets our sustainability commitments or simply tastes great, our team is responsible for, all food, non‑food and Clothing items available in Sainsbury’s stores, online and on demand.

It’s an incredibly fast‑paced environment. People here are in it together and aren’t afraid to take risks. The knowledge and experience you gain here could set you up for career moves anywhere else in the business. So, if you’re passionate about your products and just as hungry to learn, you’ll fit in perfectly.

We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new — whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working.

When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them:

Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to save 10% on your shopping online and instore at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat, and we regularly increase the discount to…