Merchandiser, Retail

Planning

- To review historical performance and determine future product strategy, working closely with the Product team.

- To present in commercial sign off and trade meetings to senior management.

- To provide regular performance reviews across all Business channels.

- To review Competitor activity with the Buyer to challenge future product strategy.

- To plan internet and retail requirements, to propose ranging. To ensure that planning is reflected to best meet commercial needs.

- To plan new season, buy in line with both range, category and segment planning across all Business channels.

- To determine optimum stock targets, bearing in mind buffer stocks, retail requirements and lead times.

- To plan pricing strategy, working closely with the Product Team to secure overall margin targets.

- To provide regular intake planning details to enable operations to plan resources effectively.

- To manage WSSI to plan and trade department in line with KPI budgets.

Trading

- To ensure that the Monday management pack is reconciled effectively, including validation of stock and sales forecasting.

- To establish an ordering critical path, reflecting catalogue schedules and core seasonal issues.

- To fully potentialize peak trading periods and develop well rounded plans to protect critical trading issues

- To ensure that orders are placed in line with system forecasts and ordering cycles

- To plan promotional activity to keep obsolete stocks in line and potentialize sales.

- To understand and trade the MTO side of the business.

Commercial Awareness

- To undertake regular store visits - ideally store visits should be undertaken at least every month.

- To produce appropriate business reports after each visit and follow up action plans.

- To undertake competitor visits on a regular basis, feedback any relevant points and put into place any required action plans.

- To understand, prioritise and work to the critical dates and deadlines in both the planning and trading process.

- To consistently deliver excellent standards of customer service.

Merchandising Systems

- To develop an excellent working knowledge of all Merchandising systems including Wssi tool

- To identify and propose improved working practices and updates to systems.

- To action detailed integrity checks as necessary to ensure the efficient running of the department

- To ensure the team maximise use of the Sales Reactive Allocation System and use to maximise retail sales and profit.

Key Skills & Responsibilities

Essential –

- Strong excel skills

- Experience with in a Merchandiser role

- Highly numerate

- Good presentation skills

- Knowledge of critical path and product lifecycle of similar category

- Commercially aware with interest in fashion retail industry

- Able to work both independently and within a small team.

- Ability to manage heavy workload and meet tight deadlines.

- Be proactive and self-motivated

- Experience in people management.

- Excellent organisational and problem solving skills.

- Be flexible, enthusiastic and confident

Desirable –

- Minimum 5 years of experience in multi channel retailing

- Previous experience in relevant category.

- Enjoy working in a small/medium sized company.