Assistant Merchandise Planner

About Us

At Halfords, our mission is to inspire and support a lifetime of motoring and cycling. As a specialist retailer, we lead the market through customer-driven innovation and a distinct product range. We are dedicated to providing our customers with an integrated, unique, and convenient service experience—from e-bike and electric vehicle servicing to on-demand solutions. Our commitment is to foster customer loyalty by offering compelling reasons to keep coming back to our stores, ensuring a lifetime of motoring and cycling enjoyment.

As an Assistant Merchandise Planner at Halfords, you’ll sit at the heart of our merchandising and supply chain operation, helping ensure the right products are in the right place at the right time for our customers. This is a hands‑on, analytical role with real ownership, working end to end across forecasting, stock planning, supplier coordination and distribution centre activity to maximise availability and sales across key product categories.

You’ll work closely with Buyers, Merchandise Planners, suppliers and DC teams to forecast demand, plan stock in and out, and keep everything aligned to open‑to‑buy and KPI targets. Day to day, you’ll analyse sales performance, identify under‑ and over‑performing lines, and pull the right levers to drive availability and reduce risk. From placing orders to tracking throughput and resolving stock issues, you’ll play a key role in keeping high‑volume, fast‑moving products on the shelves.

• Support end‑to‑end supply chain and merchandising activity, from demand forecasting through to stock delivery into stores and online.
• Analyse sales and stock performance to identify risks, opportunities, and actions to maximise availability and sales.
• Assist in building and maintaining forecasts, intake plans, and open‑to‑buy controls.
• Manage stock flow through Distribution Centres, working closely with DC teams to resolve availability or volume issues.
• Monitor and support delivery of key KPIs, including stock availability, sell‑through, and stock investment.
• Collaborate with Buyers, Merchandise Planners, and suppliers to ensure plans are aligned and executed effectively.
• Support promotional activity, range changes, and seasonal planning, ensuring stock is in the right place at the right time.
• Use Excel and reporting tools to produce regular performance analysis and recommendations.
• Act as a day‑to‑day contact for supplier and store queries, providing timely and accurate support.
• Identify and escalates issues early, proposing practical solutions in a fast‑paced environment.

• Proven retail or supply chain experience, ideally within merchandising, planning, or stock management.
• Strong numerical and analytical capability, with intermediate Excel skills (pivot tables, lookups, formulas).
• Comfortable working with large data sets and turning insight into clear actions.
• Commercially minded, with a strong understanding of how stock availability drives sales and customer experience.
• Confident working cross‑functionally and communicating with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Highly organised, detail‑focused, and able to manage multiple priorities at pace.
• Proactive, solutions‑oriented, and comfortable taking ownership rather than waiting for direction.
• Motivated by fast‑moving environments where your decisions have visible impact.

• A fair and competitive salary evaluated against market data, annual discretionary bonus scheme, pension, life assurance, 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays and enhanced family leave.
• Professional development support to grow your potential and future career aspirations.
• Hybrid working at our Redditch Support Centre: 3 days a week on‑site with optional 2 days working from home.
• Access to a range of employee discounts across the Halfords suite of products and services.
• Well‑being and inclusion resources and colleague networks supporting inclusion initiatives.

At Halfords we are committed to creating an inclusive workplace for all colleagues. We are an equal opportunities employer that welcomes applications from all backgrounds and embraces diversity within our company.