Senior Merchandiser

Key Responsibilities 

Product Strategy & Range Planning 

• Develop and own the Departmental product and assortment strategy in close collaboration with Buying and Design 

• Build balanced, customer relevant collections aligned to brand strategy, market insights and commercial objectives 

• Define and own the Department’s merchandise framework, including option plan, width and depth, pricing, colour and trend direction 

Financial Planning & WSSI Ownership 

• Accountable for the commercial planning of the Department, including annual, halfyear and quarterly plans 

• Own and govern the WSSI, ensuring accurate forecasting, reforecasting and forward visibility of sales, stock, intake, markdown and profitability 

• Present clear, detailed insights, risks and opportunities to the Leadership Team as required 

Stock, OTB & InSeason Trading 

• Plan and manage departmental stock levels across all customer touchpoints: Own Stores, Own Ecommerce and Concession partners 

• Own OpentoBuy management and inseason trading, proactively identifying and acting on risks and opportunities to maximize sales and margin 

• Lead markdown, promotional and exit strategies, including identifying, costing and presenting recommendations to Senior Management 

• Drive actions to reduce terminal stock and improve stock health 

Range Architecture, Sizing & Distribution 

• Own option, width and depth decisions, informed by historical performance, store space, channel needs and company strategy 

• Optimise the Department’s sizing strategy, reflecting differences across countries, product shapes and market opportunities 

• Collaborate closely with Branch Merchandising to ensure distribution strategies maximise opportunity across store formats, grades and segments 

Trading, Analysis & Performance Management 

• Lead weekly trading analysis, running and interpreting sales, stock and intake reports to drive clear trading actions 

• Maintain a strong grip on commercial levers in all trading scenarios, balancing growth, stock risk and profitability 

• Review forward commitments against current performance, taking decisive action to maximise opportunities and mitigate risk 

Leadership, Development & Ways of Working 

• Lead, coach and develop the Assistant Merchandiser and MAA, providing clear direction on daily, weekly and longer-term priorities 

• Identify and drive individual development plans in partnership with L&D and your line manager 

• Actively drive continuous improvement, introducing smarter ways of working, planning and reporting and seeing these through to implementation 

Projects & Cross Functional Collaboration 

• Work closely with key stakeholders across Buying, Design, Finance, Supply Chain, Branch Merchandising and Ecommerce 

• Participate in wider business projects as required 

Our Ideal Candidate 

• Has at least 5 years’ experience in Merchandising / Planning within a fast paced fashion retail environment 

• Demonstrates strong commercial acumen, with excellent analytical, communication and stakeholder management skills 

• Confident working with commercial and BI tools (e.g. SAP BW, MicroStrategy, Business Objects), with intermediate advanced Excel/Office skills 

• Comfortable owning complex data, driving insight and influencing decisions at senior level 

• Enjoys working collaboratively and building strong cross functional relationships 

• Passionate about fashion retail and thrives in a dynamic, energetic environment 

• Fluent in English, written and spoken