Merchandise Manager - Inventory (12 Month FTC)

Purpose of Position

To support the Planning Director in the planning and delivery of the inventory strategy by owning total business WSSI planning, logistics planning and channel stock management, working in close partnership with them and with sign-off on key strategic decisions, to maximise sales and profitability and positively impact EBITDA.

Key Accountabilities and Measures

• Deliver intake, stock, stock cover and stock health (including management of excess stock) in line with agreed targets
• Achieve channel availability targets through effective forecasting and stock allocation/rebalancing
• Deliver new store opening stock packages on time and to plan, meeting availability requirements
• Own day-to-day trading decisions; escalate and agree sign-off for material risks, spend, or plan changes

Financial Planning

• Own pre-season WSSI / financial planning: Plan top line intake to support cash flow planning, plan top line and category stock targets, plan top line and category freight budgets
• Own the commercial logistics budget for sellable and non-sellable variables

In-Season

• Weekly management of total business WSSI and OTB to ensure intake remains aligned to trading needs and sales whilst managing markdown risk, identify risks and opportunities
• Lead the weekly logistics operational review, balancing logistics capacity and commercial requirements to deliver business objectives
• Own inbound and outbound DC re-forecasting
• Take ownership of freight costs across the commercial teams, identifying and escalating risks and opportunities
• Identify and manage stock loss risks across all channels

Stock and Availability

• Develop the Branch Merchandising operating model, including creation and integration of the specialist AGR function
• Optimise channel availability through commercial analysis, forecasting and effective AGR management
• Maintain appropriate channel stock levels to deliver sales, manage markdown and identify risks and opportunities
• Track stock health, identify excess and agree actions with Commercial teams
• Deliver a robust stock management process for peak trading, working cross-functionally to meet requirements whilst mitigating risk
• Develop and maintain strong links with the Retail team, identifying opportunities and risks and sharing insights
• Lead the team in meeting requirements for exceptional stores with specific needs

New Stores

• Keep informed on the new store opening programme, including what is in budget vs. out of budget and timing
• Determine opening stock package requirements for each opening, highlighting concerns and risks
• Track opening packages vs. target, communicating risks and agreeing mitigating actions

Additional Responsibilities

• Support the monthly price change process
• Gift card intake requirements and stock management including Christmas
• Support the delivery of a sound stock management process for pop-up activations
• Be a champion for driving efficiency across the division and wider business

Training & Development

• Develop a very good working knowledge of all Merchandising systems and processes
• Identify and support the team in their training and development of needs
• Responsible for driving own development

Competencies and Personal Attributes

• Entrepreneurial and proactive, capable of a high level of independent working
• Resourceful and highly commercial
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities, new challenges and driven to improve
• Ability to challenge ways of working and developing best practice approach
• Ability to cultivate strong relationships, collaborate and work cross-functionally effectively
• Strong ownership mindset: takes end-to-end accountability, escalates key risks early and aligns/signs off significant decisions with the Planning Director