Head of Merchandising Manchester, England
Job description
We have an opportunity at Pretty Little Thing for an experienced Head of Merchandising who thrives in a very fast paced, commercial environment. The ideal candidate will be an enthusiastic, adaptable leader with the passion to make an impact in a global fashion business.
You will be an experienced operator within fashion retail who can build effective and open relationships with all peers and stakeholders. In this position, you will be delivering key information at the right time to the right people and presenting high level meetings as requested by the Director’s. You will be a strong leader who can manage, motivate, and lead individual merchandising teams at Pretty Little Thing.
Your team
For the team at PrettyLittleThing, that weekend-every-day feeling is a perk of working for us, and it’s the kind of vibe we’re all used to and expect. Our unique way of working speaks for itself: we work hard, and we play hard. Here at PLT, we strive to fly the flag for love, equality, and acceptance, working to use our platform to spread nothing but good vibes. #EveryBODYinPLT is our community that is all about body positivity, equality and supporting each other.
What you'll be doing
- Working with the Merchandise Director to sign off department strategies and budgets, ensuring that these fit within the overall merchandising/buying strategy and financial goals of the company.
- Planning budgets by category, option count and sourcing strategy based on the overall business and financial goals of the company.
- Ensuring overall level of newness vs repeat allows the product range mix to be optimal to achieve planned sales.
- Regularly reviews and manages the stock levels, commitment, cover, OTB and Product Margin.
- Reviews & re-forecasts monthly WSSI’s with the Merchandise Director to ensure WSSI’s and commitment levels are in line with expectations.
- Builds a strong promotional stance to deliver the sales plan.
- Ensures that the buying function works within the agreed business targets and find ways to make ways of working flexible to changing trends, getting a balance necessary long-term planning and in-season trading to maximise business performance.
- Works with the Head of Buying & Directors of Buying to ensure hit rate performance by category is in line with expectation and where not, corrective action is taken.
- Monitors and maintains buying and achieved product margins.
- Review’s sales forecasts based on performance and actions, re: forecasts.
- Analyses and monitors best and worst sellers and makes informed recommendations for action.
- Develops a strong merchandising team to ensure the future growth of the business.
- Demonstrates knowledge of competitor activity including product range, pricing strategy and discount activity.
People and Team:
- Leads and manages the merchandising function in a unified way, ensuring strong and effective working relationships with the buying team are maintained throughout.
- Ensure the strategy is clear and that everyone is on board.
- Understands, communicates, and manages employees to achieve the goals of the organisation.
- Develops team succession planning to identify, select and develop people (talent) to meet future growth plans.
- Leads by example in all work-related activities, acting as a role model for employees.
Working with us
To succeed here, you have to love working at pace. It’s relentless, but we love it. Change is a certainty – you need to adapt and be agile. We want you to challenge the status quo, innovate and be open to trying new things. We’re always pushing boundaries. We empower our people, giving them freedom and autonomy to learn and grow in their roles. We’re passionate, agile, creative and one team.
More about you
The ideal candidate will have:
- Strong analytic background with the ability to analyse the data and use the data to drive actions within the team
- Currently operating at Head of level within a merchandising and stock forecasting environment
- Leadership skills to lead a large team and engage/influence multiple stakeholders at all levels of the business
- The ability to be resilient and tenacious to get results
You will be:
- Pro-active & organised
- Commercially aware and the ability to relate business needs and requirements in a compelling and understandable way
- An excellent communicator to instigate and maintain excellent working relationships with suppliers, third parties and cross business stakeholders
Why join us
PLT Perks
We know that as a company we are only as good as the people that we employ. We know our employees work tirelessly to make PLT the success it is today and in turn, we offer them some amazing benefits:
- Free parking
- 25 days holiday
- Free on-site gym with daily classes
- Discretionary Bonus Scheme
- Company shares schemes - including a ' Save As You Earn' scheme
- 40% staff discount (including PLT, Boohoo, Boohoo MAN, Nasty Gal, Coast, Warehouse, Misspap)
- Monthly social events (including pay day drinks, Employee Appreciation Day etc.)
- Salary sacrifices pension scheme with employer contribution
- Flexible working hours
- Cycle to work scheme
- Childcare support through the Government
- Health cash plan
- Personal development opportunities to learn and grow at work
https://careers.boohoogroup.co.uk
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