Trading Merchandiser

As a key member of the Branch Merchandising team, you will work collaboratively with the Merchandising teams to drive the overall store performance of JD stores whilst managing stock flow and capacities. You will provide a focus on store profiles, sharing this knowledge with the teams to strategically drive optimum stock placement in stores.

·       Job Title – Trading Merchandiser

·       Location – JD Group, Hollinsbrook Way, Pilsworth, Bury, BL9 8RR.

·       Working rota – Monday to Friday

·       Working hours – 40 hours per week.

What You'll Be Doing:

As a Trading Merchandiser, you'll be doing the following: 

Planning

• Review previous quarter performance and highlight strategic lessons learned to support brand/market strategy for future seasons

• Propose and agree actions to recover risk and maximise opportunities with the Trading Manager at market level
• Forecast replenishment levels in line with sales plan & store capacities
• Plan all key trading events considering stock & sales targets & event planning calendar
• Manage the seasonal entry & exit of stock with a view to minimising markdown & terminal stock
• Management of new store openings including:
  • Direction on market strategies & lead times
  • Working with retail & space planning to ensure store splits are accurate
  • Forecast of opening stock volumes reflective of turnover/size & trade period
  • Overseeing of deadlines to ensure packages are delivered on time
• Review & re-forecast quarterly forecast for IBTs signing off any amendments with Trading Manager
• Be aware of all future market sales plans & brand strategies that impact store planning

Trading

• Review weekly trade performance and KPI’s, identifying Issues and the course of action in preparation for the weekly trading meetings
• Review stores who are over/under achieving their sales plan, work across functions to challenge performance & drive trade
• Identify market opportunities & threats in season, working with core merchandisers to mitigate risk/enhance store performance
• Review of in season sales, stock and density performance identifying any space optimisation opportunities, ensuring in line with brand & stock strategy
• Deliver all key trading events, guiding & co-ordinating across all functions ensuring stock targets and stock flow is manageable for both retail and logistics
• Give direction on priority stock movements including IBTS & store to store fast tracks
• Work closely with retail, visual merchandising & logistics to ensure stakeholders are up to date with key messages relating to stock movements
• First point of contact in Merchandising for retail, develop & manage relationships through:
  • Regular Conference Calls
  • Strategic store visits
  • Presentations on key trading periods
  • Ad-Hoc queries

Teamwork

• Reporting to the Trading Manager
• Collaborate with core merchandising & buying department
• Establish working relationships with Store Operations, Visuals, Marketing, Finance DC etc.
• Team development
• Drive Merchandising best practice and ongoing improvements and developments of processes to be used with in Branch Merchandising team

What We're Looking For:

• Experience within a similar role is advantageous
• Experience within a sports/fashion retailer is advantageous
• Highly numerate and strong commercial focus
• Computer literate and ability to learn new systems
• Highly organised, good prioritisation and time management skills
• Self-motivated and a proactive worker

The Company:

The JD Group is a leading omnichannel retailer of Sports Fashion, Street & Premium Fashion, Outdoors and Gyms with over 60,000 colleagues over 3,400 stores across several retail fascia's in over 30 markets around the world.

We are an equal opportunities employer who embraces and values differences. We recognise the importance of an inclusive workplace culture in which everyone can thrive irrespective of their background or identity.

To be a part of this successful and continuously growing company, you will have the desire to ingrain our strategic goals of being a people first, a digital leader and customer focused organisation which provides operational excellence and is continuous with identifying new areas of growth into our day-to-day.

We know our employees work tirelessly to make JD Sports the success it is today and in turn, we offer them some amazing benefits:

• Incremental Holiday Allowance
• Staff Discount on qualifying purchases across Group retail stores and online
• Exclusive Colleague Bike Discount scheme
• Discounted Gym membership
• Personal development opportunities to learn and develop at work
• Access to Apprenticeships and accredited qualifications

Interested?

If you are interested in this position, then press the Apply Now button.

Due to the high volumes of applications our opportunities attract, it takes time to review them all. If you don't hear back within two weeks of your application, please consider your application to have been unsuccessful on this occasion

Applications that meet the skills criteria will be contacted for a 1st stage meeting with the talent team. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to interview with the hiring manager.

Thank you again for your time.

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