Merchandiser Food- 6 - 12 Month FTC

FOOD MERCHANDISER - LONDON - 12 MONTH FTC

To ensure the trading performance of all channels selling foods (Store, Online, Wholesale, International, Franchise) - is maximised through the efficient management of stock and cash spend.

What you will be doing:

• Compile and Review the Buying departments weekly and daily reports with the relevant buyers and recommend and take actions as required to ensure the delivery of the business kpi’s
• Maximise availability of stock across all channels to meet internal kpi’s
• Create and manage weekly and seasonal trackers at sku level to keep the selling channels and wider business informed of stock positions.
• Manage stock orders using OTB and WSSI’s to ensure optimum stock holding / weeks cover at all times
• Review Net Achievable Margin (NAM) performance and investigate any deviations from the plan for review with the key stakeholders within the Buying departments.
• Provide information and analysis with the buying teams to negotiate profit funding, markdown funding, space, and density deals with suppliers, where appropriate.
• Good understanding of stock systems and data management for operational use and analysis
• Support the Buying departments with the development and maintenance of the own label food range considering systems, processes, suppliers, competitors, and stores.
• Develop and maintain spreadsheet records to monitor the cost and availability of own label food packaging to always avoid out-of-stock situations.
• Develop and maintain accurate store merchandising plans for each store in line with the category strategy. Build good working relationships with all store teams and encourage regular dialogue.
• Regularly, Reforecast sales, intake, markdown, density, profit, and terminal stock.  Review the forecasts with the Senior Merchandiser and Buyers to ensure strategic decisions are made to maximise profit.
• Provide management information for all range reviews as required
• To produce and assimilate commercial management information to enable and assist the strategic decision-making process
• Compile PIR’s for all seasonal ranges with recommendations to aid decision making for the following year.
• Prepare accurate plans for seasonal ranges factoring in markdown to ensure accurate forecast are presented to the business as part of the budget process.
• Participate in agreeing sales growth with the Buying departments and assist in the preparation of budgets by department, category, store and on-line
• Working with the relevant buying teams propose annual sales, margin, and stock targets for input into the business budget process. Working with the buying and marketing teams, ensure that the Group marketing calendar reflects the needs of the foods department, and any activity is planned and forecasted accurately and included in the budget process.
• Continually review the impact of terminal and delisted stock and recommend actions to clear and free up OTB
• Working with the buying teams establish range parameters and sku counts to ensure maximum stock turn of products
• Ensure all system data is accurate and up to date integrity to manage accurate data reporting
• Ensure regular store visits to better understand local requirements and space planning.
• Ensure regular supplier and DC visits to build and maintain relationships with key personnel to enhance communication around service and fulfilment.
• HAMPERS ONLY: Manage the stock allocations to and from the hamper channel including the unpack programme minimising short, dated stock in the supply chain.  

A bit about you:

• Good organisational and planning skills and ability to work to tight deadlines
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills
• Good attention to detail with strong levels of accuracy
• Confident dealing with queries at all levels
• Understanding of confidential/sensitive issues and data
• Excellent customer focus skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills; good at building professional relationships at all levels
• Enthusiastic team player
• Maintains an open, honest, and respectful culture
• Creates a positive and dynamic working environment
• Flexible, continuing to operate to a high standard when faced with changing priorities and work levels
• Passion - demonstrating a strong passion for all things food related

About your experience:

• Experience of working in a Food Buying / Merchandising discipline
• Experience in Food / Packaging planning and forecasting
• Good understanding of supply chain processes and responsibilities across all food categories but in particular – own label food
• Good administrative skills gained in a similar office environment
• Good IT skills (MS Office, Excel, Retail analysis systems)

All your hard work, rewarded:

Our colleagues are as important to us as our customers. When working with us you will be introduced to a huge variety of benefits including:

• Flexible working
• Very generous staff discount plus annual clothing allowance