Merchandiser

Merchandiser

Greater Manchester

My Client, a leading manufacturer of home textiles now has an excellent opportunity for an analytical candidate to join their team in a Merchandiser role based in the Greater Manchester offices.

The purpose of the role in to plan, control and manage stock to ensure customers are fully serviced OTIF. In this role, you will be working as part of the merchandising team to maximise commercial opportunities through accurate stock management. This will involve planning and forecasting to control SKUs and maximise sell-through and achieve stock targets to contribute to maintaining high levels of customer experience. You will need a strong analytic background ideally working in a supply chain merchandising role with FMCG into wholesale customers and already be working on Excel at an advanced level. KPIs will be process efficiency, stock management & ensuring that the correct volume of materials are purchased and phased into the business at the right time in order to maximise full price sell-through.

Key responsibilities:

• Stock management, working to multiple supplier lead time demands to ensure stock KPI targets are met to achieve 100% availability to demand
• Analysing customer forecasts and sales information weekly / Monthly / year vs Year to assist effective planning.
• Work effectively with internal stakeholders, ensuring cohesion between sales, merchandising, production and warehouse.
• Actively monitor the sales forecasts and performances, reacting and communicating to the customer and channels team on issues for effective resolution.
• Extensive use of Excel spreadsheets to provide accurate data including:

o Maintaining both Customer and internal Sales performance vs forecast vs stock reports

o Planning stock purchase demands and warehouse intake schedules.

o Stock status reporting, communicating all over stocks and clearance lines to the sales teams to prompt targeted promotional activity.

o Continuously monitor sales run rate performance in line with stock availability to maintain targeted weeks cover

o Manage stocks and to ensure targeted stock availability is achieved whilst keep stock levels at optimum levels for the business to optimise the storage facility.

• Forward planning of demand across seasonality ranges to effectively plan factory capacity demands and
• Effective range planning alongside the sales team, maintaining accurate stock records on Excel.
• Maximising turnover on all ranges as well as promotional periods through keeping close to the customer demands and forecasting requirements.
• Planning manufacturing and purchasing demand at SKU level with the team to ensure all orders are processed in line with the supplier lead times and in line with the critical path.
• Professional, clear and respectable communication with Customers and internal stakeholders to build strong working partnerships.
• Supporting both the sales team and customers with accurate data to maximise sales potential through effective communication. Ensuring, warehouse and sales teams are aware of all inbound activity and to ensure all critical path deadlines are met and the customer is serviced effectively.
• Communications to ensure delivery on time and notifying any delays in advance.

Knowledge and Experience:

• Strong analytic background in stock management and control.

• Working at advanced level on Excel - so able to do VLOOKUP and Pivot tables

• Experience of merchandise planning in a fast moving supply chain environment.

• Ability to analyse the data and use the data to drive action

• Pro-active & organised.

• Flexible team player who doesn’t mind 'mucking in’ when needed.

• 'Can-do’ approach, who is used to working under their own initiative.

• Previous experience in Sage 200 would be highly advantageous.

• Comfortable working in an environment of constant change.

• Excellent communication skills with ability to work to strict deadlines.

• Numerate with attention to detail & excellent analytical skills.

• Ability to work to strict deadlines to meet customer requirements.

• Professional approach, with confidence to represent the company.

• Driving licence due to location not being on public transport links.

Interested? Apply online or for further information contact one of our specialist consultants quoting reference number NJR14864