Sainsburys.jobs

Summary of the Role’s Main Purpose

To plan and deliver product ranges and agreed stock parameters to Sainsbury’s stores and Online in order to successfully achieve sales, profit, margin and stock targets in a multi channel retail operation through the Merchandising of a department or product category. 

Principle Accountabilities

• To work with the Buying, Range planning (where appropriate), Design and Technical teams to set department strategy and then plan balanced and commercial ranges.
• To work with the Buyer in the creation of the seasonal plan and strategy for sales, stock, intake margin and markdown within agreed parameters to ensure departmental profitability targets are achieved.
• To review forecasts to ensure sales, stock holding, margin and availability is optimised.
• Ensure on-time range launches through delivery of Merchandising milestones within the critical path, ensuring any issues relating to the delivery of the review are resolved through liaising with suppliers and stakeholders.
• Control the delivery of options into stores within planned space with Buying, and Range planning to deliver customer choice and maximise trade intensity.
• To assist the Buyer in managing the supplier base to maximise availability, supplier and depot service in line with agreed KPIs and timelines.
• Work with the buying team to review weekly trading performance on KPIs and to identify any issues and opportunities to respond to weekly trading conditions.
• Accountable for planning & prioritisation of stock flow into the business throughout the product life cycle, using all available merchandising and logistics tools to meet availability requirements and targets.
• To calculate and manage the replenishment and allocation of stock to maintain in branch stock levels and flow by line, size and by store to optimise availability, sales and minimise markdown through detailed analysis using appropriate and agreed corporate tools.
• To monitor margin performance to ensure departmental profitability targets are achieved.
• Conduct regular store visits and build relationships with the retail team, gaining a commercial awareness of competitor position & activity.
• Accountable for purchase order approval within corporate Non food limits.
• To act as a coach and leader by managing, motivating and developing the Assistant Merchandiser / Merchandise Admin Assistant, regularly assessing individuals’ performance and giving feedback where appropriate. 

Measures of Success

• Departmental sales, markdown, profit and stock KPI’s achieved
• Store availability and ‘Mystery availability check’ targets achieved
• Stock levels appropriate to season and trading environment (forecasting accuracy)
• Positive feedback from key stakeholders across the company
• Talkback result achieved ( shown through a well motivated and high performing team)

Resources available to the Job-holder and key interfaces

• Merchandise Planning System, Retek Replenishment & forecasting tools, Allocations tool, RDW and Crystal Reporting, Buyers Workbench and LIMAsystems.
• Business planning, Central merchandising, Buying teams, Space team, Marketing team, Finance team, and Retail team,  Trading & Merchandising Support team,  Pricing & promotions analyst, Assistant Merchandiser /Merchandising assistant
• Support and guidance from the Merchandiser on the department
• Progress Meetings, Team Meetings and other meetings with cross functional teams in the company    

Level of Decision-making Authority

• Review and sign-off the allocation replenishment method levels being used by the Merchandise Admin Assistant and Assistant Merchandiser.
• Management of the supply base with regular reviews with supplier, agents, vendors or factories of their performance against agreed key performance indicators.
• Performance management and ongoing coaching of Assistant Merchandisers and Merchandise Admin assistants.
• Forecast and reforecast at category, subcategory or SKU in line with trading performance for current and future seasons
• Manage open and when to buy to deliver key performance indicators and optimise trading performance

Core Areas of Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Demonstrate merchandising ability within a Non food retail environment, preferably including Online
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast moving dynamic retail environment
• Product, market and customer aware
• Excellent analytical, problem solving and presentation skills
• Ability to deliver results as an individual and within a team
• Knowledge of Merchandising systems
• Confidence to influence and engage at all levels

Evidence of the following behaviours

• Uses knowledge to develop practical solutions to problems that fit with other processes
• Takes advantage of every opportunity to communicate relevant information and is always approachable and visible to the team
• Ensuring customer feedback is used to influence decisions made
• Addresses difficult issues in an open and constructive way. Asking appropriate questions about performance rather than telling an answer
• Uses processes to get results and recognising when to go outside of the process when the issue requires it
• By looking to be stretched at work, stretching others and not reacting defensively to change

£Competitive + Benefits