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Assistant Merchandiser - Womenswear Non Clothing
Leicester On-site 2-5 yrs exp Retail 26,627 employees
MerchandisingData AnalysisSales ForecastingInventory PlanningRange Building
Requirements
Candidates need strong technical merchandising skills, excellent communication abilities, and a passion for fashion trends. They must be confident in presenting to senior stakeholders and open to innovative ways of working.
Job Description
Job Description
The Role
NEXT is recruiting for an Assistant Merchandiser for our Womenswear Non-Clothing team, this role will be across Rockett St George and Laura Ashley Non-Clothing.
What You’ll Take On
Building Relationships: Across your Brands , immediate team and a wide supply base to unlock growth opportunities whilst adhering to the DNA of the individual brands. Professionalism and calmness are musts coupled with the ability to persuade, negotiate and reach mutually beneficial outcomes.
Monitoring In-Season Performance and Trading Opportunities: Monitoring sales performance, stock levels, and markdowns throughout the season. Identify trends, make informed decisions and implement strategies to maximise profitability and minimise risk.
Range Building: Analyse market trends, consumer preferences, and sales data to identify opportunities as well as develop ranges that align with the Brands’ positioning and target markets. Present proposals outlining category plans, pricing strategies, and key product features.
Presenting in internal and external Meetings: Prepare visually engaging presentations that effectively communicate range proposals. Clearly articulate rationale behind proposals, incorporating data, insights and Brand guidance. Address questions and concerns from managers and Brands with confidence and clarity.
Appraising Performance and Proposing Strategies: Evaluate previous season performance, departmental metrics, and supplier performance. Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and propose strategies to address performance gaps and maximise opportunities.
Maintaining Merchandise Systems: Ensure accuracy in merchandise systems by updating data regularly. Confirm supplier contracts and maintain correct sizing, forecasts, and inventory levels. Ensure that critical path deadlines are in line with the Brands’ needs and that the critical path is reviewed regularly to respond to new and emerging challenges.
Responsible for preparing and communicating data and sales information to the wider team including Director level.
Controlling Spend: Review budgets and commitment regularly to monitor spend. Analyse spending patterns and implement strategies to optimise allocation of open to buy and maximise flexibility to trade in season. Negotiate favourable terms with suppliers to achieve cost efficiencies and lead time benefits.
What You’ll Bring
Great Communication Skills: Prepare clear and engaging presentations for internal and external meetings. Tailor your communication style to your audience, ensuring information is conveyed effectively and actively listen to feedback and respond thoughtfully to questions or concerns. You must be confident in dealing with senior team and the Brands when presenting trade or selection.
Solid Technical Merchandising Skills: Utilise your technical expertise to analyse data, forecast sales and plan inventory effectively. Ensure accuracy in merchandise systems and contract negotiations to support successful trading relationships. Stay updated on industry best practices and trends to enhance your merchandising capabilities.
Energetic, Enthusiastic, and Self-Confident: Approach your role with energy and enthusiasm, inspiring others with your passion and positivity. Demonstrate confidence in your abilities and decisions, especially when presenting information or leading discussions.
Open-Mindedness to New Ways of Working: Embrace innovation and creativity, actively seeking out new ideas and solutions to challenges. Be receptive to feedback and different perspectives, recognizing that diverse viewpoints can lead to better outcomes. Listening to and being sensitive to the needs of the Brands .Contribute to a culture of empowerment and ownership within your team.
Enjoyment of the Product/Trend Side of the Role: Immerse yourself in your Brands, the diversity of the offer and trends, staying informed about the latest developments and innovations. Use your passion for products and trends to drive creative merchandising strategies and inspire your team. Actively seek out opportunities to collaborate with the Brands , design ,buying and tech teams to bring innovative products to market.
Sponsorship
Candidates wishing to apply who would require sponsorship for this role will be required to meet the Home Office sponsorship requirements. For further information please see: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa .
We encourage early applications for our roles, as our recruitment process begins as soon as the role is advertised. If we successfully fill the position, this advert may close earlier than planned.
At NEXT, we believe the best work happens when there are no barriers to collaboration. That’s why we are a Google-powered workspace. From your very first day, you’ll be using the full Google Workspace suite; Docs, Drive, and Meet, to stay connected and move fast.
If your previous experience is rooted in other software suites, don’t worry! We’ll point you to a digital Google toolkit the moment you join, packed with handy guides and insider tips to help you transition smoothly and hit the ground running.
About Us
You know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 44,000 people across the Next group. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 450 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy on-line from over 80 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global!
About The Team
We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email headoffice_careers@next.co.uk (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on 0116 284 2486 and leave a voicemail.
The Role
NEXT is recruiting for an Assistant Merchandiser for our Womenswear Non-Clothing team, this role will be across Rockett St George and Laura Ashley Non-Clothing.
What You’ll Take On
Building Relationships: Across your Brands , immediate team and a wide supply base to unlock growth opportunities whilst adhering to the DNA of the individual brands. Professionalism and calmness are musts coupled with the ability to persuade, negotiate and reach mutually beneficial outcomes.
Monitoring In-Season Performance and Trading Opportunities: Monitoring sales performance, stock levels, and markdowns throughout the season. Identify trends, make informed decisions and implement strategies to maximise profitability and minimise risk.
Range Building: Analyse market trends, consumer preferences, and sales data to identify opportunities as well as develop ranges that align with the Brands’ positioning and target markets. Present proposals outlining category plans, pricing strategies, and key product features.
Presenting in internal and external Meetings: Prepare visually engaging presentations that effectively communicate range proposals. Clearly articulate rationale behind proposals, incorporating data, insights and Brand guidance. Address questions and concerns from managers and Brands with confidence and clarity.
Appraising Performance and Proposing Strategies: Evaluate previous season performance, departmental metrics, and supplier performance. Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and propose strategies to address performance gaps and maximise opportunities.
Maintaining Merchandise Systems: Ensure accuracy in merchandise systems by updating data regularly. Confirm supplier contracts and maintain correct sizing, forecasts, and inventory levels. Ensure that critical path deadlines are in line with the Brands’ needs and that the critical path is reviewed regularly to respond to new and emerging challenges.
Responsible for preparing and communicating data and sales information to the wider team including Director level.
Controlling Spend: Review budgets and commitment regularly to monitor spend. Analyse spending patterns and implement strategies to optimise allocation of open to buy and maximise flexibility to trade in season. Negotiate favourable terms with suppliers to achieve cost efficiencies and lead time benefits.
What You’ll Bring
Great Communication Skills: Prepare clear and engaging presentations for internal and external meetings. Tailor your communication style to your audience, ensuring information is conveyed effectively and actively listen to feedback and respond thoughtfully to questions or concerns. You must be confident in dealing with senior team and the Brands when presenting trade or selection.
Solid Technical Merchandising Skills: Utilise your technical expertise to analyse data, forecast sales and plan inventory effectively. Ensure accuracy in merchandise systems and contract negotiations to support successful trading relationships. Stay updated on industry best practices and trends to enhance your merchandising capabilities.
Energetic, Enthusiastic, and Self-Confident: Approach your role with energy and enthusiasm, inspiring others with your passion and positivity. Demonstrate confidence in your abilities and decisions, especially when presenting information or leading discussions.
Open-Mindedness to New Ways of Working: Embrace innovation and creativity, actively seeking out new ideas and solutions to challenges. Be receptive to feedback and different perspectives, recognizing that diverse viewpoints can lead to better outcomes. Listening to and being sensitive to the needs of the Brands .Contribute to a culture of empowerment and ownership within your team.
Enjoyment of the Product/Trend Side of the Role: Immerse yourself in your Brands, the diversity of the offer and trends, staying informed about the latest developments and innovations. Use your passion for products and trends to drive creative merchandising strategies and inspire your team. Actively seek out opportunities to collaborate with the Brands , design ,buying and tech teams to bring innovative products to market.
Sponsorship
Candidates wishing to apply who would require sponsorship for this role will be required to meet the Home Office sponsorship requirements. For further information please see: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa .
We encourage early applications for our roles, as our recruitment process begins as soon as the role is advertised. If we successfully fill the position, this advert may close earlier than planned.
At NEXT, we believe the best work happens when there are no barriers to collaboration. That’s why we are a Google-powered workspace. From your very first day, you’ll be using the full Google Workspace suite; Docs, Drive, and Meet, to stay connected and move fast.
If your previous experience is rooted in other software suites, don’t worry! We’ll point you to a digital Google toolkit the moment you join, packed with handy guides and insider tips to help you transition smoothly and hit the ground running.
About Us
You know Next, but did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 44,000 people across the Next group. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear we’re the market leader. At the last count we have over 450 stores, plus the Next Online and it’s now possible to buy on-line from over 80 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global!
About The Team
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Profit-related bonus - based on company performance
- Private health insurance- surgery choices
- Sharesave scheme - make savings from your net pay to buy NEXT shares at a discount
- Pension - fixed contribution rates from both an employer and employee perspective, but you're also able to make additional voluntary contributions (AVCs) if you wish to save more.
- 25% staff discount on most NEXT products - plus discount on other products
- Wagestream - helping you make the most out of your money
- Salary finance - offers access to affordable loans repaid through salary, simple savings and free financial education.
- Life assurance
- Direct to work - NEXT orders delivered free to the office for collection
- VIP sale - early access to the NEXT sale
- Access to NEXT staff shops
- Octopus energy - like cycle-to-work, but for electric vehicles
- Free parking (excluding London locations)
- Travel2NEXT - bus services dependent on location
- On site dining facilities (excluding London locations)
- National and local discounts on goods and services - this includes things like discounted cinema tickets
- Wellhub - includes access to discounted gym membership
- Simply health - a healthcare subscription service
- Aviva Digicare Workplace+ healthcare service - 7 Free services including Digital GP appointments and an annual health check.
- Onsite GP - Leicester Head Office
- Onsite Physio - Leicester Head Office
- A range of dedicated 3rd party wellbeing partners
- Free eye testing - voucher to use at specific locations
We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email headoffice_careers@next.co.uk (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on 0116 284 2486 and leave a voicemail.
Skills
MerchandisingData AnalysisSales ForecastingInventory PlanningRange BuildingNegotiationStakeholder ManagementBudget ControlMarket Trend AnalysisPresentation SkillsCritical Path ManagementProfitability Optimization
About Next
At Next we never underestimate what we can do. Bring your energy, play to your strengths and never shy away from change. Push yourself and back others. Make things happen that will be bigger and better than before. Come and work for one of the UK’s biggest retailers. It is everything you could imagine, and so much more. We’re constantly innovating, constantly working on something new and constantly creating more and more exciting new products, which means no day is the same, and no day is dull. Whether you take up a role in making furniture with our lively warehouse team or join our team of superhuman developers and tech engineers, you’ll be rubbing shoulders with some of the most talented people in the country, who not only work hard but play hard too. Let's take it on.
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