At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the planning team to optimise stock availability and drive sales growth.
- Company: Join a dynamic company known for innovation and teamwork in the fashion industry.
- Benefits: Enjoy private medical insurance, life assurance, and a bonus scheme.
- Other info: Opportunity for career growth and collaboration with US teams.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on business growth while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: 5+ years in planning, strong Excel skills, and experience in retail or e-commerce.
The predicted salary is between 54450 - 66550 £ per year.
- *No Agencies Please*
- Office based - 3 days per week - Harwell, Oxford
Job Details
This is a leadership role to build team and processes across the planning department to best serve the business with the right stock at the right time and in the optimum quantity.
You will improve existing ways of working and introduce new to position the company for current and future growth.
This is a pivotal role responsible for growing sales through excellent availability and minimise risk of overbuys and exposure to end of line, working within targets and KPIs proposed to and agreed with the Senior Operations and Product Director.
You will be the lead role in the department and work closely with US teams and internal product, sales, ecom and supply chain to improve processes, visibility, stock flow pro-actively providing actionable sales and stock insight into the business to allow timely trading decisions to optimise stock holding.
Day to Day Responsibilities
- Planning and Forecasting
- Drive team to maintain forecast within range plan to best reflect demand and opportunity across all our sales channels, including wholesale, . com, marketplace and events
- Propose and agree sales and stock targets by department and sub-category
- Drive excellent availability across core and seasonal line within agreed KPIs
- Work with Product to drive growth across category
- Manage the purchasing critical path with involvement and interaction with our parent Ariat International to ensure all key dates hit
- Ensure all POs are loaded in a timely manner
- SAP set up, management and improvement
- Trading
- Create regular reporting to provide insight to the business
- Liaise with Supply Chain Manager to ensure goods brought in timely manner
- Liaise with Stock Co-ordinator to ensure best use of stock across business
- Report on availability levels by channel
- Manage and propose mark down pricing
- Other
- Progress own development, maximising opportunities to develop leadership skills and team standing within the company both UK and US
- Build and drive appropriate relationships with appropriate US planning partners and other departments
- Act as ambassador for the AE team and build relationships with US team as appropriate to further key accountabilities.
- To assist in ad-hoc projects as required.
About You
- Proven leadership and change management skills
- Strong Excel and Microsoft office
- Use of SAP
- Experience manipulating large data sets
- Exceptional Organisational and time management skills
- Strong ability to multitask and prioritise
- Strong Teamwork
- Analytical and Presentation skills
- Customer Service skills
- 5+ years Planning experience in similar environment
- Experience in wholesale, retail and ecommerce
- Experience in Footwear or Apparel
- Experience of consumer fashion products
- Numerate and commercially astute
- Articulate communicator
- Ability to travel freely to the US as this role may be required to attend sales meetings every two years in the US.
Values
Our values are ingrained in everything we do at Ariat and we believe this is what drives our success as individuals, as teams and, overall, as a Company.
Innovation - Be bold and adventurous and try new things. Constantly challenge how you can create change for the better. Learn from the past and don't let it limit you.
Integrity - Do the right thing because it's the right thing to do. Say what you mean and do what you say. Build trust through consistency, dependability and honesty.
Quality - All work matters. Be proud of your work and strive to have it reflect your best and the best of Ariat.
Respect - Communicate openly, directly and constructively. Recognise different perspectives and listen with an open mind. Be thoughtful in how you show up and interact with others.
Teamwork - Create fun and joy and contribute to the Ariat family spirit.
Focus on people's strengths.
Learn from others and share your own knowledge and experience.
Ask for help when you need it and offer to help when others may need it.
Benefits
- Private Medical Insurance
- Life Assurance
- Critical Illness Cover
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Health & Wellbeing Points Scheme
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Company Bonus Scheme
- Employee Purchase Scheme
- Holiday Purchase Scheme
- Employee Referral Programme
- Birthday day off
- Bring your dog to work scheme
- Employee Volunteering policy
- Working from a different location policy
- Free onsite Parking including 2 electric charging points
- #J-18808-Ljbffr
Senior Merchandise Planning Manager in Harwell employer: ariateurope
Ariat Europe offers a dynamic work environment in Oxford, where employees are valued for their contributions and encouraged to grow within the company. With a strong focus on collaboration and innovation, staff enjoy a supportive culture that promotes professional development and work-life balance, making it an excellent place for those seeking meaningful employment in IT support.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Merchandise Planning Manager in Harwell
✨Get Your Retail Game On
Start by getting to know the local retail scene. Make a list of stores that align with your vibe and visit them. You'll be surprised at how many job openings come from chatting with staff or managers in-store. Plus, showing that you have a genuine interest in their brand can make you stand out when applying for that full-time role!
✨Join Retail Networks and Forums
Tap into retail-specific communities and forums, whether online or in-person. Platforms like Retail Week or local retail meetups can provide invaluable insights and connections. You never know who might drop a tip about an upcoming job at companies like ariateurope, so don’t miss out on building those relationships!
✨Be Ready for Busy Season Opportunities
Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal hiring windows, especially in the run-up to major shopping periods. Retailers often look for full-time staff to carry through busy times and may even keep you on after the season. Stay proactive by regularly checking in with your favourite retailers about their hiring plans.
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail’s all about customer interactions, so make sure you showcase any relevant experience in your conversations and interviews. Share specific examples of your customer service skills and how they’ve led to positive outcomes. This is your moment to shine when applying to roles at places like ariateurope!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Merchandise Planning Manager in Harwell
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any experience where you've dealt with customers, whether it’s resolving issues or enhancing the shopping experience. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations with ease.
Tailor Your CV for Retail:When applying for a full-time role like this one at ariateurope, customise your CV to reflect retail-specific buzzwords. Include any relevant skills such as inventory management or visual merchandising, and if you have experience with POS systems, shout about it! This will show you’re serious about joining the retail team.
Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Don’t just repeat your CV in your cover letter! Use it as a chance to explain why you're excited about the opportunity at ariateurope and how your values align with their brand. Mention specific aspects of the company that resonate with you and let your enthusiasm shine through!
Highlight Your Adaptability:In retail, things can get busy and unpredictable, so demonstrate how adaptable and flexible you are. Share examples of times you've had to adjust your approach on the fly or take on new responsibilities. This will show ariateurope that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at ariateurope
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail is all about providing an exceptional customer experience, so be ready to discuss your past customer service stories. We should have examples on hand of how we've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond to meet a customer's needs. These anecdotes will bring your application to life!
✨Familiarity with Point of Sale Systems
Many retail roles require us to work with Point of Sale (POS) systems, so it's a good idea to brush up on any relevant software you’ve used before. If you’re familiar with systems like Shopify or Square, don’t forget to mention this during the interview. Highlighting technical proficiency can set us apart from other candidates!
✨Understand Product Knowledge
Be prepared to discuss the products that the store sells and how we can contribute to their sales. Showing enthusiasm for the products and a willingness to learn can impress interviewers. We should research popular items or trends in the industry before the interview, so we can speak confidently about them.
✨Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios
Many retail interviews include role-playing scenarios where we might have to deal with a difficult customer or upsell a product. Practising these scenarios with a friend or family member can help us feel more comfortable. The key here is to showcase our problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure!
