At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage stock planning and allocation to boost sales across our retail stores.
- Company: Dynamic fashion retailer with a focus on innovation and teamwork.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible hours, and opportunities for career growth.
- Other info: Fast-paced environment with a chance to work closely with store teams.
- Why this job: Join us to shape retail strategies and make a real impact in the fashion industry.
- Qualifications: Experience in retail merchandising and strong analytical skills required.
The predicted salary is between 31500 - 38500 £ per year.
The Role
We are looking for a commercially minded, analytical and product-focused Retail Merchandiser to oversee retail planning, stock allocation and trading performance across our stores.
- Location
- London
- Department
- Merchandising
Key Responsibilities
- Retail Planning, Forecasting & OTB
- Own retail sales forecasting, stock planning and Open-to-Buy (OTB) management across stores.
- Develop seasonal and monthly stock plans aligned with sales budgets, trading performance and anticipated demand.
- Analyse historical sales, current trading, seasonality and customer demand to forecast future stock requirements.
- Monitor sales against forecast, stock cover, sell-through, stock turn and availability.
- Proactively identify stock shortages, excess inventory and missed sales opportunities.
- Assess stock investment requirements and recommend appropriate commercial actions.
- Present clear, quantified recommendations to senior management.
- Store Allocation & Replenishment
- Manage initial and ongoing stock allocations, replenishment and transfers across stores.
- Determine appropriate product depth, size ratios and allocation quantities based on rate of sale, customer demand and individual store profiles.
- Monitor performance by style, colour and size, identifying bestsellers, broken size runs and underperforming products.
- Optimise stock distribution to maximise sales and minimise excess inventory.
- Balance stock availability and requirements across retail and other sales channels.
- Identify opportunities to replenish, rebalance or consolidate stock across locations.
- Work closely with warehouse and operations teams to ensure timely and accurate stock movements.
- Full-Price & Outlet Merchandising
- Develop commercially appropriate stock plans for full-price and outlet retail channels.
- Plan stock requirements for seasonal trading, markdown and promotional periods.
- Assess product suitability, historical performance, rate of sale, size availability and projected sell-through.
- Optimise existing inventory and assess future stock requirements.
- Identify opportunities to improve stock productivity and markdown performance.
- Monitor performance against stock plans and recommend corrective actions where required.
- Retail Stock Operations & Controls
- Coordinate store stocktakes and monitor inventory accuracy across locations.
- Investigate stock discrepancies, shrinkage, damages and adjustments, ensuring appropriate follow-up and resolution.
- Oversee store stock transfers, returns and warehouse receipts, ensuring accurate recording and reconciliation.
- Identify recurring stock-related operational issues and recommend improvements.
- Work closely with Store Managers, Logistics and warehouse teams to resolve outstanding issues.
- Maintain consistent stock management processes and inventory controls.
- Store Engagement & Product Knowledge
- Conduct regular structured store visits and floor walks with Store Managers to understand trading performance and product opportunities.
- Develop strong knowledge of the collections, including key styles, fabrics, fits, colours and price points.
- Assess store product mix, assortment balance, size availability and stock presentation.
- Gather feedback from store teams on customer preferences, product demand, fit and quality.
- Combine store feedback and product knowledge with sales analysis to inform commercial decisions.
- Identify opportunities to improve stock productivity and maximise full-price sales.
- Support opening stock packages for new stores when required, including assortment selection, stock depth and size ratios.
- Reporting, Analysis & Commercial Recommendations
- Produce accurate and timely retail trading and stock reports.
- Analyse performance by store, category, style, colour and size.
- Monitor key KPIs including sales versus budget, sell-through, stock cover, stock turn, availability and stock accuracy.
- Identify underlying causes of performance issues rather than simply reporting variances.
- Provide clear commercial recommendations, including proposed actions and expected impact.
- Ensure analysis is accurate, commercially relevant and appropriately sense-checked.
- Follow through on agreed actions and monitor their effectiveness.
Skills & Experience
- Proven experience in fashion retail merchandising, with strong hands-on responsibility for retail planning, allocation and replenishment.
- Experience managing stock and trading performance across multiple retail locations.
- Strong numerical and analytical skills, including forecasting, stock planning, OTB and size-level analysis.
- Excellent commercial judgement and product understanding, with the ability to assess what will sell, where and why.
- Ability to independently develop stock plans and translate analysis into practical commercial recommendations.
- Advanced Excel skills and confidence working with merchandising and inventory management systems.
- Good understanding of store stock operations, stocktakes, transfers and inventory controls.
- Proactive problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify risks, investigate root causes and recommend solutions.
- Strong organisational and communication skills, with the confidence to challenge decisions constructively.
- Comfortable working independently in a hands-on role and taking ownership of outcomes.
Desirable
- Experience within premium or contemporary fashion retail.
- Experience in outlet trading, markdown planning or stock clearance strategies.
- Experience balancing stock requirements across multiple sales channels.
- Experience working closely with Store Managers and warehouse or logistics teams.
- What We Are Looking For
We are looking for someone who combines strong planning and allocation expertise with genuine commercial instinct.
The ideal candidate will be equally comfortable analysing detailed stock data and walking a shop floor, understanding not only how products are performing but why.
They will anticipate stock requirements, recognise commercial opportunities, challenge assumptions and make sound recommendations independently.
Above all, we are looking for someone who takes ownership, understands product and customers, and turns accurate analysis into effective commercial decisions that drive sales and improve stock productivity.
Retail Merchandiser in London employer: BoF Careers
Burberry is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture in the heart of London that fosters innovation and collaboration. Employees benefit from comprehensive growth opportunities, competitive compensation, and a commitment to diversity and inclusion, making it a rewarding place to advance your career in data architecture and analytics.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Retail Merchandiser in London
✨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 BoF Careers, 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 BoF Careers!
We think you need these skills to ace Retail Merchandiser in London
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 BoF Careers, 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 BoF Careers 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 BoF Careers that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at BoF Careers
✨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!
