Ralph Lauren Junior Merchandiser in City of London

As an Associate Planner within the Merchandise Planning team at Ralph Lauren, you will play a crucial role in optimizing inventory management, forecasting, and strategic planning to drive business performance. This position requires a blend of analytical skills, business acumen, and collaborative abilities to support the company's merchandise planning efforts. The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented with strong analytical skills, excellent communication abilities, and a passion for retail and merchandise planning. The role balances data-driven decision-making with strategic thinking to support Ralph Lauren's business objectives.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Operation/Financial
• Critically analyses trade reports, and utilises own knowledge to influence forecasting & promotional/MD planning.
• Optimises channel availability & take necessary trading actions.
• Owns line card process and can translate impacts into department WSSI forecasting.
• Owns department WSSI to reflect short- and long-term risks and opportunities to KPI's, communicating impacts to planner.
• Finds solutions to achieving EOH stock and average cost turn targets.
• Leads department/brand hindsight analysis and able to communicate clearly and objectively the key learnings to relevant stakeholders.
• Partners with buying counterparts to formulate the department forward strategy, and can communicate risks and opportunities associated to planner, beginning to suggest potential solutions.
• Drives OTB process, utilising the forward strategies created and collaborating with buying counterparts to understand category changes that will impact KPIs, and communicating to management.
• Oversees seasonal recodes.
• Responsible for overseeing seasonal markdowns & communication to stores.
• Commercial Awareness
• Leads regular store visits, analysing store reports prior and presenting feedback to team.
• Understands where RL fits within the wider retail environment through comprehensive competitor analysis, and begins to identify areas of opportunity & risk.
• Training and Development
• To adopt a positive and proactive approach to their own training and development as well as that of their peers.
• Constantly seeks improvement in processes & increases efficiencies.
• Coaches and trains team, helping them to acquire the skills & knowledge to be more effective.
• Supports team in achieving their personal goals.
• Participates in company initiatives as appropriate.
• Participates in team wellness & prioritises psychological safety.
• Communications & Partnerships
• Creates and maintains strong working relationships within cross-functional teams: Buying, Allocations, ECOM and the retail store teams.
• Liaises with Assortment Planning and Buying partners to review and assist in the formation of the seasonal lessons learnt.
• Influencing future Buys, using analysis and historical data to ensure commercial decisions are made.

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

• Strong analytical and numerical mindset.
• Effective communicator - able to communicate messages clearly and concisely to a variety of audiences.
• Able to work autonomously, results orientated and able to "think outside the box".
• Able to demonstrate logical analysis and problem-solving skills.
• Solution orientated with an entrepreneurial attitude.
• Able to organize, prioritise tasks and manages time well to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrates self-awareness of their impact on others & seeks feedback on ways to improve.
• Able to build and maintain productive relationships within team environment.
• Competent in using Microsoft Excel and BI reporting tools.
• Attention to detail.
• Able to demonstrate resilience and remain positive during challenging periods.
• Regularly recognises & praises good work.
• Leads by example & is a good Associate role model.
• Desire to have fun at work and an appreciation for product.