At a Glance
- Tasks: Support buying and merchandising teams with stock management and trade analysis.
- Company: Join Harding+, the world's only dedicated cruise retailer.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, annual bonus, hybrid working, and 26 days leave.
- Other info: Gain unique international retail experience in a collaborative environment.
- Why this job: Work with global beauty brands and influence commercial decisions.
- Qualifications: Experience in merchandising, strong Excel skills, and a proactive mindset.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
Location: Avonmouth, Bristol (Hybrid – 2-3 days in office)
Contract: Permanent
Salary: Competitive + bonus + benefits
Work with Global Beauty Brands in a Unique International Retail Business
Are you an experienced Assistant Merchandiser or an ambitious Merchandising Assistant ready for the next step? Do you enjoy turning data into commercial action, influencing trading decisions, and working with some of the world's most recognised beauty, skincare, fragrance and cosmetics brands? At Harding+, we're looking for two Assistant Merchandisers to join our Beauty team. These opportunities offer the chance to work at the heart of a fast-paced international retail business, helping to drive sales, maximise availability and optimise stock performance across our global cruise retail network.
Build Your Merchandising Career with a Global Retail Leader
Harding+ is the world's only dedicated cruise retailer, operating retail environments across leading cruise lines worldwide. Working alongside Buyers, Merchandisers and supplier partners, you'll help deliver exceptional retail performance across a portfolio of premium beauty, skincare, fragrance and cosmetics brands. This is an opportunity to join a highly visible category where your analysis, recommendations and decision-making will directly influence commercial performance.
The Opportunity
As Assistant Merchandiser, you will support the Buying and Merchandising teams through forecasting, stock management, trade analysis and inventory planning. You will play a key role in balancing product availability, stock investment and commercial performance across a fast-paced beauty category. You will support the management of WSSI plans and Open to Buy (OTB) processes, helping to ensure the right products are available at the right time whilst identifying opportunities to maximise sales and profitability. Working closely with Buyers, Merchandising Assistants, Operations teams, Warehouse teams and supplier partners, you will contribute to forecasting, seasonal planning, stock flow decisions and promotional activity. Building strong supplier relationships will also form an important part of the role. You will analyse weekly sales, stock, margin and markdown performance, using data and commercial insight to identify risks, opportunities and areas for improvement. We are looking for someone who can move beyond reporting and proactively contribute to trading decisions and category performance.
The Beauty team operates in a highly collaborative environment, requiring strong communication skills, relationship-building capability and the confidence to work closely with a range of stakeholders.
Gain Exposure in a Unique International Retail Environment
Harding+ operates across multiple cruise lines, supplier partners and highly seasonal trading cycles, creating a retail environment unlike traditional high street businesses. As part of the Beauty team, you'll gain exposure to globally recognised brands whilst working closely with Buying teams, supplier partners and key stakeholders. The role offers the opportunity to broaden your commercial understanding, strengthen your planning capability and gain valuable international retail experience.
About You
You may already be an Assistant Merchandiser, or you may be a highly capable Merchandising Assistant ready to step into an Assistant Merchandiser role. You will already have experience supporting forecasting, stock planning, trade reporting and inventory management within a retail environment and be confident working with large volumes of trading data. This role is best suited to candidates who already have practical experience of merchandising processes and are comfortable operating within a commercially focused retail environment. You will have a strong understanding of WSSI, Open to Buy (OTB), forecasting, promotions, markdowns and sales, stock and margin analysis. Strong Excel capability is essential, including experience using Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP and data analysis tools to interpret performance and support decision-making. Experience within beauty, cosmetics, fragrance, skincare or a related retail environment would be advantageous, but is not essential. We are equally interested in candidates with strong merchandising experience from other retail sectors who can demonstrate excellent commercial awareness and analytical capability. Most importantly, you will be commercially minded, proactive and confident making recommendations based on data and insight. You enjoy solving problems, building relationships and working collaboratively within a fast-paced retail environment.
Why Join Harding+
This is more than a traditional retail merchandising role. You'll work within a unique international business, collaborate with global suppliers and gain exposure to complex trading environments that differ significantly from high street retail. You'll have the opportunity to:
- Work with globally recognised beauty, fragrance and skincare brands
- Influence commercial decisions within a high-profile category
- Develop your forecasting, planning and analytical expertise
- Build relationships with international supplier partners
- Gain exposure to global retail operations
- Join a collaborative, supportive and ambitious team environment
Our Benefits
We offer a competitive reward package including:
- Annual bonus scheme
- Company pension
- Medical Cashback Plan
- 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays
- Option to purchase up to 5 additional days annual leave
- Hybrid working
- Career development opportunities
About Harding+
Harding+ is the world's only dedicated cruise retailer, partnering with leading global cruise lines and operating retail shops across ships worldwide. We are committed to building diverse teams and creating an environment where everyone feels welcome, supported and able to thrive. If you're looking for an Assistant Merchandiser opportunity where you can combine commercial analysis, stock planning and trading insight within a unique global retail environment, we'd love to hear from you. Apply now and take the next step in your merchandising career with Harding+.
Assistant Merchandiser - Beauty in Bristol employer: Harding Retail
At Harding+, we pride ourselves on being a unique employer in the international retail sector, offering Assistant Merchandisers the chance to work with globally recognised beauty brands in a collaborative and supportive environment. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through our comprehensive benefits package, including career development opportunities, hybrid working arrangements, and a competitive bonus scheme, all set against the backdrop of a dynamic cruise retail landscape that fosters innovation and commercial insight.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Merchandiser - Beauty in Bristol
✨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 Harding Retail, 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 Harding Retail!
We think you need these skills to ace Assistant Merchandiser - Beauty in Bristol
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 Harding Retail, 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 Harding Retail 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 Harding Retail that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at Harding Retail
✨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!
