At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive category performance and influence trading decisions in a fast-paced retail environment.
- Company: Join Harding+, the world's only dedicated cruise retailer with a global presence.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, annual bonus, healthcare, and 26 days leave plus bank holidays.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with opportunities for international exposure and career growth.
- Why this job: Gain genuine ownership and visibility while shaping the future of onboard retail.
- Qualifications: Experience in merchandising, strong analytical skills, and leadership capabilities required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 € per year.
Location: Avonmouth, Bristol (Hybrid – typically 2–3 days in office, Tuesday to Thursday)
Contract: Permanent, Full-Time
Are You a Commercially Driven Senior Merchandiser Looking for More Ownership and Visibility?
At Harding+, we are looking for an experienced Senior Merchandiser to join our Lifestyle division, supporting our Fashion & Accessories category. This is an opportunity to play a highly visible role within a truly unique global retail business, where your decisions will directly influence category performance across an international fleet.
Cruise retail is unlike traditional retail. Trading patterns shift by itinerary, seasonality changes across markets and stock moves across a global operation, creating a fast-paced environment that requires strong commercial judgement, analytical thinking and confident decision-making. If you enjoy solving trading challenges, influencing decisions and using data to drive performance, this could be the opportunity for you.
Own the Trade. Influence the Strategy.
As Senior Merchandiser, you will take ownership of category WSSI and Open to Buy (OTB), ensuring stock investment aligns with customer demand, sales performance and margin expectations. You will lead weekly trade reporting and performance reviews, identifying risks and opportunities across sales, stock and margin, while using insight to shape better commercial decisions. Working closely with Buying teams, you will influence category planning, forecasting, promotional activity and stock flow to ensure the right product reaches the right place at the right time.
This is not a role for someone who simply reports numbers. We are looking for someone who can confidently interpret data, challenge assumptions and turn insight into action to improve trading performance. Alongside category ownership, you will also play an important leadership role within the merchandising team, coaching and supporting junior colleagues, encouraging best practice and helping maintain strong trading discipline across the function.
You will work closely with Buying, Operations and Logistics teams, giving you broad exposure across the business and the opportunity to influence decisions that directly impact retail performance globally.
Why Join Harding+
This role offers genuine ownership, visibility and autonomy within a commercially important category. You will have the opportunity to influence trading decisions, shape performance and broaden your merchandising experience beyond traditional retail in a highly collaborative environment. At Harding+, your ideas, curiosity and commercial thinking are valued. You will join a supportive and ambitious business where pace, agility and innovation matter.
About You
You are an experienced Senior Merchandiser or established Merchandiser, ideally from a fashion, apparel, accessories, lifestyle or branded retail background. You will bring strong experience managing WSSI and OTB, alongside a solid understanding of stock planning, forecasting, trade reporting and category performance management. You are highly analytical, commercially minded and confident working with large data sets to identify trends, risks and opportunities. Previous people leadership experience within a merchandising environment is important, alongside the confidence to coach and develop others while influencing stakeholders across Buying, Commercial and Operations teams. Strong Excel capability is essential, with exposure to Power BI or similar reporting tools highly advantageous.
What You’ll Get
- Annual bonus scheme
- Company pension
- Healthcare provision
- 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase an additional five days
- Hybrid working
- Exposure to international retail operations and global trading performance
- Genuine ownership and long-term 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. With millions of transactions annually and a growing international footprint, we continue to shape the future of onboard retail. We are committed to building diverse teams and creating an environment where everyone feels welcome, supported and able to thrive. Apply today and help shape category performance in one of retail’s most unique global environments.
Senior Merchandiser in Bristol employer: Harding Retail
At Harding+, we pride ourselves on being a supportive and innovative employer, offering our Senior Merchandiser the chance to take genuine ownership of category performance in a dynamic and collaborative environment. With a focus on employee growth, we provide opportunities for long-term career development, alongside competitive benefits such as an annual bonus scheme, healthcare provision, and hybrid working arrangements. Join us in shaping the future of onboard retail while enjoying a culture that values your ideas and commercial acumen.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Merchandiser in Bristol
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to industry contacts on LinkedIn or attend local events. We all know that sometimes it’s not just what you know, but who you know that can land you that dream job.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its culture. We want you to walk in with confidence, ready to discuss how your skills align with their needs. Show them you’re not just another candidate!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! We suggest you rehearse how you’ll present your experience and achievements. Make it engaging and relevant to the role of Senior Merchandiser – they want to see your passion for fashion and data-driven decisions.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way. It shows your enthusiasm for the role and keeps you fresh in their minds. Plus, we love seeing candidates take initiative!
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Merchandiser in Bristol
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that align with the Senior Merchandiser role. Highlight your experience with WSSI, OTB, and any leadership roles you've had in merchandising. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about the fashion accessories sector and how your analytical skills can drive performance. Let us know what excites you about working at Harding+.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills:Since this role involves a lot of data interpretation, make sure to mention specific examples where you've used data to influence decisions or improve trading performance. We love seeing how you turn insights into action!
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and get you on the path to joining our amazing team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Harding Retail
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Senior Merchandiser, you'll need to demonstrate your analytical skills. Brush up on your WSSI and OTB management knowledge, and be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive performance in previous roles. Prepare specific examples where your decisions influenced stock investment and sales.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
This role involves coaching and supporting junior colleagues, so be prepared to talk about your leadership experience. Think of instances where you’ve mentored others or led a team through challenges. Highlight your ability to influence stakeholders across different departments.
✨Understand the Unique Retail Environment
Familiarise yourself with the cruise retail sector and its unique trading patterns. Research Harding+ and their approach to retail. Be ready to discuss how you would adapt traditional merchandising strategies to fit this fast-paced environment.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that assess your problem-solving abilities. Prepare for scenarios where you might need to interpret data, identify risks, and propose actionable solutions. Practising these types of questions will help you feel more confident during the interview.
