Senior Assistant Merchandiser - Footwear

Established in 1981 with a single store in the Northwest of England, the JD Group is a leading omni-channel retailer of Sports Fashion, Outdoors and Gyms. JD Sports Fashion Plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1996 and has been a FTSE100 publicly quoted company since 2019. We want to be the leading global omnichannel retailer in the sports and outdoor industry.

Role Overview

The Senior Assistant Merchandiser (SAM) plays a key role within the Merchandising function, providing vital support to the Merchandising team to achieve optimum efficiency and to deliver the department plan on customer, sales, and profit. The SAM takes responsibility for ensuring the right stock and intake is available for our customers, continually looking for opportunities to maximise the potential of both product and stores, whilst working collaboratively within the Merchandising team and key areas of the business.

Responsibilities

• Support with product mix and sign off pack reporting and analysis.
• Assist in the formulation of the range plan at store level with the Merchandiser/Buyer.
• Plan a brand/division/category, supported by the Merchandiser.
• Load plans in WSSI following product mix meetings.
• Create accurate size ratios for all buys.
• Ensure planners are accurate to support order raising process.
• Support Merchandise Assistants on creating purchase orders via upload.
• Reconcile supplier order books and communicate all anomalies, on bigger brands.
• Collate bookings with Buying team.
• Prioritise intake and review booked lines to ensure best stock placement, with guidance from the Merchandiser.
• Establish working relationships with supplier base.
• Review reporting and collate key findings in preparation for department trade email.
• Compile focus for the week for yourself and Merchandise Assistant.
• Review sales analysis to identify key trade actions.
• Suggest cancellation, rephasing and markdown activity to Merchandiser.
• Identify priority stores for the week, review and propose actions.
• Analyse performance of new/re-fit stores.
• Identify over/under performing stores and optioned stores.
• Provide trading team branch feedback.
• Identify lines to IBT and fast track.
• Propose distribution amendments to Buying and Merchandiser.
• Check and approve weekly divisional price changes prior to upload.
• Review branch actions for the Merchandise Assistant to complete.
• Undertake store visits, collate report and feedback.
• Help build new store stock package and track progress.
• Use Linecards to suggest actions to ensure key lines are in stock.
• Suggest lines for markdown.
• Identify ideal level actions.
• Set up range plan.
• Oversee Merchandise Assistant’s weekly tasks.
• Establish collaborative working relationships within teams across functions.
• Carry out any ad-hoc analysis as required.

Role objectives and KPIs: To support the Merchandising team to effectively deliver departmental goals and KPIs – sales, profit, and stock - across all channels (stores and digital), maximising commercial opportunities.

Core competencies

• Working with People
• Relating and Networking
• Writing and Reporting
• Analysing
• Learning and Researching
• Planning and Organising

Skills and experience:

• Analytical, data driven and highly numerate.
• Keen eye for detail and ability to accurately enter and check data.
• Enthusiastic about JD, its brands and customer.
• Good knowledge of Excel.
• Confident communicator able to build relationships at all levels.
• Able to take ownership of work and use initiative to deliver on key responsibilities.
• Good teamwork skills, being able to work collaboratively to reach a common goal, sharing information and supporting colleagues.
• Positive, flexible, and responsive to business needs.
• Curious with a continuous learning mindset.
• Strategic approach and more long-term thinking.

Training requirements for role:

• GUI Shogun
• Intermediate Excel
• Good trade knowledge
• Sign off attendance
• Size ratios - ratio tool
• Planner (Planogram)
• Purchase order creation process - PO upload
• Reconcile process
• Bookings