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- Tasks: Join us as an Assistant Merchandiser and optimise stock levels for our online supermarket.
- Company: Be part of Ocado Retail, the UK's largest dedicated online supermarket.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, competitive salary, and fantastic health perks.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in e-commerce while developing your skills in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Previous merchandising experience and strong analytical skills are essential.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with excellent career growth opportunities awaits you.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 42000 £ per year.
Contract type: Permanent
Location: Hatfield (Hybrid working – 3 days in the office)
Working hours per week: 40 hours (full-time)
Level: Assistant Merchandiser
Application Closing Date: Sunday 25th January
About Us
Our mission is to deliver joy in every shop, through unbeatable choice, unrivalled service, and reassuringly good value. We’re Ocado Retail, a market-leading joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S, and the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket, ocado.com.
The Team And The Role
The Merchandise Planner is responsible for the optimisation of stock levels for their department on Ocado.com. They will have full accountability for the stock holding, availability and warehouse space utilisation across a specified set of categories and suppliers.
What You’ll Do
- Merchandise Planning & Trading
- Own the OTB Process: Develop long-term stock projections for new and continuity lines, ensuring alignment with financial KPIs, sales budgets, and promotional plans.
- Maximise Availability: Daily validation and placement of weekly purchase orders to drive sales-weighted availability.
- Performance Analysis: Collaborate with Product Buying to maximise key KPIs (sales, basket size, margin, stock holding).
- Reporting: Prepare and present detailed KPI reports for weekly trade meetings with proactive, actionable recommendations.
- In-Season Management: Proactively identify and resolve forecast/actual variances to ensure continuous availability.
- Warehouse Optimisation: Analyse data to ensure profitable warehouse space utilisation and capacity for inbound volumes.
- Discontinuation: Recommend lines for exit based on sales performance (ROS), aged stock, and supplier MOQs.
- Minimise Write-Offs: Maintain minimum aged stock levels by early identification of slow sellers.
- Execute Clearance: Plan and manage clearance promotions to ensure timely sell-through of exit lines while achieving margin targets.
- Relationship Building: Nurture effective long-term supply partnerships, from onboarding to regular performance reviews.
- Service Reviews: Lead regular service level reviews with suppliers.
- Launch Coordination: Coordinate new line launches, ensuring adherence to critical path timelines.
- Forecast Sharing: Produce and share medium-to-long-term forecasts with suppliers.
- Compliance: Ensure all supplier dealings adhere to GSCOP and Competition Law.
- Create and manage supplier schedules and delivery forecasts.
- Manage MOQ sign-off, product availability updates, and administrative tasks (e.g., delists, availability category updates).
Who You Are
Essential Experience & Skills
- Proven experience as an Assistant/Junior Merchandiser.
- Ideally, e-commerce retail experience (Homeware, Beauty, Clothing, or Healthcare sectors preferred).
- Exceptional Numerical & Analytical Skills: Comfortable interpreting complex data to identify performance drivers and opportunities.
- Strong Commercial Acumen: Deep understanding of market dynamics, product mix, basket metrics, and margin impact.
- Organised & Results-Oriented: Highly focused on execution, able to manage multiple tasks, stakeholders, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- High proficiency in MS Office and G Suite.
Core Competencies
- Planning & Organisation: Effective prioritisation and timely delivery across all tasks.
- Adaptability: Proactive in initiating and managing change and process evolution.
- Communication: Able to adapt style to communicate effectively across all levels and with external suppliers.
- Teamwork: A collaborative colleague who builds strong internal/external relationships and supports team goals.
- Customer-Centric: Driven to exceed customer expectations and enhance the product offering.
What’s In It For You
By joining Ocado Retail, you’ll have the chance to experience life at the world’s largest online retailer, work with an amazing bunch of people who challenge what’s possible each day, and grow your skills and career in online retail.
If that’s not enough to tempt you, you’ll also get access to loads of great benefits to sweeten the deal:
- Health & Wellbeing: Private medical insurance with option to add your family, Digital GP appointments, market-leading family policies, mental health support, discounted gym memberships, dental insurance, and more.
- Spend & Save: Annual bonus scheme split between personal and business objectives, recognition with reward platform, up to 7% matched pension contributions, 15% Ocado discount, 20% M&S discount, free breakfast every day in the office, electric vehicle leasing scheme, and free shuttle bus from Hatfield station to the office.
- Never miss the moments that matter: Hybrid working, 26 days holiday plus 8 flexible bank holidays, options to buy extra holiday, 2 weeks work from anywhere, and lifestyle break opportunities.
Our Hiring Process
Lucky for us, we receive a high volume of applications and genuinely appreciate the time and effort invested by every candidate. To ensure a fair and thorough process, every application is reviewed by a member of our team. If your skills and experience are a strong match, a Talent Partner will contact you to discuss the role and guide you through the next steps of our hiring process.
Your Application and AI
In the spirit of innovation, we welcome you to use AI tools in your application, just as we use them in our own business at Ocado Retail. However, as you leverage this technology, please don’t lose sight of the most important element: your unique self. Your experiences, passions, and personality are what truly set you apart. Ensure that your application still authentically conveys who you are and why you’re a great fit for us.
Everyone’s welcome
We’re an equal opportunities employer, which means that we make sure all potential colleagues are treated fairly and equally. We want to ensure everyone has a fair chance to apply; if you need this job description in an alternative format (e.g., larger print, different document type, etc.), please reach out to us at careers@ocadoretail.com and we’ll be happy to assist you, and if you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know on the application form.
Assistant Merchandiser in Hatfield employer: Ocado Retail
Contact Detail:
Ocado Retail Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Assistant Merchandiser in Hatfield
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know Ocado Retail inside out! Familiarise yourself with their mission and values, especially how they deliver joy through unbeatable choice and service. This will help you connect your skills to what they truly care about during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees on LinkedIn. Ask them about their experiences and any tips they might have for landing the Assistant Merchandiser role. Personal connections can give you an edge!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for those tricky interview questions! Think about how your past experiences align with the responsibilities of the role, like stock optimisation and performance analysis. Use the STAR method to structure your answers – it’s a game changer!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the Ocado team!
We think you need these skills to ace Assistant Merchandiser in Hatfield
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Assistant Merchandiser role. Highlight your relevant experience, especially in e-commerce and merchandising, and show us how your skills align with our mission at Ocado Retail.
Show Off Your Numbers: Since this role requires exceptional numerical and analytical skills, don’t shy away from showcasing your ability to interpret data. Include specific examples of how you've used data to drive decisions or improve performance in previous roles.
Be Yourself: While we encourage you to use AI tools, remember to let your personality shine through. Share your unique experiences and passions that make you a great fit for our team. We want to know the real you!
Apply Through Our Website: For the best chance of success, make sure to submit your application through our website. This way, it’ll go directly to our hiring team, and you’ll be one step closer to joining us at Ocado Retail!
How to prepare for a job interview at Ocado Retail
✨Know Your Numbers
As an Assistant Merchandiser, you'll need to be comfortable with data. Brush up on your numerical and analytical skills before the interview. Be ready to discuss how you've used data in past roles to drive sales or optimise stock levels.
✨Show Your Commercial Savvy
Demonstrate your understanding of market dynamics and product mix during the interview. Prepare examples of how you've identified performance drivers in previous positions. This will show that you have the commercial acumen they’re looking for.
✨Be Organised and Results-Driven
Highlight your ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines. Share specific instances where your organisational skills led to successful outcomes. This will resonate well with their focus on execution and results.
✨Communicate Effectively
Since the role involves collaboration with various stakeholders, practice articulating your thoughts clearly. Think about how you can adapt your communication style to different audiences, especially when discussing complex data or supplier relationships.
