Product Admin Assistant

Overview

The Product Admin Assistant will support the Wholesale Product Manager and Assistant Manager, assisting with the sell-in and presentation of ranges in line with the divisional and partner strategy. The Product Admin Assistant will be accountable for managing Wholesale administrative tasks and possess a good understanding of the department’s end to end processes. They will demonstrate a good understanding of their Division’s product ranges, acting as a key source of knowledge for Wholesale Partners. They will support the Assist Product Manager with meeting Wholesale Partner’s requirements, to deliver the buying and merchandising plan against agreed KPIs. They will build strong internal relationships with their counterparts, namely Wholesale Merchandising Administrators and internal divisional Buying Admins.

Department: Buying

Location: Head Office, Chelsea House

Key Accountabilities

• Supports the Wholesale Product Manager and Assistant Manager in all administrative aspects of their role, aiding the overall Wholesale strategy whilst aligning to Partner’s specific requirements
• To have a base understanding of their division, including knowledge about Product critical paths, lead times, production and the manufacture of goods
• A daily point of contact for internal B&M teams
• Coordinates the day to day running of the B2B platform/ Virtual Showroom (NuOrder) for the division and drives forward the business ways of working to deliver from partner orders through to delivery
• Works closely with the Wholesale Merchandising Administrators to deliver a highly commercial and well-balanced range for the division that supports delivery of the divisional strategy
• Provide support during Wholesale weeks (selection meetings) and trade preparation by creating partner presentation and order packs, ensuring all information is completed to the highest standard
• Assists in B&M handovers and Partner selection meetings, responsible for product rack ups, presenting trends, recording meeting notes and following up on action points
• Regularly reviews the Wholesale product critical path with the Assistant Product Manager, diarising range handovers with B&M, Partner selection appointments and required feedback sessions with B&M and Account Leads/Merchandisers
• Responsible for the timely and accurate processing of Wholesale partner orders (new season collections and trade), following through with B&M teams to ensure orders are placed with the supplier and delivery dates maintained
• Owns all Wholesale partners Purchase Orders; tracking, updating and managing any partner queries. Keeping the Assistant Product Manager and Product Manager well informed and escalating any concerns
• Ensures all product information is enriched and maintained within the Wholesale central database (incl. fabric compositions, product codes, delivery weeks, cancellations and replacements)
• Works collaboratively with B&M and Wholesale Administrators to minimise the risk of product cancellations and find alternative replacements, whilst providing clear and concise cancellation updates and escalation to the Assistant and Product Managers
• Monitors and tracks all incoming/outgoing samples both internally (e.g. Wholesale weeks) and externally (e.g. Partner marketing opportunities)
• Analyses trading patterns and trend reactions in season, ensuring insight is shared with the Wholesale Product Team and opportunities are potentialised
• Challenges all company working practices where appropriate to improve ways of working
• Foster and enable a culture of wellbeing and inclusion through openness, two way listening and owning actions needed to create a great workplace for our Islanders

Key experience required

• Accurate record keeping, following departmental protocol
• Accurate data provision
• Great customer service
• Effective communication
• Highly numerate with good Excel skills
• Managing own workload to meet department deadlines
• Experience in an omni-channel business is highly desirable
• Track record of driving strong team and individual performance and engagement
• Previous experience with NuOrder (or a similar B2B platform) preferred but not essential

Job role competencies

• Passion for the RI brand and customer
• Excellent verbal and numerical reasoning skills
• Excellent commercial awareness skills
• Excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, emotional intelligence and self-management
• Highly organised, good prioritisation skills
• Able to effectively plan and organise workload
• Disciplined and conscientious, results oriented
• Tenacious, resilient and adaptable to change
• Change advocate with a curious, continuous learning mindset
• Forward-thinking, innovative

About Us

We’re a much-loved brand with an exciting future. Our Islanders are a diverse bunch of bright, talented people who love working together – and are proud of the work they do. Progression here can take you in all kinds of directions. This is what a career at River Island is like. And this is where yours starts.

This role is based at our Head Office in West London. Check us out here on a map.

What we can offer you

• Generous 50% staff discount so you can treat yourself to the latest products, and a bargain staff shop on site
• Reducing Islanders everyday expenses through discounts, benefits, financial advice, wellbeing solutions and more through Reward Gateway
• A free onsite gym, subsidised restaurant & café to fill you needs. Various social events to socialise throughout the year
• We support Islanders with all different family setups enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption & fertility treatment. We also work closely with the Retail Trust to create dedicated support for all our Islanders
• Flexible working is a given
• Give as you earn scheme, a ‘Giver Island’ day each year and receive matched funding
• Support with upskilling through on the job training and qualifications. A succession plan if you want to progress
• 23 days paid holiday, exclusive of Bank Holidays. With the added option to purchase additional holiday twice a year for whatever the need

Keeping You Safe

At River Island we are committed to the safeguarding of all of our employees regardless of age or job role. We will fulfil our obligation under the Prevent duty which seeks to stop extremism and extremist views from materialising in our business. We promote and encourage the belief in British Values- including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. To find out more, please visit www.gov.uk.

Our Island is made up of a diverse community, where we all belong and feel part of something bigger. We are committed to equality of opportunity and welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief. We will consider flexible working requests for all roles unless operational requirements prevent otherwise. To find out more about this interview process, check out our hiring process below.