Senior Merchandiser (Womenswear, Kidswear & Essentials) in Coventry

We’re looking for Senior Merchandisers to join our Clothing team, with opportunities across Womenswear, Kidswear and Essentials. As a Senior Merchandiser, you’ll own the end‑to‑end commercial and financial performance of your product areas, ensuring the offer is customer‑relevant, profitable and aligned to the TU brand and wider business objectives. This role is accountable for translating category strategy into clear, deliverable plans and leading trading performance across all channels. You’ll play a key role in shaping the product proposition, delivering profitable growth and developing high‑performing merchandising teams.

What you’ll do:

• You’ll lead the commercial strategy and financial performance for your categories, owning sales, margin, stock, availability and customer KPIs across the full product lifecycle.
• Working closely with Buying, you’ll translate category strategy into robust trading plans, budgets and forecasts, shaping range architecture, sourcing approaches and supplier strategies to deliver strong commercial outcomes.
• The role has accountability for stock flow planning, weekly trading performance, promotional and markdown strategy, and proactive risk management to optimise performance.
• You’ll take decisive action where needed, balancing customer needs, profitability and operational delivery.
• Alongside this, you’ll lead and coach Merchandisers and Assistant Merchandisers, building capability, driving accountability and contributing to wider cross‑functional projects and business improvement initiatives.

Who you are:

• You’re a commercially strong, highly capable merchandiser with the confidence to operate at pace in a fast‑moving retail environment.
• You combine strong analytical capability with sound commercial judgement, and you’re comfortable making data‑led decisions that balance customer experience, performance and risk.
• You’re a collaborative leader who can influence across functions, build strong partnerships and deliver results both personally and through your team.
• To be considered for this role, you must have demonstrable end‑to‑end merchandising experience, with clear accountability for category trading, financial performance and team leadership within a commercial, multi‑channel environment.

Essential Criteria:

• Proven end‑to‑end merchandising experience, with accountability for sales, margin, stock and availability.
• Strong commercial, analytical and data‑driven planning capability, using insight to shape strategy and trading decisions.
• Excellent technical knowledge of merchandising and replenishment systems (e.g. Anaplan, forecasting and planning tools).
• Ability to operate confidently at pace, making well‑informed commercial decisions in a fast‑moving environment.
• Strong understanding of product, customer and market dynamics across multi‑channel retail.
• Demonstrated experience coaching, developing and leading others to build capability and performance.
• Confident communicator and influencer, able to collaborate effectively across functions and levels.
• Experience contributing to change, improvement or transformation initiatives beyond BAU.

Responsibilities:

We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. Here, everything in our stores starts in Sainsbury’s Commercial. From product, proposition, packaging and price, to whether it meets our sustainability commitments or simply tastes great, our team is responsible for all food, non-food and Clothing items available in Sainsbury’s stores, online and on demand. It’s an incredibly fast-paced environment. People here are in it together and aren’t afraid to take risks. The knowledge and experience you gain here could set you up for career moves anywhere else in the business. So, if you’re passionate about your products and just as hungry to learn, you’ll fit in perfectly.

Qualifications:

We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new — whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits.

• Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to save 10% on your shopping online and instore at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat, and we regularly increase the discount to 15% at points during the year.
• We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 20% of salary, depending on how we perform.
• Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy up to an additional week's holiday, and we provide private healthcare.
• We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, interest free car loan of up to £10k, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, salary advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers.
• And if you ever need it there is also an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave.

Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).