About us
Dune London is the leading affordable luxury footwear and accessories brand in the UK, with broad distribution across both the UK and internationally. It has 50 stores in the UK and over 100 in 25 countries around the world. The company is entering a period of sustained growth both through expansion of sales on its online channels and through third party partners both in the UK and globally. Celebrating over 30 years in the industry, the Dune group has built an enviable position as the specialist in quality fashion footwear and accessories which has given it a unique position at the high end of the high street.
About the Role
We are seeking an exceptional Senior Merchandiser - Handbags & Accessories to join our team and play a key role in shaping the commercial success of our Accessories business by trading and planning; driving sales profit and strategic direction.
You will play a pivotal role in shaping seasonal merchandising strategies, working cross-functionally with Buying, Wholesale, and Web teams to deliver commercially successful ranges. This is a high-impact role where your decisions will directly influence business performance and future growth.
This is an exciting opportunity for a highly commercial and strategic merchandising professional with significant experience in handbags and accessories, gained within a premium or accessible luxury fashion brand.
About You
- Proven experience as a Senior Merchandiser within a premium fashion, accessories or luxury brand.
- Strong expertise in handbags and accessories is essential.
- Highly analytical with strong commercial judgement and strategic thinking.
- Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic retail environment.
- Passion for product, fashion and delivering exceptional customer outcomes.
RESPONSIBILTIES:
Planning
- Lead seasonal merchandising strategy, including planning, forecasting, budgeting, and stock management across Handbags & Accessories.
- Analyse performance to drive sales, margin, and profit growth, applying insights to optimise product assortments with Buying.
- Ensure ranges are correctly distributed and aligned across stores and online, reflecting customer needs and overall strategy.
- Develop balanced ranges (category, price, colour, material mix) while meeting margin targets and key KPIs.
- Plan store-level sales, identify growth opportunities, manage underperformance, and create store grading models.
- Oversee markdown strategy and terminal stock management to protect profitability.
- Collaborate with wholesale partners to deliver commercially effective assortments and meet critical path deadlines.
WSSI (Stock & Financial Planning)
- Continuously reforecast WSSI based on trading performance, identifying risks and opportunities.
- Maintain tight stock control and appropriate cover levels.
- Manage line-level projections and repeat orders in collaboration with Buying, factoring in lead times.
Trading
- Monitor and analyse weekly trading (sales, stock, margins, markdowns) and take action to optimise performance.
- Present performance insights and strategic recommendations to senior stakeholders.
- Proactively drive sales growth through promotions, trend response, and repeat orders while protecting profitability.
General
- Maintain high levels of accuracy across all merchandising processes.
- Lead, mentor, and develop merchandising team talent.
EXPERIENCE / SKILLS REQUIRED:
- Working as a Merchandiser within a fast-paced, premium retailer
- Strategic planning and forecasting expertise
- Strong understanding of customer, product and market trends
- Exceptional trading and stock management skills
- Ability to partner effectively with Buying, Wholesale and Web teams
- A passion for product and a desire to shape the future growth of a dynamic accessories business
- Advanced excel skills, experience in using Power BI, and a strong aptitude for learning new software & business processes
- Excellent Analytical skills
- Strong communication and presentation skills
- Enthusiastic and contributes to a positive working environment, setting an example to the wider merchandising team
About the perks
- Blended working – spreading your time across our office and remote working
- Sustainable office in bustling West London (nearWestfield)
- Friendly and open culture with flat structures allowing plenty of opportunity for development.
- Company growth and opportunity; Dune is evolving all the time
- Open-minded company, welcoming thoughts and ideas to be shared
- Working with charitable organisations to help raise funds and give something back. Our current charity partner is Mental Health UK.
- 60% employee discount on Dune products – what’s not to love!
- 25 days holiday (plus the bank holidays)
- Cycle2work
- Company pension scheme
- Life assurance for all team members
- We look after our people
- 3.00 p.m. finish every pay day Friday!
- Team socials and drinks – we like to have fun!
- Access to our employee assistance programme, retailTRUST, who provide loads of resources to support with wellbeing and personal development offer free counselling legal advice and financial guidance.
- Our own Wellbeing Allies – there to talk when you need them.
What happens next?
We will take a good look at your application and if we don’t feel we are right for you, we’ll make sure we let you know but sadly we are not able to give tailored feedback. If we are excited to find out more about you, we will give you a call and arrange to talk.
A few things that might help:
- Research the brand, the role, your interviewer on LinkedIn; browse our website; and visit a store if you can
- Make sure you have plenty of examples to show off all your amazing skills and experience relevant to this role
