Head of Merchandising

p strong V C Associates are delighted and excited to be partnering with a British heritage brand founded in 1812, holder of multiple Royal Warrants, and known worldwide for its bespoke /strong craftsmanship and luxury goods — now entering an ambitious new phase of global growth. /p p Whats on offer isnt a slot in an existing team. Its the chance to build the merchandising function from the ground up, reporting directly to the CEO, and set the playbook this business runs on for years to come. /p p As Head of Merchandising, you will act as the business lead for merchandising, inventory management, forecasting and category planning across our own-brand and third-party portfolio. You will improve stock productivity, profitability and commercial decision-making, while establishing the disciplines that will let this heritage business scale with confidence — a genuine opportunity to leave your own mark on a 200-year story. /p p br /p p strong Key Responsibilities /strong /p ul li Develop annual, seasonal and category merchandise plans, forecasts and replenishment strategies. /li li Manage inventory investment to balance availability, profitability and working capital. /li li Analyse sales, margin, sell-through, stock turn, ageing, cover and category performance. /li li Support buying through range planning, assortment analysis, demand forecasting and open-to-buy control. /li li Manage supplier performance, production schedules, lead times and delivery risk. /li li Build clear reporting and dashboards that translate data into practical commercial actions. /li li Identify opportunities to reduce aged stock, improve margin and increase category profitability. /li li Establish and embed best-practice merchandising processes across the business. /li li Provide commercial insight to product development, marketing, retail and ecommerce teams. /li li Support new product launches, category development, channel growth and wider expansion plans. /li /ul p strong Experience and Skills /strong /p ul li Typically 7–10+ years of relevant experience in merchandising, commercial planning, buying or inventory management. /li li Proven success in forecasting, stock control and improving inventory productivity. /li li Strong commercial acumen, financial understanding and advanced Excel capability. /li li Experience managing both own-brand and third-party product ranges. /li li Confident using ERP and reporting systems; NetSuite experience is advantageous. /li li Develop and manage WSSI. /li li Able to influence senior stakeholders and challenge decisions constructively through data. /li li Experience in apparel, footwear, accessories, retail, ecommerce or consumer goods is preferred; luxury experience is not essential. /li li Experience with international suppliers and longer production lead times would be beneficial. /li /ul p br /p p strong What They Require - /strong /p p A commercially minded, highly analytical and proactive individual who can operate at both detailed and strategic levels — someone who enjoys building processes, improving performance, and helping a growing business scale while protecting the quality and integrity of a genuine heritage brand. /p p br /p