Commercial Merchandising & Inventory Manager - Ahmed Seddiqi

Seddiqi Holding is a Family-owned and managed company with a unique, diversified portfolio of businesses and brands across numerous sectors. The business includes Ahmed Seddiqi, Seddiqi Properties, Swiss Watch Services and Mizzen.

We are looking to hire a Commercial Merchandising & Inventory Manager who will work closely with cross-functional heads in retail, brand management, e-commerce and distribution to deliver business objectives in line with the Ahmed Seddiqi Operating Model and policies. This person is responsible for implementing effective inventory control and strategies to maximize profitability.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

Strategic Contribution

• Ensure a balanced assortment of products, considering seasonal trends, market demands, and inventory levels across all sales channels.
• Utilize planning tools provided by finance to conduct stock forecasts and act as a facilitator of dialogue between brand management, finance and retail to finalize buying plans.
• Support brand management inventory ordering with accurate sales Forecasts and plans merchandising strategies accordingly.
• Develop and implement pricing strategies that maximize profitability while maintaining brand positioning and achieving harmony in prices across all channels, while keeping track of competitors’ pricing.
• Evaluate and optimize yield management strategies to maximize profitability and inventory efficiency across product lines.
• Prepare reports and presentations for senior management on merchandising strategies and outcomes.
• Support and advise brand management to plan and execute markdowns and promotions.

Inventory Management

• Act as a center of excellence for data governance and guides commercial data champions across departments where needed.
• Ensure excellence in product data master file creation and management.
• Accountable for the uniformity of inventory data between SAP & SIMS.
• Monitor and manage inventory levels to prevent overstock or stockouts.
• Act as a key check and balance to ensure the right product at the right time in the right location at the right price with the right collateral (online and offline).
• On a monthly cycle actively rebalance and optimize stock holdings across stores and across channels.
• Analyze sales data of Ahmed Seddiqi brands to identify trends, bestsellers, and underperforming products.
• Prepare and propose inventory action plans to GM & finance.

Operation Management

• Collaborate with the clientelling manager and retail team, gather and analyze customer feedback to understand preferences and improve product offerings.
• Analyze the loss of sale report based on the voice of future customers through the profile creation project to adjust inventory positioning and conclude actionable plans.
• Stay up to date on luxury retail trends and competitor activities.

Financial Management

• Track and analyze financial performance VS inventory value and purchase plans and recommend appropriate adjustments to the brand management teams.
• Activate and overview the forecasting and planning activities for AS&S acting as the point of contact for finance on the financial planning activities.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure product assortment and pricing strategies are optimized.
• Liaise with marketing and brand management, retail, distribution and e-commerce to ensure optimal product performance to optimize revenue outcomes.

In order to be successful in this role, you should have:

• 5-8 years job related experience.
• Bachelor Degree or equivalent.
• Proven experience in merchandising, preferably within the luxury retail industry. Ideally watches and jewellery.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales data and market trends.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with various teams and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proficiency in merchandising software and tools.

If you are ready for your next challenge, Apply Now!