Merchandise Services Manager

Australian United Retailers; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian United Retailers is seeking a Merchandise Services Manager to lead pricing, promotions and space initiatives for FoodWorks and AUR supermarkets. You will oversee pricing, reporting, and the AUR Link portal, with 5 direct reports and a wider team of 14, contributing to sales growth and margins across the network.

Based in Docklands/VIC, this role suits someone data-driven, commercially focused, and capable of cross-functional collaboration to improve results for AUR retailers.

Qualifications

• Data-driven decision making with analytical business insight.
• Strong price and promotional management capabilities.
• Proven leadership of large cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate and steer strategic merchandising direction across the network.
• Implement and maintain standard sell prices and communicate to stores.
• Manage AUR’s competitive price program and performance reporting.
• Maintain accuracy of pricing data in internal systems.
• Oversee AUR Link portal for ordering, invoicing, pricing.
• Lead a team of 5 direct reports and 14 wider staff.

Skills

Business acumen

Sell price management

Financial management

Relationship development

People management

Time management

Job description

Australian United Retailers - Docklands VIC

Australian United Retailers Limited (AUR) is Australia's largest truly independent supermarket chain. Our network includes approximately 500 supermarkets, food and convenience stores nationally with around 360 of these operating under the FoodWorks brand. Our stores are owned by our members and are serviced by support offices in Melbourne and Brisbane.

We pride ourselves on our fresh, contemporary approach to retail, which allows us to support our growing network of independent stores.

Our people are the core of our organisation. We strive to create a diverse workplace, where team members feel included, respected and valued. We continuously provide opportunities for our employees to develop their skills and enhance their careers through our business.

What is the role?

The Merchandise Services Manager role, reporting through to the Executive General Manager Merchandise is responsible for owning and managing areas supporting overarching merchandising and pricing strategies for FoodWorks and AUR supermarkets. This role will manage pricing, promotional, and space initiatives across the AUR network that drives sales growth, by maintaining store sell pricing, staying market competitive and protecting category and retailer margins. This role will also support other merchandise services, working cross functionally with other stakeholders to drive sales and profit for stores by providing our retail partners with the tools and information required to run their business effectively. This role will oversee AUR Link, a store and supplier portal delivering ordering, invoicing and pricing services to our network and partners. With 5 direct reports and wider team of 14 staff, people management will also be your strength.

This is ideally suited to a person who thrives in a fast-paced retail environment, possibly from a category management background, lives and breathes data, is commercially focused and has a passion to improve results for AUR and its retailers.

Responsibilities key to the role will include but not be limited to;

Evaluate and measure the strategic direction of the merchandise business within the AUR network.

Implement and maintain normal sell prices across the business that will enhance the brand and business performance in the network.

Management of AUR’s competitive price program, performance reporting of the program and reviewing the range in conjunction with the Category Team

Maintain accuracy of promotional and pricing data in our internal systems and to eliminate errors and ensure accurate communication to customers.

Management of AUR’s space and planogram offers

Establish key points of difference within the category plans that drive consumers in the AUR network vs that of competitors.

Collaborate with the Category Managers and stores to deliver a pricing strategy that is competitive with our nominated competitor.

Manage other merchandise services to support generally the merchandise category team

The Successful Applicant

The successful candidate will display the following skill sets;

Business & Commercial Acumen- the ability to extract, apply and develop available data sources to build an objective and analytical approach to business initiatives and performance measures.Demonstrated ability to use information to better understand the performance and contribution of the product, supplier, retailer and corporate businesses.

Sell Price Management - Able to implement strategies which will help stores become more competitive and analyse and report on outcomes

Financial Management- Able to interpret and analyse financial reports with appropriate use of benchmark standards to identify areas for improvement and cost/revenue efficiencies. Able to identify available financial resources in other businesses to contribute to and invest in the AUR network

Relationship Development - Demonstrated ability to create sustainable partnership-based relationships where conflict is addressed proactively and common objectives are identified and leveraged to deliver mutual benefit. The ability to build effective relationships and inspire confidence in all stakeholders to ensure commitment and investment in the strategic, commercial, and organisational objectives of AUR.

People and Time Management - experience managing a complex and diverse team of staff to deliver ongoing BAU and new business initiatives.

Time Management - the ability to set priorities, plan and organize one’s own responsibilities and commitments. Strong capacity and willingness to develop and guide these skills in others.