Assistant Merchandise Planner 6 Month FTC

TN United Kingdom; London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking an Assistant Merchandise Planner for a 6-month fixed-term contract. This role involves updating reports, actualising department metrics, and attending trade meetings, requiring strong commercial awareness and analytical skills. The ideal candidate will excel in effective communication and time management while working collaboratively across teams. With a focus on training and development, this position offers a dynamic environment where your contributions will directly impact sales performance and stock availability. If you are passionate about retail and eager to grow in a collaborative setting, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Experience in allocation or similar roles within a Fashion Retail business is preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is essential for this role.

Responsibilities

• Update reports and actualise the department's WSSI weekly.
• Attend trade meetings and formulate trade messages independently.
• Conduct competitor analysis and present findings.

Skills

Commercial awareness

Analytical skills

Effective communication

Time management

Microsoft Excel proficiency

Problem-solving skills

Education

Experience in Fashion Retail

Job description

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Assistant Merchandise Planner 6 Month FTC, London

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Client:

Ralph Lauren

Location:

London, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Retail

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

59c4890aee62

Job Views:

3

Posted:

05.05.2025

Expiry Date:

19.06.2025

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Job Description:

Position Overview

A Fixed-Term Contract of 6 months for an Assistant Merchandise Planner on the Childrenswear Polo full price team involves updating reports, actualising the department's WSSIs, and attending trade meetings. It requires commercial awareness through store visits and competitor analysis, as well as training and development for personal and peer growth. Effective communication and partnerships within cross-functional teams are crucial, along with skills in commercial and analytical abilities, time management, and proficiency in Microsoft Excel. Experience in allocation or similar roles within a Fashion Retail business is preferred.

• Update reports on a weekly, monthly, and ad hoc basis.
• Actualises the department's WSSI weekly.
• Attends and prepares for weekly trade meetings and is able to formulate and deliver a trade message independently.
• Provides accurate data to support analysis for key seasonal meetings, including hindsight and sign-offs.
• Updates and forecasts department line cards to maximise sales potential and optimise stock availability across channels.
• Systematically updates seasonal recodes.
• Owns the department stock delivery schedule and communicates updates to the team.
• Responsible for actioning seasonal markdowns and communication to stores.
• Participates in regular store visits, collating store reports prior and assisting in creating follow-up presentations.
• Undertakes competitor analysis regularly and presents relevant points.

Training and Development

• Adopts a positive and proactive approach to own training and development as well as that of peers.
• Proactively promotes improvements to working practices and systems.
• Participates in company initiatives as appropriate.

Communications & Partnerships

• Creates and maintains strong working relationships within cross-functional teams: Buying, Allocations, ECOM, and retail store teams.
• Liaises with Assortment Planning and Buying partners to review and assist in forming seasonal lessons learned, influencing future buys using analysis and historical data for better commercial decisions.

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

Skills

• Commercial and analytical skills.
• Effective communicator, able to convey messages clearly and concisely to various audiences.
• Able to work autonomously.
• Demonstrates logical analysis and problem-solving skills.
• Organizes, prioritizes tasks, and manages time effectively to meet deadlines.
• Builds and maintains productive relationships within a team environment.
• Shows aptitude in retail mathematics and can learn technical applications quickly.
• Demonstrates resilience and maintains a positive attitude during challenging periods.
• Has a passion for fun at work and an appreciation for the product.