Junior Head of Buying & Merchandising

Needle & Thread; Greater London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A premium fashion brand in the UK is looking for a Junior Head of Buying & Merchandising to enhance commercial performance through strategic inventory management and range planning. The ideal candidate has proven experience in a similar role within the luxury sector, excels in data-driven decision-making, and possesses exceptional leadership skills. This position requires collaboration across all departments to optimize product strategies and drive successful launches across various channels.

Qualifications

• Experience in Buying and Merchandising in premium or luxury fashion.
• Proficient in using data to inform commercial strategies.
• Strong technical skills in enterprise planning tools.

Responsibilities

• Drive commercial performance through inventory orchestration.
• Develop seasonal buying strategies aligned with brand objectives.
• Lead and mentor the Buying and Merchandising team.

Skills

Data literacy

Analytical skills

Inventory management

Team leadership

Strategic planning

Tools

ERP systems

BI platforms

Inventory optimization software

Job description

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Junior Head of Buying & Merchandising is responsible for driving the commercial performance of the brand through strategic global inventory orchestration, sophisticated range planning, and omnichannel trading. This role mandates a balance of creative product strategy with high-level data literacy and analytical rigor to ensure the collection meets brand vision, customer demand, and complex financial and logistical targets across all global distribution channels.

You will own the buying cycle from range planning استراتيجية through to in-season trading, working closely with Design, Production, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams to deliver profitable, on-brand collections.

Buying and Range Planning

• Develop and execute seasonal buying strategies aligned with brand positioning and commercial objectives
• Build balanced, cohesive ranges that reflect trends, customer insights, and core bestsellers
• Collaborate with Design to influence product development and pricing architecture
• Support Production with critical path planning, helping to ensure timelines are met

Merchandising and Trading

• Develop and manage seasonal budgets, Open-to-Buy (OTB), and detailed sales and markdown forecasts across all global channels (E-commerce, Retail, Wholesale).
• Own the global inventory strategy and physical stock position, ensuring optimal deployment, flow, and allocation of product across distribution centers (DCs), 3PL partners, and physical retail locations to maximizeInvisible local sell-through.
• Drive advanced in-season trading decisions, including global inventory reallocation, timely re-orders, returns management, and data-backed markdown optimization strategies.
• Collaborate closely with Supply Chain and Finance teams to optimize logistics efficiency, manage inbound flow and capacity planning, and ensure accurate valuation of global inventory.
• Partner with E-commerce and Retail teamsurah to optimize product presentation, stock accuracy, and seamless launch execution across the full global networ

Reporting and Analysis zokio

• Serve as the brand expert on commercial and inventory data, utilizing advanced analytical techniques (e.g., predictive forecasting, lifecycle modelling, and segmentation analysis) to inform strategic planning and inventory risk mitigation.
• Deliver high-impact, actionable sales, inventory, and supply chain reports to the executive team, clearly articulating risks, opportunities, and marginalert performance across market segments.
• Monitor and drive improvement across critical KPIs including Inventory Efficiency Ratios (IER), forecast accuracy, margin contribution analysis by channel, and global stock turn targets.
• Maintain strong data governance and system integrity, ensuring high data literacy within the B&M function and providing quantitative insights that influence decisions across Design, Production,เพ่งAnd Supply Chain.

Team and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Lead, mentor, and develop Buying and Merchandising team members.
• Work closely with Marketing to support product stories, key launches, and campaigns.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Production to manage lead times, deliveries, and risk

IDEAL CANDIDATE

• Proven experience leading a Buying and Merchandising function with demonstrable responsibility for global inventory management, allocation, and omnichannel trading within a premium or luxury fashion environment
• Exceptional data literacy and highly developed analytical skills, with a track record of using complex data sets (sales, inventory, logistics, and customer lifetime value) to inform and execute long-term commercial strategy.
• Strong technical proficiency in enterprise planning and reporting tools (e.g., advanced ERP systems, BI platforms, inventory optimization software) beyond standard web analytics packages.
• Deep understanding of supply chain dynamics and logistics requirements associated with managing stock across internal distribution centers, 3PL partners, and cross-border retail.
• Highly organized, commercially astute, and possessing strong planning skills, with the ability to manage complex critical paths and lead a function effectively under pressure.
• Demonstrated ability to build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex quantitative data clearly and decisively to senior stakeholders.
• Pro-active, solutions-focused, and comfortable navigating ambiguity in a fast-paced global business environment.
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