Manager, Own Brand Merchandiser

Liverpool FC; Knowsley; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking organization as the Manager of Own Brand Merchandising, where you will lead category management and collaborate with cross-functional teams to shape product ranges. This full-time role offers a competitive salary and a chance to make a significant impact in the sports merchandising sector. You will oversee inventory management, financial planning, and supplier relationships, ensuring alignment with sales targets and operational efficiency. Be part of a team that values equality, diversity, and community engagement while driving performance and continuous improvement. Your contributions will help shape the future of merchandising in a dynamic environment.

Benefits

25 days holiday plus bank holidays

Pension scheme

High street discounts

Volunteering opportunities

Additional holiday purchase option

Qualifications

• Proven experience in category management and merchandising in a sports context.
• Strong financial acumen and understanding of retail operations.

Responsibilities

• Lead category management and team leadership for own-brand products.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive category goals.

Skills

Category Management

Financial Management

Inventory Management

Sales Forecasting

Team Leadership

Supplier Relationship Management

Data Analysis

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Business or related field

Tools

Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

ERP Systems

Business Intelligence Tools

Excel

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for an individual to join our Liverpool FC team as Manager, Own Brand Merchandiser. You will be responsible for and support overseeing and managing key own brand product categories, ensuring alignment between category strategy and operational execution.

This role involves leading the category merchandisers, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and supporting the Senior Manager to shape product ranges and control financial and operational outcomes. Additionally, the role ensures that product selections, sourcing, inventory, and delivery align with the overarching sales and margin targets while supporting the retail strategy for Liverpool Football Club.

What will you be doing?

1. Category Management & Team Leadership: Oversee the day-to-day category management for all own-brand categories. Lead and support category merchandisers in managing business-as-usual (BAU) duties.
2. Financial Management & Budgeting: Collaborate closely with the Senior Manager, Own Brand Merchandise, to control spend across own brand product categories. Ensure that budgets, sales forecasts, and margin targets are met while driving revenue growth.
3. Cross-functional Collaboration: Be a key liaison between internal teams—such as Product Development, Supply Chain, and Finance—to shape and refine product ranges, drive category goals, and ensure alignment of business objectives across the organisation.
4. Best Practice Sharing & Process Improvement: Use your comprehensive knowledge of all product categories to identify and promote best practices across the buying and merchandising teams. Advocate for continuous improvement in processes, ensuring operational efficiency and a high standard of performance.
5. Supplier & Stakeholder Relationship Management: Ensure the continuous development of strong supplier and stakeholder relationships. Focus on quotations, lead times, and service levels to meet business needs and maintain high supplier performance.
6. Product Development & Range Shaping: Work closely with the Product Development team to influence and shape the development of product ranges that are aligned with category objectives, customer preferences, and sales forecasts.
7. Inventory & Order Management: Oversee and ensure accurate purchase orders are raised in line with the critical path and trading calendar. Manage the rebuy/repeat order process for key products, ensuring that stock levels are aligned with trading dates, and monitor supplier intake performance to meet delivery deadlines. Take responsibility for planning and forecasting procedures, collaborating with the Finance, Product, and Supply Chain teams to ensure an efficient, effective replenishment strategy that aligns with sales targets. Collaborate with the Visual Merchandising team to influence and control stock distribution across stores. Ensure that stock is effectively placed to meet visual standards, optimize sales, and support overall brand strategy. Analyse seasonal sales data to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities for growth. Create and communicate comprehensive sales reports to the business to support both short- and long-term strategic planning.
8. Markdown & Promotional Strategy: Support the execution and monitoring of markdown strategies, ensuring that all markdown activities are in line with margin expectations and financial goals.
9. Key Projects & Initiatives: Function as a subject matter expert (SME) on key projects, including new store openings, store refits, technology integrations, and process reviews. Lead efforts to ensure successful and timely implementation of these initiatives.

Who are we looking for?

To be successful in this role, you will have proven experience in category management, merchandising, and supply chain operations in a sport industry or similar setting. You will understand sales forecasting, demand planning, and inventory management. You will have strong financial acumen with the ability to influence profit and margin planning, as well as awareness of key trading periods, retail operations, and product development cycles. You will have experience managing a team in a similar setting and driving performance.

The right candidate will have strong proficiency with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and ERP. You will have advanced knowledge of business intelligence tools and Excel for data analysis. You will have the ability to interpret and act on sales data to drive improvements in business performance. Additionally, familiarity with best practices in procurement, sourcing, and supplier relationship management is essential.

Why should you apply?

This is a full-time permanent role working 35 hours per week. Your main base will be our Distribution Centre.

To reward your hard work and commitment, we offer a competitive salary, 25 days holiday (plus 8 bank holidays and the option to purchase up to an additional 5 days), and a contributory pension scheme.

You will have access to our benefits kit bag, which includes high street discounts and a selection of benefit schemes. There are opportunities to get involved with volunteering through our LFC Foundation to give back to the local community.

At Liverpool Football Club, we are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion, and are always striving to make a positive difference in the communities we serve. We are proud of our achievements, including maintaining the Premier League Equality Standard Advanced Level, being a founding signatory of the Football Association’s Football Leadership Diversity Code, and being recognized as a leader in this area. We are dedicated to increasing the diversity of our team and creating an inclusive workplace. If you share our passion for inclusivity, we want to hear from you.

Liverpool FC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all colleagues and volunteers to share this commitment.