Merchandise Assistant

Dunelm; Leicester; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 24,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully funded Level 4 apprenticeship

Job summary

Dunelm is offering an 18‑month Level 4 apprenticeship in merchandising. You’ll learn by doing, joining a fast‑paced team that keeps product launches and promotions on track. The role focuses on planning timelines, stock, and availability while you develop practical skills alongside experienced mentors.

Ideal candidates are organised, calm under pressure, and clear communicators who thrive in a team. You’ll be supported throughout your progression toward a junior merchandiser role with access to

Qualifications

• Naturally organised and loves a plan.
• Calm under pressure and able to juggle tasks.
• Clear communicator who keeps others in the loop.
• Willing to ask questions, challenge delays and speak up when needed.
• Attention to detail while seeing the bigger picture.
• Team player who is reliable and helps busy teammates.

Responsibilities

• Manage timelines for the department, including product launches and promotions.
• Raise and manage purchase orders with accurate delivery information.
• Plan stock and allocations, coordinating with warehouse and store teams.
• Create weekly stock reports and identify issues with actions for the merchandiser.
• Support availability planning and supplier relations to keep products in stores.

Skills

Organised

Clear communicator

Team player

Calm under pressure

Detail oriented

Questioning mindset

Education

Level 4 apprenticeship

Job description

Overview

Home. There’s no place like it. And there’s no feeling like helping people create the joy of feeling truly at home. At Dunelm, that’s what we do. We’re the UK's number one choice for homewares because we make home life lovelier for our customers. And we’ve crafted a workplace that feels just as welcoming – where you can bring your ideas, be yourself, and feel right at home. With us, buying isn’t about chasing bargains and merchandising isn’t about pushing an endless parade of promotions. We do things differently. With us, it’s about creativity, instinct, and a real passion for home. We’re experts at understanding trends and performance - making quick decisions that keep our products and layouts perfectly timed, perfectly designed and perfectly marketed. Get stuck in from day one, and you’ll make a real difference. You’ll learn as you go, grow in confidence, and start taking small steps towards owning your own ranges. It’s lively, rewarding, and full of opportunities to learn and shine. At Dunelm, we want you to feel right at home — happy, supported, and excited about where your career can go. From your very first day, we’ll make sure you have the training, tools and guidance you need to settle in and start growing. And the support doesn’t stop there — we’ll be with you every step of the way as you progress. This role is a first step on merchandising career path. You might start as a Merchandise Assistant, where you’ll join our 18-month training programme designed to help you confidently move into a Junior Merchandiser role. From there, you could step up into a Merchandiser position, with access to brilliant, tailored courses and sessions to help you keep developing your skills. We believe in helping you become the best version of yourself — and making the journey enjoyable along the way.

What you'll be doing

• Managing Timelines: You'll look after the key timelines (critical path) for your department, making sure everything from new product launches to marketing and promotions stays on track. You'll keep key dates updated and share weekly progress with the team.
• Purchase Orders: You'll raise and manage purchase orders, making sure the system shows accurate delivery info. If there are any delays, you’ll follow up and understand how they affect product availability.
• Stock Planning & Allocations: You’ll help plan how and when stock is sent out, both now and in the future. Once you have approval, you’ll raise allocations and work closely with teams like the warehouse, store operations, and those updating store communications.
• Stock Reports: You’ll create a weekly stock report, spot any issues, and suggest actions to your merchandiser.
• Supporting Availability: You’ll support the Merchandising team in planning product ranges and work closely with suppliers to help keep products available in stores.

What we’ll look for in you

• You’re naturally organised and love a good plan (bonus points if colour-coded spreadsheets make you happy).
• You’re calm under pressure and can juggle a few spinning plates without breaking a sweat—or at least without dropping the important ones.
• You’re a clear communicator who knows how to keep everyone in the loop, whether it’s a quick update or chasing a deadline (nicely, of course).
• You’re not afraid to ask questions, challenge a delay, or speak up if something doesn’t look quite right.
• You’ve got a good eye for detail, but you also know when to zoom out and see the bigger picture.
• You’re a team player—someone who’s kind, reliable, and up for jumping in when things get busy.

If that’s ticking your boxes, we’d love to have you on board!

Colleagues can grow their skills (and their confidence) by taking on a fully funded Level 4 apprenticeship—because we’re all about cheering you on as you build your career.