Merchandise Assistant

Dunelm; Leicester; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully funded Level 4 apprenticeship

Job summary

Dunelm is seeking a Merchandise Assistant to join our merchandising team in Leicester. You will manage timelines for product launches and promotions, raise and track purchase orders, and help plan stock allocations to keep products available in stores.

You’ll collaborate with warehouse, store operations and suppliers, producing weekly stock reports and supporting range planning. A Level 4 apprenticeship is fully funded to build your career with Dunelm.

Qualifications

• Organised and able to manage multiple tasks with a structured approach.
• Strong communication skills to keep teams informed and aligned.
• Collaborative team player with a proactive attitude.

Responsibilities

• Managing Timelines: monitor critical paths for the department, track new product launches, promotions and marketing schedules, and share weekly progress.
• Purchase Orders: raise and manage POs, ensure accurate delivery information and follow up on delays impacting availability.
• Stock Planning & Allocations: plan stock release timing, raise allocations after approval, and collaborate with warehouse and store ops teams.
• Stock Reports: produce weekly stock reports, identify issues and propose actions to the merchandiser.
• Supporting Availability: assist Merchandising in planning product ranges and liaise with suppliers to maintain in-store availability.

Skills

Organised & planning

Clear communicator

Team player

Attention to detail

Calm under pressure

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 2 year 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.