Merchandise Planner

Advocate Group; East Hagbourne; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The Advocate Group is sourcing a Merchandise Planner for Ariat in the UK. You will own forecasting, stock and intake planning across wholesale, e-commerce, marketplaces, and events, driving availability and commercial performance.

You’ll collaborate with the US planning team and product function to identify growth opportunities while using SAP and Excel for data-driven decisions. With 3+ years in planning within fashion or FMCG, you’ll excel at managing stock, turning data into actions, and

Qualifications

• 3+ years’ planning experience in retail, wholesale, e-commerce, fashion or FMCG.
• Experience with apparel, footwear or consumer fashion products.
• Strong forecasting, stock management and commercial analysis skills.
• Advanced Excel and SAP experience.
• Able to turn large datasets into actionable insight.

Responsibilities

• Own forecasting, sales and stock targets across key categories and channels.
• Drive availability across core and seasonal ranges to meet demand.
• Manage intake, purchase orders and the purchasing critical path with US planning.
• Partner with Product to identify opportunities and drive category growth.
• Analyse data with SAP and Excel to provide clear insights.
• Monitor stock and availability and optimise inventory.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain and Stock teams to ensure on-time stock.
• Support markdown and pricing decisions.
• Build relationships across UK and US teams.
• Contribute to planning projects and continuous improvement.

Skills

Forecasting

Stock management

Commercial analysis

Communication skills

Organization

Excel

Tools

SAP

Excel

Job description

The Advocate Group are proud to represent Ariat in their search for a Merchandise Planner to join their growing planning team.

As the Merchandise Planner, you’ll play a key role in driving commercial performance across wholesale, e-commerce, marketplaces and events. You’ll own forecasting, stock and intake planning, ensuring the right products are in the right place at the right time while maximising sales and minimising risk.

The Role:

• Own forecasting, sales and stock targets across key categories and channels.
• Drive availability across core and seasonal ranges, ensuring stock meets customer demand.
• Manage intake, purchase orders and the purchasing critical path, working closely with Ariat’s US planning team.
• Partner with Product to identify opportunities and drive category growth.
• Use SAP and Excel to analyse data and provide clear, commercially focused insight.
• Monitor stock and availability, identifying opportunities to optimise inventory across the business.
• Work closely with Supply Chain and Stock teams to ensure stock arrives on time and is used effectively.
• Support markdown and pricing decisions.
• Build strong relationships across the UK and US teams.
• Contribute to wider planning projects and continuous improvement initiatives.

About You:

• 3+ years’ planning experience within retail, wholesale, e-commerce, fashion or FMCG.
• Experience working with apparel, footwear or consumer fashion products.
• Strong forecasting, stock management and commercial analysis skills.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience using SAP.
• Confidence working with large datasets and turning analysis into actionable insight.
• Excellent organisation and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise effectively.
• A collaborative approach and strong communication skills.
• A numerate, commercially focused mindset with a genuine interest in driving business performance.

The Advocate Group is a leading recruitment partner, based in the UK, to the FMCG and consumer product sectors. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation, or age. By applying for this role, you are agreeing to our Privacy Policy, which can be found on our website. Please note that The Advocate Group is acting as an employment agency in relation to this vacancy.