Senior Merchandise Planning Manager

Grouper Technology

Harwell

On-site

GBP 60,000 - 90,000

Full time

8 days ago

Application generator

Don’t send a generic resume — generate a resume and cover letter tailored to this exact role.

Get past ATS filters

Benefits offered by this job

Private Medical Insurance

Life Assurance

Cycle to Work Scheme

Company Bonus Scheme

Employee Purchase Scheme

Birthday day off

Free onsite Parking

Job summary

Ariat International is seeking a senior Planning Lead in the Harwell office to build and lead a team responsible for forecast accuracy and stock optimization across wholesale, ecommerce, and wholesale channels. You will work closely with US teams and product, sales, e-commerce, and supply chain to enable timely trading decisions.

The role focuses on improving processes, visibility, and stock flow, driving KPI targets, and mitigating overbuy risks while supporting growth initiatives across core

Qualifications

5+ years planning experience in a similar environment.
Experience in wholesale, retail and ecommerce.
Experience in Footwear or Apparel.
Numerate and commercially astute.
Articulate communicator.
Ability to travel freely to the US for meetings every two years.

Responsibilities

Lead the planning team to maintain forecast within range across all sales channels.
Propose and agree sales and stock targets by department.
Drive availability and manage pricing/markdown decisions.
Coordinate with Product, Sales, Ecommerce and Supply Chain to improve processes and stock flow.
Ensure POs are loaded timely and SAP setup is maintained.

Skills

Leadership

Excel

SAP

Data manipulation

Organisational

Multitasking

Communication

Analytical skills

Presentation skills

Customer service

Planning experience

Wholesale experience

Retail experience

Ecommerce experience

Footwear/Apparel experience

Travel ability

Tools

MS Office

Job description

*No Agencies Please*

Office based - 3 days per week - Harwell, Oxford

Job Details:

This is a leadership role to build team and processes across the planning department to best serve the business with the right stock at the right time and in the optimum quantity. You will improve existing ways of working and introduce new to position the company for current and future growth.

This is a pivotal role responsible for growing sales through excellent availability and minimise risk of overbuys and exposure to end of line, working within targets and KPIs proposed to and agreed with the Senior Operations and Product Director.

You will be the lead role in the department and work closely with US teams and internal product, sales, ecom and supply chain to improve processes, visibility, stock flow pro-actively providing actionable sales and stock insight into the business to allow timely trading decisions to optimise stock holding.

Day to Day Responsibilities:

Planning and Forecasting

Drive team to maintain forecast within range plan to best reflect demand and opportunity across all our sales channels, including wholesale, .com, marketplace and events
Propose and agree sales and stock targets by department and sub-category
Drive excellent availability across core and seasonal line within agreed KPIs
Work with Product to drive growth across category
Manage the purchasing critical path with involvement and interaction with our parent Ariat International to ensure all key dates hit
Ensure all POs are loaded in a timely manner
SAP set up, management and improvement

Trading

Create regular reporting to provide insight to the business
Liaise with Supply Chain Manager to ensure goods brought in timely manner
Liaise with Stock Co-ordinator to ensure best use of stock across business
Report on availability levels by channel
Manage and propose mark down pricing

Other

Progress own development, maximising opportunities to develop leadership skills and team standing within the company both UK and US
Build and drive appropriate relationships with appropriate US planning partners and other departments
Act as ambassador for the AE team and build relationships with US team as appropriate to further key accountabilities.
To assist in ad-hoc projects as required.

About You:

Proven leadership and change management skills
Strong Excel and Microsoft office
Use of SAP
Experience manipulating large data sets
Exceptional Organisational and time management skills
Strong ability to multitask and prioritise
Strong Teamwork
Analytical and Presentation skills
Customer Service skills
5+ years Planning experience in similar environment
Experience in wholesale, retail and ecommerce
Experience in Footwear or Apparel
Experience of consumer fashion products
Numerate and commercially astute
Articulate communicator
Ability to travel freely to the US as this role may be required to attend sales meetings every two years in the US.

Values:

Our values are ingrained in everything we do at Ariat and we believe this is what drives our success as individuals, as teams and, overall, as a Company.

Innovation - Be bold and adventurous and try new things. Constantly challenge how you can create change for the better. Learn from the past and don't let it limit you.

Integrity - Do the right thing because it's the right thing to do. Say what you mean and do what you say. Build trust through consistency, dependability and honesty.

Quality - All work matters. Be proud of your work and strive to have it reflect your best and the best of Ariat.

Respect - Communicate openly, directly and constructively. Recognise different perspectives and listen with an open mind. Be thoughtful in how you show up and interact with others.

Teamwork - Create fun and joy and contribute to the Ariat family spirit. Focus on people's strengths. Learn from others and share your own knowledge and experience. Ask for help when you need it and offer to help when others may need it.

Benefits: