Senior Merchandise Planning Manager

Jobtailor; Hatfield; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Ocado Retail seeks an experienced General Merchandise Planning Lead to own stock plans and financial performance across distribution centres. You will shape planning strategies and collaborate with demand planning, forecasting, and logistics leaders.

You will manage a team of 10, drive joint business planning, and ensure compliance with GSCOP and competition law while coordinating with multiple internal teams and key suppliers.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of leading, coaching, and developing large planning teams.
• Experience managing significant commercial budgets.
• Solid background in product mix, basket dynamics, and margin management.
• Advanced data analysis capabilities to pinpoint performance drivers.
• Skilled at senior-level negotiation and managing external partnerships and supplier networks.
• Ability to drive organisational change and navigate high-pressure commercial environments.
• Ability to manage complex planning calendars.

Responsibilities

• Lead Ocado Retail's General Merchandise planning team.
• Own stock, buy strategies, forecasting, and financial performance across General Merchandise Distribution Centres.
• Shape planning strategy and act as a key contact for demand planning, forecasting, and logistics workstreams.
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of 10, including recruitment, career progression, objective-setting, and planning review calendars.
• Translate sub-category trading strategies into stock plans.
• Control Open to Buy, option counts, Available to Purchase, stock cover, aged inventory, fixed buy-sell-through rates, and profit margins.
• Own senior stakeholder relationships with M&S and suppliers.
• Deliver rolling forecasts to secure inventory and drive Joint Business Planning.
• Enforce compliance with GSCOP and Competition Law.
• Drive stock turn and warehouse space utilisation.
• Plan major trade events such as Christmas and Easter, including inbound phasing and markdown, clearance, and aged-stock exit strategies.
• Partner with Buying, Insight, Finance, Logistics, Marketing, and DC Operations teams.
• Lead transformation projects including supply chain network optimisation and ambient growth initiatives.

Skills

Team Leadership

Stock Management

Data Analysis

Senior-Level Negotiation

Commercial Budget Management

Stakeholder Management

Tools

Forecasting

Open To Buy Control

Aged Inventory Management

Demand Planning

Supply Chain Optimisation

Trade Event Planning

Margin Management

Job description

• Lead Ocado Retail's General Merchandise planning team
• Own stock, buy strategies, forecasting, and financial performance across General Merchandise Distribution Centres
• Shape planning strategy and act as a key contact for demand planning, forecasting, and logistics workstreams
• Lead, coach, and develop a team of 10, including recruitment, career progression, objective-setting, and planning review calendars
• Translate sub-category trading strategies into stock plans
• Control Open to Buy, option counts, Available to Purchase, stock cover, aged inventory, fixed buy-sell-through rates, and profit margins
• Own senior stakeholder relationships with M&S and suppliers
• Deliver rolling forecasts to secure inventory and drive Joint Business Planning
• Enforce compliance with GSCOP and Competition Law
• Drive stock turn and warehouse space utilisation
• Plan major trade events such as Christmas and Easter, including inbound phasing and markdown, clearance, and aged-stock exit strategies
• Partner with Buying, Insight, Finance, Logistics, Marketing, and DC Operations teams
• Lead transformation projects including supply chain network optimisation and ambient growth initiatives

Requirements

• Proven track record of leading, coaching, and developing large planning teams
• Experience managing significant commercial budgets
• Solid background in product mix, basket dynamics, and margin management
• Advanced data analysis capabilities to pinpoint performance drivers
• Skilled at senior-level negotiation and managing external partnerships and supplier networks
• Ability to drive organisational change and navigate high-pressure commercial environments
• Ability to manage complex planning calendars
• Desirable background in online Homeware, Beauty, Clothing, Healthcare, Pet, or Gardening sectors
• Appetite to leverage modern tools, systems, emerging technologies, and AI Academy learning opportunities

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in leading planning teams, managing stock and buy strategies, and executing financial performance across General Merchandise. Proficient in advanced data analysis, stakeholder management, and driving organisational change in high-pressure environments.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Team Leadership
• Stock Management
• Data Analysis
• Senior-Level Negotiation
• Commercial Budget Management

Hard Skills

• Forecasting
• Financial Performance
• Stock Planning
• Margin Management
• Open To Buy Control
• Aged Inventory Management
• Demand Planning
• Supply Chain Optimisation
• Trade Event Planning
• Performance Driver Analysis

Soft Skills

• Coaching
• Stakeholder Management
• Organisational Change Management
• Negotiation Skills
• Team Development

Industry Keywords

• General Merchandise
• Homeware
• Beauty
• Clothing
• Healthcare
• Pet
• Gardening
• GSCOP Compliance
• Competition Law
• Joint Business Planning

Tools & Technologies

• Modern Tools
• Emerging Technologies
• AI Learning Systems