Description:
We are assisting our client a leading retailer in hiring a Merchandise Manager capable of developing the product and the margin strategy to drive the merchandising team. The ideal candidate would be required to drive the strategy, undertake the product planning, reporting, manage the business process and lead the team effectively.
Role and Requirements:
- Manage the development of annual, seasonal, monthly and weekly merchandise plans, as appropriate.
- Implement consistent and profitable in-season replenishment strategies and practices.
- Develop multiple class level pricing recommendations and strategies in alignment with department’s financial plans.
- Develop pre-season plans and recommend purchase/investment quantities.
- Analyze historic performance and planned strategies to identify areas of opportunity or risk
- Drive sales through price, positioning, sales analysis and select promotions.
- Partner with Merchants to size and forecast product / brand sales and profit components.
- Proactively prevent inventory shortages / outages at all Retail and warehouse locations.
- Collaborate on best strategies to address liabilities and liquidate in a timely and profitable manner.
- Evaluate, analyze and report on business matrix.
- Create ad-hoc analysis and reporting as required to communicate issues and solutions to the management team.
- Maintain business processes and serve as subject matter expert for process improvements.
- Act as primary trainer for buyers on planning and inventory management processes and operating models.
- Maintain established freight forwarder, warehouse and principle relationships.
- Act at a supervisor or a team lead to Merchants and Senior merchants in helping establish the objectives of the B&M team.
Skills and Competencies Required:
- Analytic Skills: Ability to think objectively and interpret meaningful themes from quantitative and qualitative data.
- Financial and Business Acumen: Ability to evaluate financial and business indicators and translate data into actionable information to drive results.
- Problem Solving & Decision Quality: Able to use rigorous logic and methods to solve problems with effective solutions.
- Relationship Management: Able to build constructive and effective relationships with a broad and diverse group of business partners.
- Presentation Skills: Effective in a variety of presentation settings including one-on-one, small and large groups, and with peers and management.
- Influencing and Negotiation: Can present ideas and directions that lead others to action.
- Planning and Priority Setting: Demonstrate an ability to set objectives and goals and organize work appropriately to meet and exceed goals.
- Process Management: Can identify and articulate the processes necessary to get things down efficiently and align resources effectively complete activities.
- Systems and Tools Acumen: Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Access Pivot Tables and have aptitude to learn technical applications quickly.
- Risk Management: Anticipate risks and identifies contingency plans and processes to prevent disruptions when risks occur.
- Possess strong organizational and time management skills.
- Demonstrates strong listening, written and oral communication skills.