Junior Merchandiser - Assortment Planning

The Very Group; Liverpool; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job description

Internal use only – Grade F

About us.

We are The Very Group and we’re here to help families get more out of life. We know that our customers work hard for their families and have a lot to balance in their busy lives. That’s why we combine amazing brands and products with flexible payment options on Very.co.uk to help them say yes to the things they love. We’re just as passionate about helping our people get more out of life too; building careers with real growth, a sense of purpose, belonging and wellbeing.

About the team

You’ll be joining the Assortment Planning team (Merchandising) who look to provide the customer with the right product at the right time. Working closely with the Buying team to build assortment strategies and focusing on ensuring the best possible range for our customers. Looking at internal data, history and competitor performance whilst managing brand and supplier relationships across Brand and Own Brand.

About the role

We have an exciting opportunity for a Junior Assortment Planner (Merchandising) to join The Very Group (across Fashion, Sports and Home). You’ll report directly into the Merchandiser for the area so lots of opportunity to further develop your skills.

Day to day you will be meeting and handling supplier and brand relationships, working closely with the buying and wider merchandising teams to develop commercial range plans suited to our customer. Analysing historical performance, market trends and competitor ranges to help create the best future plans.

We’re looking for someone who is highly motivated, has great attention to detail, strong commercial acumen, and a passion for data and analysis. The ideal candidate will have experience working as a Junior Merchandiser or an established Assistant Merchandiser who is ready for the next level.

Key Responsibilities

1. Responsible for full ownership of planning with support from the Merchandiser.
2. Ensuring the departmental framework commercialises the product strategy & that business KPI’s are delivered.
3. Driving the department vision & strategy forward in partnership with Buying & Merch Financial Planning.
4. Capturing & reviewing lessons learnt, providing updates to senior management.
5. Working alongside buying to place both future & in season buys.
6. Developing strong relationships & ways of working with brands/suppliers.
7. Support to develop current systems & processes to ensure best practice.
8. Line manager responsibility for one or more Assistant Merchandisers.
9. Deputise for the Merchandiser as and when required.

Essential knowledge and skills

We know that our expectations are high, as are our ambitions as a business, so we are aware that one candidate will not have all of the below experience.

The ideal candidate will have/be:

1. A retail professional with Merchandising experience.
2. Good knowledge of Excel.
3. Strong with numbers – able to produce, analyse and articulate findings from reports.
4. Attention to detail.
5. Ability to establish relationships, internal & external - working cross-functionally and collaboratively.
6. Desire to understand the Very customer.
7. Problem solving/critical thinking.
8. Decision making skills.
9. Ability to prioritise and manage workload.
10. A great attitude and willingness to learn.

Some of our benefits

• Flexible, hybrid working model.
• Inclusive culture and environment, check out our Glassdoor reviews.
• £1000 flexible benefits allowance to suit your needs.
• 30 days holiday + bank holidays.
• Udemy learning access.
• Bonus potential (performance and business-related).
• Up to 25% discount on Very.co.uk.
• Matched pension up to 6%.
• More benefits can be found on our career site.

How to apply

Please note that the talent acquisition team are managing this vacancy directly, and if successful in securing this role, you will be required to undertake a credit, CIFAS, Right to Work checks and if a specific requirement of your role a DBS (criminal records) check. Should your application progress we require you to let the team know if there is anything you need to disclose in relation to any of these checks prior to them being undertaken, including any unspent criminal convictions.

What happens next?

Our talent acquisition team will be in touch if you’re successful so keep an eye on your emails! We’ll arrange a short call to learn more about you, as well as answer any questions you have. If it feels like we’re a good match, we’ll share your CV with the hiring manager to review. Our interview process is tailored to each role and can be in-person or held remotely.

You can expect a one-stage interview process after meeting the TA team.

First stage – A one-hour face-to-face interview with the team.

As an inclusive employer please do let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments.

Equal opportunities

We’re an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.