Merchandise Manager

Job Title: Regional Planning Manager - Outlet

Location: London

Type: 3 Months Contract

Scope of JOB: Regional

Purpose:

This position will manage EMEIA Outlet planning activities in their respective region within Client’s global planning organisation. They will act as an ambassador for Client, driving commercial performance, whilst fostering a culture of simplification, innovation, collaboration and driving excellence with key stakeholders.

Responsibilities:

• Taking the lead in creating strategic and controlled inventory management of the Outlet channel, through the Rolling Open to Buy and Corporate OTB process to achieve our sales, inventory and margin targets across all sales channels.
• Accountable for commercial insights in driving pre-season and in-season decisions (with a key focus on promotions) to ensure improved inventory productivity, drive sales and deliver margins.
• Accountable for quarterly buy process for the Outlet channel in line with key strategies.
• Leading the partnership and alignment across Retail, Merchandising, Allocation, Regional Finance and Central Planning teams on Open to Buy, lifecycle, fiscal risks, opportunities, markdown, and inventory management.
• Accountable for the Outlet ROTB including intake, transfers, delist and consolidations in line with the overall annual sales/inventory strategy to highlight risk and opportunities.
• Develop seasonal liquidation strategies, including markdowns, promotions, price points and % off strategy.
• Partner with cross-functional teams (Retail, Merchandising, Allocation, VM, Regional Finance, Central Planning and Store teams) to manage delist timings, cooling off periods and assortment.
• Leading the Outlet Allocation team to ensure regular store replenishment in line with key strategies.
• Managing and developing Outlet Planner to support key strategies and objectives.
• Lead the monthly inventory forecast review, working with Mainline Planner on total regional inventory forecasting in the Corporate OTB – providing insight and highlighting risks and opportunities.
• Provide key support to Director of Planning, partnering with regional teams on inventory management, driving sales and controlling margin.

Measures of success:

• Divisional Net sales, AUR, Sell-thru, margin aligned to fiscal targets, including aged inventory targets.
• Divisional Rolling and Collection Open to Buy management.
• Weeks of Cover (Store).
• Development of an inspired, high performing team with strong collaboration among cross-functional teams.

Connecting with others:

This role will work closely with Retail Stores and Leadership, Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Central Inventory Management team, Central Outlet teams, Regional Planning teams, Merch Planning Operations, Customer Ops, Finance and Regional Commercial teams.