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Head of Merchandising
Arcadia Group
Greater London, , United Kingdom
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BRAND: Burton Menswear
LOCATION: Marylebone
JOB TITLE: Head of Merchandising
REPORTING TO: Merchandise Director
DEPARTMENT: Merchandising
PURPOSE OF ROLE:
To work with the Senior Management team to develop and drive Burton Menswear Brand business strategy across all channels both in the UK and Internationally.
Leading and inspiring high performance within the Merchandising teams to drive trading performance and strengthen the brands position in the market place. Manages supply base across all non-clothing teams to ensure effective distribution of stock to potentialise product performance across all channels.
Tasks & Responsibilities
• Manages Area of Business Responsibility
• With the Head of Buying; delivers profitable departments irrespective of fluctuating trends
• Operates as a strategic business manager, overseeing the teams and their processes, demonstrating best practise
• Analyses trading patterns at pace going into sufficient level of detail to challenge teams and ensure appropriate action is taken for unforeseen sales reactions
• Identifies promotional/marketing opportunities for Brand and manages the process
• Demonstrates views on current economic activity that could potentially impact trade/brand
• Offers advice and helps find solutions to the wide range of issues encountered by the teams, acts as trouble-shooter
• Identifies future risks and commercial opportunities and proactively implements proposals/solutions to address these
• Identifies and implements value adding commercial improvements (using external market insight)
• Develops a High Performing Team
• With Senior Management Team; defines and communicates a clear vision of the future – translating into understandable goals and targets
• Builds a strong team with a focus on development/succession planning
• Provides positive leadership, driving high performing teams
• Pre-empts the need for, and manages change – supporting teams throughout process
• Proactively manages both high and poor performance
• Continuous coaching of the team to reach their individual potential and deliver desired results
• Range Management
• With the Head of Buying oversees range development, ensuring that the product range is Brand aligned, without gaps or duplication and that the season is logically and commercially thought through
• Develops strategic range planning solutions to potentialise the opportunity that cohesive co-ordinated ranges give for sales growth
• Plans correct level of margin enhanced promotional product to minimise risk and reduce mark-down percentage
• Plan best-fit product mix by market type and channel
• Displays an in-depth, customer-focused knowledge of market and trends and channel performance
• Develops a sound supply policy for the Brand, striving for consistent best practice partnerships Foresees future weaknesses/needs and suggests possible solutions
• Ensures effective distribution of stock to potentialise product performance
• Provides accurate DC forecast to minimise costs and balance needs of business intake and despatch requirements
• Guides teams and agrees department strategies prior to Managing Director sign off
• Operates an effective/timely product sign off process, appropriate for product lead-time
• Manages relationships/Communicates Effectively
• Builds strong stakeholder relationships with Buying & Merchandising Directors/Heads of and other/key stakeholders cross functionally to drive activity
• Communicates to achieve win-win situations (anticipates objections and prepares astutely for them)
• Acts in a pivotal role between different functions and merchandising teams to co-ordinate projects and provide two-way communication
• Anticipates when to challenge and when to listen
Key Experience, Skills & Abilities
• Experience of working in a fast paced fashion retailing environment with solid merchandising experience
• Ability to operate in a dynamic, constantly evolving environment
• Strategic Awareness & Thinking – Ability to initiate new strategic direction for business and realise the objectives. Develop new ideas, consider potential outcomes and develop action plan
• Commerciality – skilled at finding opportunities to achieve profit in any situation, trading mentality to support and develop product areas
• Results driven – committed to making things happen, ability to juggle initiatives and able to prioritise those that will have bigger impact on business
• Trading mentality – Ability to work at pace, challenge results and information to drive for results
• Problem Solving – ability to gather all key information and then use logic and creativity to propose solutions
• Persuasion & Influence – ability to present facts, opinions and proposals persuasively to colleagues, Senior Management team and Merchandise team that instils confidence, buy into ideas and commitment to making things happen
• Capacity to build strong working relationships throughout the brand and work effectively with all levels
• Ability to adapt to different situations and stakeholders seamlessly and achieve desired outcomes
• Organisational skills – ability to put in place sound structure and processes
• Strong Communication skills – ability to communicate clearly and effectively with all levels (both written & verbal)
• Team Leadership – Provide clear business goals for teams to support and develop skills base. Recognise and encourage outstanding performance and manage poor performance effectively. Motivates and inspires team to go the extra mile
Key Interfaces
• Brand Director
• Merchandiser Director and teams
• Buying Director and teams
• HR (recruitment, succession, performance management)
• Planning & Trading Teams
• Head of Wholesale & International and teams
• Distribution and Logistics teams