Junior Merchandiser

Job description / Role

To ensure that retail profits are maximized through effective planning and trading of the range throughout the region covered so that the needs of the customer in every country are surpassed by the Brand. To control delivery, allocation and replenishment activities for a product area against agreed range and allocation plans to identify and action agreed opportunities for optimizing sales, stock holding and profit.

Merchandise Planning:
- Using Retail Planning Calendar, work to agreed critical path
- Ensure that Product objectives and phasing reflect the same totals as the Commercial Plan and feed back any discrepancies to the Senior Merchandiser
- Cluster and grade shops using sales and space parameters, highlighting any issues to Senior Merchandiser. Maintain space planning/ option planning
- Liaise with Buyer and Senior Merchandiser to identify necessary level of micro planning and ensure that shop differences are exploited without damaging brand integrity. Use of RIMS (Retail Inventory Management Systems) vital to success
- Plan core/ seasonal/ interest mix and life of line to ensure monthly freshness in the shop
- Prepare information for Range Plan ensuring that the options and depth allow for sufficient choice of options and sizes for every customer in every shop. Prepare information on history, current performance and future trends.
- Prepare Division Category, analysis by store/ region on a monthly basis.
- Consolidation of stock, size analysis on a monthly basis
- Prepare ideal display quantity with Store, ensuring every Store has enough stock to meet Sales Plan.
- Prepare seasonal reports for buying trips
- Liaise with all stores on a weekly basis on stock requirements and complete relevant stock pushes
- New store preparation and collection management. Monitoring opening dates and diverting where necessary.
- Accurate and on time completion of the allocation plan
- New store opening deliveries

Sales and Profit
- Prepare and highlight performance against plan by producing a weekly sales, stock and intake summary (WSSI), future in-season sales, mark downs, intake and stock and communicate any risks to profit or stock targets to the Senior Merchandiser and Merchandise Manager.
- Continually monitor line and product category performance to ensure that stock levels are kept at optimum levels at all times by :
- Store transfers
- Replenishment
- Sell through by product category
- Sale and mark down management
- Regularly review plans to ensure that pre-season changes in product or shop performance or space are incorporated ( commercial plan, store/ country reforecast)
- Work with Visual Merchandising Team on key focus reports and management of older collection
- Conduct meetings with Senior Merchandiser to update on commercial awareness of product in stores
- Accurate Master File
- Monitor Buying Plan
- Procedural compliance (development, implementation and adherence)
- Achieve maximum profit potential

Warehouse and Logistics
- Work with Logistics on shipping/ style tracking to ensure launch is met
- Work with Ware House to ensure samples for Mock Shop Preparation
- Liaise with Factory Outlet about timings of stock transfers to Factory Outlets and volumes of stock to be sent
- Ensure orders are in the system , so deliveries can be made
- Liaise with Warehouse. Attend weekly meetings as needed to organize launch and replenishment.
- Stock pushes monitor delivery quantities and timings

KPI
- Monitoring and analysis of sales performance and action plans for liquidating excess stock
- Timely replenishment of stock in stores
- Meeting customer need/ product expectations

Communication
- Participate in regular team meetings to review product and store performance and agree team priorities.
- Maintain close contact with Buyer and Senior Merchandiser / Store Managers to ensure differences in sales performance and stock requirements due to regional public holidays and events are planned for.
- Share product information and performance with Store Managers to ensure that maximum Stock potential is achieved to meet Sales.

Stock Management
- Launch Schedule internal allocation, flat pack information
- Key looks, key options with look
- Cluster allocations, returns
- Communicating on what gets removed, creating space for new store
- Consolidation ( analysis of sales performance by Store and doing inter store transfers)
- Additional Stock required
- Health check on styles not sent to Stores and liaise with Ware House
- Turnaround of processing orders
- Accuracy of inventory levels
- Monitoring and analysis of orders vis-a-vis deliveries and action plan for processing and controlling orders and liquidating excess stock

Requirements

- Minimum academic/professional qualifications/minimum business experience/technical skills:
- University Degree in any Discipline
- Relevant experience as a Merchandiser - gained over a period of at least 3 years
- Previous experience of working in a fashion branded environment is an advantage
- Proficient in relevant planning, finance, analytical and data management systems
- Creative problem solving skills, strategic thinking and analytical skills.
- Demonstrated partnership and relationship building skills
- Keen to travel and develop network of professional and business relationships

About the Company

Majid Al Futtaim Fashion provides a platform for the introduction of world-class fashion and retail brands in the region, developing their presence across the Middle East. Their aim is to be the international retail partner of choice for some of the worlds most desirable brands. The Company believes the strength of a brands success is through the focus of its people. Having the right retail structure, with the right people, ensures that a brands integrity is maintained to the highest level and that the customer experience is aligned to global standards.

The leading retail arm of Majid Al Futtaim Ventures, Majid Al Futtaim Fashion has the rights to operate the internationally renowned Juicy Couture brand throughout the region. Juicy Couture is one of the most popular casual luxury brands in the Middle East and continues to be a retail success with over 18 stores currently open across the region and further plans to expand the into new markets in 2014.

Other brands operated by Majid Al Futtaim Fashion include one of the UKs leading fashion retailers Jane Norman, the metropolitan casual lifestyle brand Mexx and ITSUGAR the US confectionary brand with an attitude.

The eclectic Spanish brand Hoss Intropia, and the iconic fashion brand Halston Heritage, were recently added to Majid Al Futtaim Fashions portfolio. Tremendous demand for both brands is anticipated this year with an aggressive rollout of new stores planned throughout the region.

In early 2013, Majid Al Futtaim Fashion announced a joint ventures agreement with the leading American retailer and casual wear clothing brand, Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (A&F), with respect to its Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch brands. The agreement is to develop Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitchs presence within the UAE, further supporting the brands international growth. As Abercrombie & Fitch Co.s first physical foray into the Middle East, the landmark joint venture partnership with Majid Al Futtaim Fashion should significantly broaden A&Fs regional potential across the GCC, further adding to the regions offering of exceptional market leading international brands.