Experienced Merchandiser Required – Retail Stores/Online Sales

Well-established highly successful retail chain with varied multiple stores selling a wide variety of high-quality products & gifts

Location: Edinburgh

Salary: Around £35,000 plus various benefits

My client is looking for an experienced Merchandiser to ensure that products appear in the right store, or on a website, at the appropriate time and in the correct quantities, working closely with the buying teams to accurately forecast trends, plan stock levels and monitor performance, deciding how much money should be spent, how many lines should be bought, and in what quantities.

The successful candidate will set prices to maximise profits and manage the performance of ranges, planning promotions and markdowns as necessary as well as overseeing delivery & distribution of stock, liaising with suppliers.

What we are looking for/Responsibilities:

:

• Previous experience as a Merchandiser within the retail sector – stores & online sales – gifts, souvenirs, clothing, food or liquor gifts
• Experience of planning product ranges and preparing sales and stock plans in conjunction with buyers
• Ability to liaise with buyers, analysts, stores, suppliers and distributors
• Ability to maintain a comprehensive library of appropriate data
• Able to work closely with visual-display staff and department heads to decide how goods should be displayed to maximise sales
• Produce layout plans for stores
• Regularly forecast profits and sales, and optimising the sales volume and profitability of designated product areas
• Planning budgets and presenting sales forecasts and figures for new ranges
• Controlling stock levels based on forecasts for the season
• The ability to use specialist computer software, for example to handle sales statistics, produce sales projections and present spreadsheets and graphs
• Responsibility for analysing every aspect of bestsellers (for example, the bestselling price points, colours, products or styles) and ensuring that they reach their full potential
• Maintaining awareness of competitors' performance
• Monitoring slow sellers and taking action to reduce prices or set promotions as necessary
• Gathering information on customers' reactions to products
• Analysing the previous season's sales and reporting on the current season's lines
• Presenting financial info to senior managers
• Accompanying buyers on visits to manufacturers to appreciate production processes;
• Meeting with suppliers and managing the distribution of stock, by negotiating cost prices, ordering stock, agreeing timescales and delivery dates and completing the necessary paperwork.
• Identifying production and supply difficulties and dealing with any problems or delays as they arise.
• Managing, training and supervising newer team members.

The starting salary for this role is up to £35,000 depending on experience plus a variety of benefits and multiple discounts.