Senior Merchandiser

Hunkemöller is looking for a highly analytical, commercial and proactive Senior Merchandiser / Planner to join our dynamic Merchandising function. Working in close partnership with the Buyer, you will have end-to-end commercial ownership of your department, shaping and delivering the assortment strategy to achieve sales growth, stock efficiency, markdown control and profitability across all channels.

Your tasks

Product Strategy & Range Planning

• Develop and own the Departmental product and assortment strategy in close collaboration with Buying and Design
• Build balanced, customer relevant collections aligned to brand strategy, market insights and commercial objectives
• Define and own the Department’s merchandise framework, including option plan, width and depth, pricing, colour and trend direction

Financial Planning & WSSI Ownership

• Accountable for the commercial planning of the Department, including annual, half year and quarterly plans
• Own and govern the WSSI, ensuring accurate forecasting, reforecasting and forward visibility of sales, stock, intake, markdown and profitability
• Present clear, detailed insights, risks and opportunities to the Leadership Team as required

Stock, OTB & In-Season Trading

• Plan and manage departmental stock levels across all customer touchpoints: Own Stores, Own Ecommerce and Concession partners
• Own Open to Buy management and in season trading, proactively identifying and acting on risks and opportunities to maximize sales and margin
• Lead markdown, promotional and exit strategies, including identifying, costing and presenting recommendations to Senior Management
• Drive actions to reduce terminal stock and improve stock health

Range Architecture, Sizing & Distribution

• Own option, width and depth decisions, informed by historical performance, store space, channel needs and company strategy
• Optimise the Department’s sizing strategy, reflecting differences across countries, product shapes and market opportunities
• Collaborate closely with Branch Merchandising to ensure distribution strategies maximise opportunity across store formats, grades and segments

Trading, Analysis & Performance Management

• Lead weekly trading analysis, running and interpreting sales, stock and intake reports to drive clear trading actions
• Maintain a strong grip on commercial levers in all trading scenarios, balancing growth, stock risk and profitability
• Review forward commitments against current performance, taking decisive action to maximise opportunities and mitigate risk

Leadership, Development & Ways of Working

• Lead, coach and develop the Assistant Merchandiser and MAA, providing clear direction on daily, weekly and longer-term priorities
• Identify and drive individual development plans in partnership with L&D and your line manager
• Actively drive continuous improvement, introducing smarter ways of working, planning and reporting and seeing these through to implementation

Projects & Cross Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with key stakeholders across Buying, Design, Finance, Supply Chain, Branch Merchandising and Ecommerce
• Participate in wider business projects as required

Our Ideal Candidate

• Has at least 5 years’ experience in Merchandising / Planning within a fast paced fashion retail environment
• Demonstrates strong commercial acumen, with excellent analytical, communication and stakeholder management skills
• Confident working with commercial and BI tools (e.g. SAP BW, MicroStrategy, Business Objects), with intermediate advanced Excel/Office skills
• Comfortable owning complex data, driving insight and influencing decisions at senior level
• Enjoys working collaboratively and building strong cross functional relationships
• Passionate about fashion retail and thrives in a dynamic, energetic environment
• Fluent in English, written and spoken

What we offer

• 25 days of annual leave, with the option to buy or sell up to 4 additional days
• Hybrid work model, combining office and remote working
• Possibility to work from abroad for up to 2 weeks per year
• An international work environment, working with teams across different countries
• Travel allowance to support commuting costs
• Access to the Hunkemöller Academy for professional development
• 25% employee discount on all Hunkemöller products