Head of Merchandising, based Waltham Abbey (hybrid). Salary £80k p.a. + many benefits.
Leading the category merchandising team, creating and delivering the category range and trade plans to deliver sales, profit, stock and availability targets. Join our pack and help us create a tail-wagging shopping experience for our customers!
The BenefitsIn return for your skills and experience as a Head of Merchandising, we offer you the following:
- Competitive salary of £80k p.a.
- Company bonus scheme of 20% of salary based on achieving objectives
- Generous 50% colleague discount on Jollyes products and discounts on additional services (e.g. dog grooming, community pet clinic)
- Employee Reward Scheme (discounts and cash back on hundreds of retailers and service providers)
- Employee Assistance Programme (discounts and cash back on various medical & mental health services)
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, plus additional leave for your wedding or civil partnership, new pet arrival and your birthday off!
Further benefits on completion of probationary period:
- Critical Illness & Life Assurance schemes
- Private Medical Insurance
- Company pension scheme
The Role - Head of Merchandising
This role sits within our Commercial team and will play a crucial part in the Jollyes growth journey. Sharing your expertise with your team, you'll drive the category strategy review process, signing off budgets for sales, margin and stock, and devise and be accountable for our omni-channel promotional plan. Working closely with our Head of Buying to implement product strategy and ensure that the product mix is in line with the plan and reviewed regularly.
A full job description is available on request, but to summarise your key responsibilities:
- Develop and lead a high performing team to deliver financial targets, accurate sales and quantum profit budgets for the business and work with the buying team developing commercial ranges.
- Oversee timely delivery of stock to stores to meet launch and promotional timelines
- Work with the marketing team to ensure all POS, price tickets and promotional material is correct and supports the merchandise strategy.
- Forecast and manage budgets effectively, maximise sales and margin densities across all stores
- Review and respond to weekly trading results and competitor actions, ensuring price is competitive and profitable
- Own and track the ranging process (including range changes), safeguarding adherence to the critical path diligence
- Ensure the team identify and action markdown and clearance requirements to ensure clear down of end of range lines.
- Sign off category trade and events plan (and associated sales and margin targets), adapting the plan in response to market changes
- Support the roll out of new systems and processes to drive continuous improvement in the business
This is a hybrid role enabling some working from home with office days in our Waltham Abbey office. Our office is pet friendly so you'll likely meet some colleague's four legged friends.
The Skills - Head of Merchandising
Here at Jollyes we have a vast range of products across several categories. To be successful in this role, you'll need the following skills, experience and qualities:
- Experience of managing a merchandising function in a 'Head of' or equivalent level role, within a similar national retail business.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, building relationships with internal and external partners and able to challenge the thinking of people at all levels
- People management skills, effective leadership, development and performance management skills
- Commercially astute with strong analytical skills and ability to influence P&L management
- Experience of managing margins, understanding profit levers, forecasting, budgeting and WSSI management
- Adept at formulating merchandising strategy with the detail of taking products from purchase to shop floor, to exit.
- An ability to understand complex, multi-layered business scenarios and able to identify opportunities to improve process or proposition and influence retail teams
- Full driving licence and own transport. Some travel would also be necessary to visit our retail stores as required for your role for which we would pay mileage expenses.
- Share our values of being: Wise, Focused, Genuine, Eager, Together
It would be helpful if you were a 'pet person' to more closely understand the needs of our customers and their pets.
About Jollyes - The Pet People
Since initially making paw prints in 1971, Jollyes has become one of the largest pet superstore chains across the United Kingdom & Northern Ireland. From a community-led in-store experience to an ever-flourishing online presence, there's over 50 years of experience and over 100 stores between our paws.
It's not just products we offer; our customers enjoy affordable grooming thanks to The Jolly Groomer and veterinary services at our Community Pet Clinics.
Our recent recognition at the Pet Industry Federation (PIF) Awards is a real testament to our dedication to pet parents, and we're very proud of being named 'Pet Retail Chain of the Year 2023' and also delighted to win the Retail Week award for Best Retailer (under £250m t/o) in 2024. We're proud of our 4.8 star rating on Trust Pilot which reflects our colleagues' passion to give our pets and their parents fantastic service. We're equally proud of our 4* rating on Glass Door, the employer review site which reflects our colleagues' opinions that we're a good place to work! We've also been listed in the 'Sunday Times Great Places to Work' which we're thrilled about!
To Apply:
If you're looking for a career with a company who will truly value you and recognize your contribution with some fantastic rewards and benefits, where you can really make a difference, click to apply today!
Respectfully no agencies please