Specialist Sports Group
Inventory & Merchandising Manager
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Inventory & Merchandising Manager
About Specialist Sports Group
Specialist Sports Group is a well-established and expanding sports branding agency, offering a comprehensive suite of sales, marketing, distribution, and creative solutions to multiple performance sports brands. With a notable 30-year partnership with global leader adidas, the group operates from Southampton, England, and employs around 70 personnel across its companies.
The group holds multi-brand distribution responsibilities for various product categories, including Rugby, Hockey, Cricket, Tennis, Padel, Netball, Running, Track & Field, Olympic Sports, Golf, Teamwear, and Athleisure. These categories cater to both top-tier athletes and grassroots enthusiasts.
Specialised sister company Specialist Sports Creation manages the global adidas license for manufacturing apparel, accessories, and hardlines across categories like Rugby, Hockey, and Cricket, supporting broader commercial strategies.
The Role: Inventory & Merchandising Manager
The company is seeking an Inventory & Merchandising Manager to join its team, playing a critical role in shaping inventory strategy and merchandising insights across all categories and channels. This responsibility extends beyond reporting to cross-functional collaboration, translating data into actionable business strategies to drive revenue, optimise inventory productivity, and improve profitability—key factors for sustained growth.
The position ensures inventory planning, pricing, and product strategies are guided by clear, data-driven insights.
Core Responsibilities
Buying Support & Range Planning
- Collaborate with category managers to inform range decisions, buy timing, and depth through data-led insight.
- Partner with the Business Intelligence team to develop buying tools for stock visibility, sales forecasts, and category performance, aiming to introduce an open-to-buy framework.
- Monitor forward order commitments and provide analysis for supplier negotiations, buying reviews, and optimisation of product delivery schedules.
- Help reduce stock holding time in alignment with operations.
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In-Line Product Management
- Ensure high standards of product data quality throughout the in-line period, highlighting discrepancies that impact sales.
- Monitor sell-through rates across categories and channels, addressing underperformance through promotions, reorder decisions, or other interventions.
- Produce trading reports and performance analysis, keeping stakeholders informed about product performance against targets.
Exit Strategy & Clearance
- Assume full responsibility for exit strategy and clearance P&L for all products post an agreed in-line date, crafting clear financial recovery plans.
- Manage clearance P&L tracking, balance markdown spend vs. recovery, and report outcomes to senior leadership.
- Build and negotiate with clearance partners (e.g., sale houses) to maximise recovery.
- Oversee D2C clearance channels (digital and physical) for branded and brand-aligned stock reductions.
- Align clearance schedules with finance and operations for cash flow and warehouse management.
Data & Systems
- Contribute to the development of merchandising dashboards and analytical tools supporting the product lifecycle.
- Leverage Microsoft Fabric and Power BI infrastructure for decision-making.
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Location & Work Arrangements
- Based at the Southampton office with hybrid working options available.
- Contract hours flexible based on mutual agreement.
Key Performance Metrics
- Sell-through rates meeting/exceeding commercial targets across active categories.
- Clearance P&L recovery targets adhered to on exiting inventory.
- Reduction of inventory days in distribution operations.
- Maintained high product data quality in active and exiting ranges.
- Positive feedback from category managers on merchandising contributions.
- Clearance partners and D2C channels delivering optimal recovery outcomes.
Package & Opportunities
This is a commercially impactful, grow-your-own position overseeing the £30m company’s product lifecycle decisions. The role involves building merchandising processes and tools from scratch, engaging with advancements in data infrastructure (Microsoft Fabric, Power BI), and succeeding within a collaborative, flat-organisation environment with clear career progression paths.
About You
- Department: Business Intelligence
- Reports to: Head of Business Intelligence
- Salary Range: £38,000 – £43,000, depending on experience.
How to Apply To apply or inquire further about this role (or others at Specialist Sports), send your CV and a covering letter to joinus@specialistsports.com.
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