The Works Stores Ltd
Merchandiser - Maternity Cover (FTC)
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Location
Hybrid: 1-2 days at our Support Centre in Coleshill, Birmingham.
Why The Works?
We don’t just sell products.
We inspire reading, learning, creativity and play.
The Works. It literally means everything. And whatever your story or background, we’re all about unlocking imagination and making creativity accessible to everyone. Whether you’re engaging with customers on the frontline or supporting our colleagues behind the scenes, your impact can be profound and far-reaching.
This is more than toys and books and art supplies. This is about inspiring people to read, learn, create and play. So, with the right passion, it all starts with you.
Become a Merchandiser
As a Merchandiser, you play a crucial role in ensuring that the right products are available at the right time, in the right place, and in the right quantities. Using data and insight, you plan and manage stock effectively to drive sales, protect margins, and contribute to strong commercial performance.
You collaborate closely with Buyers, Planners, and suppliers to build well-balanced ranges that meet customer demand while remaining commercially sound. From planning new launches to reviewing performance and adjusting forecasts, your decisions directly influence both the customer experience and overall business success.
By keeping a close eye on trends, identifying opportunities and risks, and maintaining smooth stock flow, you help create a consistent and engaging product offer that supports our wider purpose. Your ability to interpret data and shape strategic decisions ensures we continue to deliver a compelling product range that keeps customers returning and drives long-term growth.
Your Mission
- Oversee timely delivery of stock: Ensure stock reaches the warehouse on time, maximising availability and aligning with agreed KPIs and timelines across all channels.
- Support on-time delivery: Drive the achievement of merchandising milestones within the critical path, addressing issues swiftly and negotiating confidently with suppliers to ensure smooth operations.
- Manage stock budgets effectively: Maintain the right stock levels throughout the year, especially during peak periods like new launches, Christmas, and promotions, ensuring the business is always ready to deliver.
- Take responsibility for order management: Ensure all orders stay within the set parameters and align with the critical path, helping to keep everything running efficiently.
- Own and optimise forecasts: Take charge of category, range, and SKU-level forecasts to ensure sales, stock holding, margin, and availability are maximised to support business success.
- Maintain WSSI and line card management: Update and manage the WSSI, with experience in OTB and budget management, ensuring stock and finances stay aligned with business goals.
- Collaborate on product range planning: Work closely with the Buyer (and Senior Merchandiser) to present compelling product ranges, factoring in budget, space, ranking, buy quantities, and intake phasing.
- Support range and promotional analysis: Use attribute analysis to drive insightful recommendations for range reviews and promotional strategies, ensuring we’re always ahead of the market.
- Analyse weekly trading performance: Identify challenges and opportunities, providing clear, actionable insights to maximise profitability and optimise product performance.
- Deliver sales in line with strategy: Drive sales in accordance with the budget and strategic objectives, ensuring the business continues to meet its targets.
- Coach and develop your team: Inspire and develop your direct reports, helping them reach their full potential and boosting overall performance across the team.
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Skills/Behaviours That Will Set You Apart
- Strong Analytical Skills: The ability to interpret data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to optimise stock, sales, and availability.
- Attention to Detail: Accuracy in managing stock levels, orders, and forecasts, ensuring that everything aligns with business needs and customer demand.
- Commercial Awareness: Understanding the bigger picture of the business, knowing how sales, margin, and stock influence performance, and aligning your actions with company goals.
- Organisation & Time Management: Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines effectively, especially during busy periods, while maintaining high standards.
- Effective Communication: Clear and confident communication with internal teams (e.g., Buyers, Planners) and external suppliers to ensure smooth processes.
- IT Proficiency: Strong knowledge of Microsoft Excel (or other data analysis tools) and merchandising systems to track performance and make informed decisions.
- Team Collaboration: A team player who works well with others, whether it’s within the merchandising team or across departments like buying, logistics, and marketing.
- Adaptability: Flexible and adaptable, able to adjust plans and strategies based on changing market conditions or customer trends.
Our PERKS really are ‘The Works’
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- 💪 25% Colleague Discount! - Plus, exclusive Double Discount days!
- 😎 MyWorks - Access exclusive online discounts across hundreds of retailers, holidays, utilities deals, tech and more
- 🏡 Family Friendly Leave - Enjoy some time well spent with enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay.
- 🚀 Holiday – 33 days including bank holidays.
- 💃 Holiday Purchase - Purchase an additional 5 days
- 🎓 Can-Do Academy - Grow your skills and career with instant access to further training and development in areas that interest you.
- 💸 Stream - Claim early access to 50% of your wages as you earn them – for when ‘life’ happens!
- 🏬 Share Scheme - Unleash your inner Monopoly mogul and own a piece of The Works!
- 💛 24/7 support for you and your family - Through our partnership with the Retail Trust who provide an Employee Assistance Programme and so much more!
- 🩺 Healthcare Cash Plan – To support your everyday healthcare costs
- 🥳 And loads more! – Long Service Awards, pension, life assurance, Cycle to Work and optional charity giving.
Our Purpose
To inspire reading, learning, creativity and play 💛💙
Our Values
- We are Crafty 🎨 | Smart with what we've got.
- We are Caring 💛 | Heart in every action.
- We are Can-do 🚀| Energy that gets it done.
We Listen. We Care
Each year, we run an anonymous colleague engagement survey. This is so important for us to hear your feedback and suggestions. We want to know what’s going great, and what needs a couple of tweaks to help make The Works the best place you’ve ever worked! You’ll have opportunity to help give us that direction.
Promoting Diversity, Inclusion, and Applying Reasonable Adjustments
At The Works, we are proud to have an inclusive culture where everyone truly feels able to be themselves. Our roles are open to all, including under-represented groups such as ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, carers & members of the LGBTQ+ community (including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bi, trans, non-binary, or use another term).
We are open to discussions around working hours and flexible working. And, where possible, we'll try to support this. If you need reasonable adjustments for an interview you might attend with us, let us know in your application and we’ll be happy to help!
We don’t just sell products. We inspire reading, learning, creativity and play.
Because when people spend time doing what they love, it’s Time Well Spent.
And with the right passion - It All Starts With You.
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