Pets at Home Limited
Senior Merchandise Planner
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Hybrid
We welcome applications from those looking for hybrid working, based 2-3 days per week in our Handforth (Cheshire) Office
In this senior and strategically critical role, you will help to lead the merchandise planning function while also driving key cross-functional projects that shape our commercial success. You will be responsible for delivering a robust range strategy, ensuring optimal stock levels to maximise sales, profit, and customer satisfaction. As a senior leader, you will influence decision-making across the business, lead complex initiatives, and develop a high-performing team to deliver excellence.
Key Responsibilities
Merchandise Planning Leadership
- Working closely with the Head of Merchandise Planning to drive the merchandise planning strategy for Accessories, ensuring alignment with financial objectives and customer expectations.
- Key lead in the Weekly trading Activities and reporting to help drive the Accessories Trade plan.
- Accountable for the Accessories WSSI and OTB management, delivering accurate forecasting and clear communication of risks and opportunities.
- Partner with Head of Category and head of Merchandise planning, to shape range architecture and lifecycle planning, ensuring commercial and financial alignment.
- Lead the sign-off processes with Option frameworks, volume forecast and robust analysis with KPI setting to support senior-level decision-making.
- Drive strategic stock planning and optimisation to deliver availability, sales growth, and margin protection.
- Oversee exit strategies to minimise terminal stock and maximise profitability.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Project Leadership & Delivery
- A key Support for a cross-functional project related to range launches, promotional planning, and critical path adherence.
- Challenge and govern CPA timelines, ensuring effective collaboration across Buying, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Trading teams.
- Champion flawless execution of new ranges and promotional activity, delivering “right first time” outcomes.
- Act as a key sponsor or lead for strategic initiatives that impact commercial performance and operational efficiency.
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, coach and develop a team of Merchandise planners and Supply planners, building capability and fostering a high-performance culture.
- Promote continuous improvement, innovation, and collaboration across the planning function and wider business.
About You
- Proven experience in Senior or Merchandise Manager planning roles, with exposure to project leadership or cross-functional programme delivery.
- Ideally, currently operating at a management level, with Junior or Merchandise planners as your direct reports.
- Strong strategic and commercial acumen, with the ability to balance profitability, customer focus, and operational efficiency.
- Exceptional analytical and numeracy skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights and influence senior stakeholders.
- A natural leader, able to inspire, coach, and develop talent while fostering collaboration across Commercial, Supply Chain, and wider teams.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with a track record of delivering results through others.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
We take our inspiration from pets in embracing people from all walks of life, and we value, respect and celebrate difference. We encourage our people to be their best selves so that we can create a better world for Pets, our Planet, and People. Our ambition is to reflect the diversity of the communities we operate in, and we are intentional in addressing and removing barriers to create opportunities for the exceptional talent and potential in our communities. Even if your skills and experience don’t perfectly align, if you think you can make a unique contribution through your values and behaviours, we want to hear from you.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills