Next Plc
Trainee Merchandiser - Talent Pipeline
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About the Role
Be Brave. Be You. Be NEXT.
Future talent applications!
Ready to start your career journey? We have roles with varied start dates. Join our Future Talent Pipeline today, secure your official offer now, and step into your dream role the second it opens up!
Our Future Talent Pipeline allows you to complete our assessment process and receive a conditional offer ahead of time, ensuring you are the first in line when our next position opens.
We are opening our applications for those looking to join us on a full-time permanent basis.
Merchandising - a head for numbers but a heart for fashion!
- Do you love trends and talking to people all over the world?
- Do you thrive on transforming complex sales data and inventory figures into clear, actionable insights that drive product success?
- Are you passionate about analysis, trading, managing stock, and relationship development? We are looking for amazing people who can interpret data and use this talent to work with our Buyers and Designers to build and trade trend-driven product ranges for our customers.
The Scheme
You will start your 12 - 18-month training program on one of our ‘Product’ teams - Womenswear, Menswear, Childrenswear, Home or on our Brands team (who work with a portfolio of over 750 brands).
With support from your team, you will learn the skills required to progress within our Merchandising function. Responsibility comes early and you will be looking after millions of pounds worth of stock from day one!
You will receive regular feedback from your Merchandise team who will coach and develop you throughout the scheme, supporting you in reaching your goals.
Once you are ready to take the next step, you will be promoted to Assistant Merchandiser!
Day-to-day you will be...
- Negotiating, ordering, and managing the intake of stock from suppliers all over the world
- Updating our product systems with the correct delivery dates and shipment modes
- Reviewing historical and current sales to forecast what stock we need for the future
- Attending range building and selection meetings and using your knowledge to influence how future ranges look
It's all about collaboration and great teamwork! You will be working alongside our creative Buyers and Designers using data to influence what our NEXT product ranges look like. You will learn to trade those ranges, reacting to what our customers are telling us they love, then working with our global supplier base to get the stock to our customers when they want it.
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Alongside this, you will be closely managing stock levels to maximize sales and minimize our markdown risk, potentialising profitability.
It's fast-paced, exciting, challenging, and very rewarding!
About You
Are you the kind of person who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment? Do you excel at juggling a wide range of tasks while maintaining impeccable organization? If so, you might be the perfect fit for our team. We’re looking for someone who is not just a great communicator but a relationship builder, someone who can effortlessly connect with both colleagues and clients.
Your analytical skills are sharp; you can interpret data with ease and spot opportunities that others might miss. Numbers don’t intimidate you—in fact, you have a solid understanding of percentages and how they impact our goals. In our bustling workplace, your approachable nature and team spirit make you a go-to person, fostering collaboration and positivity. You’re driven and decisive, always aiming to make a meaningful impact. If this sounds like you, then you’re exactly who we need to help take our team to the next level.
As part of your application, please include a cover letter detailing the below:
- Why should Next offer you a role as a Trainee Merchandiser?
- What skills and interests do you have that relate to the Trainee Merchandiser role?
- Why are you interested in joining Next?
At Next, we embrace technology and innovation, but we want to see the real you! A generic AI response won't help you stand out from the crowd and may hinder your application.
We appreciate you might want to use Gen AI to help structure your responses, and check for grammar and spelling but the content needs to reflect your unique self, your passion, and your understanding of the role.
Sponsorship
NEXT has assessed the role advertised and based on current UKVI criteria, the Merchandiser/Buyer role is not eligible for skilled worker sponsorship. If you hold a Visa that allows you to complete the training, NEXT will be unable to sponsor you at the conclusion of the training, and expects that you will have alternative Immigration status to take up the role.
At NEXT, we believe the best work happens when there are no barriers to collaboration. That’s why we are a Google-powered workspace. From your very first day, you’ll be using the full Google Workspace suite; Docs, Drive, and Meet, to stay connected and move fast.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
If your previous experience is rooted in other software suites, don’t worry! We’ll point you to a digital Google toolkit the moment you join, packed with handy guides and insider tips to help you transition smoothly and hit the ground running.
Be Brave. Be You. Be NEXT.
#LI-Onsite
You Know Next
But did you know we’re a FTSE-100 retail company employing over 44,000 people across the Next group. We’re the UK’s 2nd largest fashion retailer and for Kidswear, we’re the market leader. At the last count, we have over 450 stores, plus the Next Online, and it’s now possible to buy online from over 80 countries around the world! So we’ve gone global!
- 25% off most NEXT, MADE*, Lipsy*, Gap* and Victoria's Secret* products (*when purchased through NEXT)
- Company performance-based bonus
- Sharesave scheme
- On-site Nursery available; OFSTED outstanding in all areas
- 10% off most partner brands & up to 15% off Branded Beauty
- Early VIP access to sale stock
- Access to fantastic discounts at our Staff Shops
- Restaurants with great food at amazing prices
- Access a digital GP and other free health and wellbeing services
- Free on-site parking
- Financial Wellbeing - Save, track, and enhance your financial wellbeing
- Apprenticeship - Grow and develop on the job whilst gaining a qualification
- Direct to Work - Discount online and instore, collect your items the next day for free from your place of work or local store
- Support Networks - Access to Network Groups to empower and celebrate each other
- Wellhub - Discounted flexible monthly gym memberships, with apps, PT sessions, and more
Conditions apply to all benefits. These benefits are discretionary and subject to change.
We aim to support all candidates during the application process and are happy to provide workplace adjustments when necessary. Should you need support with your application due to a disability or long-term condition, feel free to get in touch with us by email headoffice_careers@next.co.uk (please include 'Workplace Adjustments' in the subject line), or call us on 0116 284 2486 and leave a voicemail.
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