Merchandising Director

**_Welcome to Warner Bros. Discoverythe stuff dreams are made of._**

**Who We Are **

When we say, “the stuff dreams are made of,” we’re not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD’s vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the _storytellers_ bringing our characters to life, the_ creators_ bringing them to your living rooms and the _dreamers_ creating what’s next

From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.

**Your New Role**

As the Merchandising Director for Warner Bros. Tours & Retail, you will lead our Merchandising team, ensuring that we optimise our business through the effective management of stock. In order to achieve this, you will liaise with vendors, suppliers & logistics teams, forecast & plan future order volumes and work with key stakeholders to refine the range and continuously improve products, availability and margin.

**Your Role Accountabilities**
- Drive the team to exceed KPI targets (sales, margins, availability, stock forward cover).
- closely with the Buying and Design Director as well as the warehousing & logistics teams to ensure stock availability across all locations at the required times for smooth product flow whilst monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) for the Tours & Retail business.
- Negotiate and manage relationships with key licensees and suppliers, addressing costs, availability, discounts, exclusivity windows, commercial terms and delivery expectations.
- Engage with various retail stakeholders, including buying teams, store operations, E-commerce, and marketing teams, as well as wider licensing business stakeholders, such as the Tour leadership team, finance, logistics, and legal.
- Develop financial plans for new categories, products, and ranges, document current processes and recommending improvements for product development.
- Assess Warner Bros. Consumer Products suppliers and licensees, adding desirable ranges from the wider market to drive market and product expansion.
- Utilise data to drive decision-making processes and develop a deep understanding of fan nuances and trends across diverse markets as well as regularly reviewing the product range, seeking opportunities for innovation and removing underperforming items.
- Undertake competitor benchmarking and regularly assess price architecture and industry trends for range incorporation.
- Monitor slow-moving inventory (SMI) and suggest liquidation strategies.
- Champion sustainability within the product range.
- Establish connections with new suppliers to enhance range and margins as well as localising product availability for each market and channel.

**Qualifications & Experience**
- Proven merchandising experience in a multi-channel, multi-site retail environment, ideally with experience in fashion, homewares and/or souvenirs
- Experience operating across time zones with experience across international markets
- Demonstrable people management experience, including maintaining team and employee relations.
- IT Literacy with advanced Excel skills
- Commercial mindset with numerical proficiency

**Working Pattern**

On occasion we may request working hours at weekends, on public or bank holidays, during school holidays and late evenings, to support our wider retail business.

Because we are agile, a high level of flexibility is required to suit the needs of the business. This will include international travel, and store visits across our territories.

**How We Get Things Done**

**Championing Inclusion at WBD