Merchandiser - Nike

Talent Acquisition Manager @ The Very Group About us: We are The Very Group and we’re here to help families get more out of life. We know that our customers work hard for their families and have a lot to balance in their busy lives. That’s why we combine amazing brands and products with flexible payment options on Very.co.uk to help them say yes to the things they love. We’re equally passionate about helping our people get more out of life too – building careers with real growth, a sense of purpose, belonging and wellbeing. About the team We’re looking for trend‑aware sports enthusiasts to join our dedicated Nike buying & merchandising team. This is a unique opportunity to work closely with one of the world’s biggest brands, across multiple sports disciplines as well as sport‑style fashion. As part of The Very Sports Team, you will deliver a product offer that our customers will love – while also considering the overall department strategy. Relationship building is essential in this role to ensure you are working closely with your immediate team, the wider Sports Buying Team, the Marketing Team and of course Nike. About the role The Merchandiser focuses on bringing the right product to the right customer at the right time. Working closely with the Buying team, you will build assortment strategies with a focus on ensuring the best possible range for our customers, using internal data, customer history and competitor performance while managing supplier relationships. Day‑to‑day you will be responsible for commercial merchandising activities across planning and trading, and for executing tasks related to the product lifecycle while meeting with and managing the brand relationship with Nike. We’re looking for someone who is highly motivated, detail‑oriented, has strong commercial acumen and a passion for data and analysis. The ideal candidate will either already be working as a Merchandiser or be an established Junior Merchandiser ready for the next level. Key Responsibilities Full ownership of planning and trading Support and coach the Junior Merchandiser and Assistant Merchandiser Ensure departmental framework commercialises the product strategy & delivers business KPI’s Drive the department vision & strategy forward in partnership with internal and external teams Capture & review lessons learned, providing updates to senior management Work alongside buying to place future & in‑season buys Manage an effective pricing approach throughout the product lifecycle to ensure volume and margin are maintained, whilst stocks are managed and aligned to the trading plan Manage and optimise the critical path to effectively fulfil merchandise plans Optimise product lifecycle including replenishment with utilisation of the Forecasting application Develop strong relationships & ways of working Develop current systems and processes to ensure best practice within the team About you We know that our expectations are high, as are our ambitions as a business, so we are aware that one candidate will not have all of the below experience. Established retail professional with strong branded merchandising experience Good knowledge of Excel Strong with numbers – able to produce, analyse and articulate findings from reports Attention to detail Ability to establish relationships, internal & external – working cross‑functionally and collaboratively Desire to understand the Very customer Problem solving / critical thinking Decision‑making skills Ability to prioritise and manage workload Great attitude and willingness to learn Some of our benefits Flexible, hybrid working model Inclusive culture and environment – check out our Glassdoor reviews £1,000 flexible benefits allowance to suit your needs 30 days holiday + bank holidays Udemy learning access Bonus potential (performance and business‑related) Up to 25% discount on Very.co.uk Matched pension up to 6% More benefits can be found on our career site How to apply Please note that the talent acquisition team are managing this vacancy directly, and if successful in securing this role, you will be required to undertake a credit check, CIFAS check, Right to Work checks and, if a specific requirement of your role, a DBS (criminal records) check. If your application progresses, we require you to let the team know if there is anything you need to disclose in relation to any of these checks prior to them being undertaken, including any unspent criminal convictions. What happens next? Our talent acquisition team will be in touch if you’re successful so keep an eye on your emails We’ll arrange a short call to learn more about you, as well as answer any questions you have. If it feels like we’re a good match, we’ll share your CV with the hiring manager to review. Our interview process is tailored to each role and can be in‑person or held remotely. You can expect a one‑stage interview process for this position: 1st stage – A one‑hour formal interview where you can expect both competency and technical questions. This can be held either in‑person or remotely. As an inclusive employer please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments. Equal opportunities We’re an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation. Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level Employment type: Full‑time Job function: Marketing and Sales Industry: Retail #J-18808-Ljbffr