Merchandiser

Established in 1981 with a single store in the Northwest of England, the JD Group is a leading omni-channel retailer of Sports Fashion, Outdoors and Gyms with our colleagues working in stores across several retail fascias in many markets around the world. JD Sports Fashion Plc was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1996 and has been a FTSE100 publicly quoted company since 2019 and continues to grow in the UK and internationally. We want to be the leading global omnichannel retailer in the sports and outdoor industry. To be a part of this successful company and help us to achieve this you will have the desire to ingrain our strategic goals of being a people-led, innovative and customer-focused organisation which provides operational excellence whilst identifying new areas of growth as part of our day to day objectives. Merchandiser – Outdoors Location: JD Group HQ (Bury, Greater Manchester) Department: Buying Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent Role Overview To lead the team across all channels to deliver Sales, Markdown, Stock, Intake and Profit Plans. Be influential in the implementing of change to achieve company goals/objectives. As a Merchandiser at JD Outdoors, you will drive sales, profit, and stock efficiency across outdoor categories. Collaborating with the Buying team, you'll ensure the right products are in the right locations, at the right time, and in the right quantities to maximise performance. You will analyse sales data, stock levels, and market trends to make decisions that optimise product availability and minimise markdowns. With a focus on range planning, forecasting, and trading, you'll support strategies that align customer demand with business goals. Working closely with Buyers, Allocators, and suppliers, you will manage the critical path, ensure smooth product flow, and respond swiftly to sales opportunities. Your commercial awareness, analytical skills, and problem-solving will help JD Outdoors deliver an inspiring, market-leading offer that drives brand growth. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced retail environment, enjoys working with data, and is results-driven. What You'll Be Doing: Planning

• Drive the review of the previous season and capture lessons learned
• Drive the strategy for the department and present
• Review the SMT plan at Buyer Group/Season annually and apply plan at Category/Season level to meet the Buyer Group/Season plan
• Quarterly plan at Category/Season level with the Buyer to submit a plan on the System that reflects the best possible mix of product to deliver the KPI's
• Attend selection/pre-selection meetings with the Buyer and suppliers
• Plan the pre-scheduling to meet the range plan – in conjunction with Assistant Merchandisers
• Overview the ratios for all buys in conjunction with merchandise teams.
• Ensure that the Buy matches the plan Buy
• Be responsible for the pushing of the business forward through proposing new ways of working and planning and be the driving force in implementing
• Ensures Buying and Merchandising plans tie in with financial stock targets (sales, stock and intake)
• Ensures supplier terms are utilised to hit company targets. Trading
• Review weekly trading performance and achieved KPI's, identifying Issues and the course of action in preparation for the weekly trading meetings
• Propose and agree actions to recover risk and maximise opportunities with the Buyer at category and line level.
• Monthly – Capture all agreed actions in the monthly forecast reviews
• Work up the forecast from category/Season level to Buyer Group
• Meet and gain approval: Incorporating
• Forecasting any sales variance to plan
• Creation of OTB's
• Management of commitments – On time delivery, rebuys cancellations
• Markdown proposals
• Manage the range plan in Season reflecting any changes
• Create and manage/monitor sell out dates against all products
• Manage Intake at category and line level Teamwork
• Work with the Buyer to deliver the plan
• Guide and direct the Merchandising Team to help deliver the plan
• Work closely with the multi-channel team to help deliver the plan.
• Establish working relationships with Store Operations, Visuals, Marketing, Finance DC etc.
• Team development right up to Merchandiser helping the business to facilitate internal promotion/strengthening of the teams.
• Work with online marketing executives to optimise the website. Key Deliverables
• Attend all Systems courses to enable full utilisation of the System
• Adhere to the Merchandise Calendar delivery plans and forecasts as required
• Focus on Training and developing your team 'On-The-Job'
• Achieve company Sales, Margins, and stock plans. Skills/Experience/Knowledge:
• Previous experience in merchandising, planning, or a similar commercial retail role (outdoor retail experience desirable but not essential).
• Strong understanding of stock management, forecasting, and critical path processes.
• Commercially astute with awareness of market trends, competitor activity, and customer buying behaviours.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and comfortable working with large data sets.
• Strong numerical, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Experience using merchandising or retail planning systems.
• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with confidence in liaising with suppliers and internal teams.
• A proactive, solution-focused approach with the ability to react quickly to changing circumstances.
• Passionate about retail, product, and the outdoor sector, with a drive to deliver results The Company: At GO Outdoors our purpose is strong and clear; "to inspire and equip everyone for life outdoors". That's because we passionately believe in the positive benefits of the outdoors, whether that be the daily dog walk or hiking Ben Nevis, horse riding or cold-water therapy, we provide the best equipment for all outdoor activities, always at the best price guaranteed Our values aren't just posters on the wall, we live them every day; 'One Team 'we are stronger together', 'Responsibility 'we take ownership', 'Passion 'we believe in what we do' and 'Integrity 'we do the right thing'. Clear values which help us to fulfil our mission to be 'the nations favourite outdoor retailer'. We know our colleagues work tirelessly to make JD Sports the success it is today and in turn, we offer them some amazing benefits including staff Discount On JD Group and other brands within the organisation and personal development opportunities to learn and develop at work. Thank you for your time #JD