Merchandise Planner

About the opportunity...

Are you a strategic thinker with a passion for maximising sales and margin?

Poundland is seeking a dynamic Merchandise Planner to join our team at our Head Office in Walsall.

In this role, you will be instrumental in planning, controlling, and monitoring the purchase, intake, and distribution of merchandise across our store estate. You will work closely with our Buying function, ensuring that our products are where they need to be, when they need to be, driving sales and customer satisfaction across multiple seasons and countries.

At Poundland, we pride ourselves on our commitment to our colleagues, our customers, and the value we offer. When you join our team, you become part of a company that lives by its values:

Care for our Colleagues: We invest in your growth and development, offering opportunities to advance and build a rewarding career.

Love our Customer: Everything we do is centered around our customers. Your work will directly contribute to enhancing their shopping experience.

Protect the Pound/Euro: We believe in offering great value, and you will play a crucial role in ensuring we maintain our competitive edge.

This role is hybrid working - 3 days in the office per week.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

What you'll be doing...

As a Merchandise Planner at Poundland, your role will be pivotal in ensuring the right products are in the right places at the right times. Your key responsibilities include:

• Achievement of KPIs: You will be responsible for meeting sales, margin, and stock targets within your assigned departments, ensuring that our merchandise strategy aligns with business goals.
• OTB Management: Oversee Open to Buy (OTB) management, ensuring that we balance stock levels with sales demand, maintaining optimum inventory levels.
• WSSI Forecasting: Regularly update and reforecast the Weekly Stock and Sales Inventory (WSSI) tool, ensuring it reflects the most accurate trading position and supports decision-making.
• Range and Availability: Develop and manage range plans, ensuring stock levels meet store and customer demands. You will liaise closely with Supply Chain to manage product flow and availability.
• Analysis and Reporting: Provide in-depth analysis of both historical and current season performance, offering actionable insights to drive sales and improve stock efficiency.
• Strategic Input: Contribute to the development of strategic plans, ensuring that merchandise strategies are aligned with wider business objectives.

What you'll need...

To be successful in this role, you will need to demonstrate the following:

• Commercial Acumen: Strong commercial planning skills with a focus on maximising sales and margin.
• Decision-Making: Proven ability to make informed decisions based on data analysis and business needs.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Drive and Commitment: A proactive and results-driven attitude, with a commitment to achieving targets.
• Technical Skills: Advanced Excel skills and a solid understanding of WSSI, OTB, with the ability to manipulate and analyse large data sets plus range planning tools.
• Experience: A minimum 2-3 years experience in merchandising, including allocation and replenishment.

What can we offer?

• Competitive salary 
• Potential to earn bonus 
• Company car or car allowance
• Personal private medical care cover
• Free on-site car park 
• Onsite coffee lounge
• Discount Card – 10% discount on most purchases in-store
• Family Friendly Benefits
• Loyal Service Awards
• My Staff Shop – exclusive discount portal
• Apprenticeships & Career Development  
• Life Assurance Cover
• Health & Wellbeing – employee assistance programme to support you
• Holiday Allowance – 33 days, along with the option to purchase additional holiday (annually)
• Birthdays are important, so each year, you can take the day off as an extra day’s holiday
• Pension scheme

About us..

Since our humble beginnings in 1990, Poundland has evolved into a retail powerhouse with over 900 stores and nearly 18,500 dedicated colleagues across the UK and Republic of Ireland. The addition of Dealz in 2011 further solidified our presence, enabling us to reach millions of customers with our unparalleled value offerings.

At Poundland & Dealz, we don't just offer products at unbeatable prices; we cultivate an environment where every colleague can thrive and contribute to our mission of providing amazing value to millions of customers. Our commitment to excellence, inclusion, and sustainability forms the foundation of our culture, empowering our team members to be the best versions of themselves while making a meaningful impact on the communities we serve.

It is our behaviours and the hard work, commitment and passion of our wonderful colleagues that make it all possible.

We like to keep things simple, so we have just three behaviours that lie at the heart of everything we do, and they keep us on track.

They are Love our customers, Care for our colleagues and Protect the Pounds & Euros...

By living our behaviours every day, we've created a land which is fun, friendly and full of surprises — a place where our people can truly be the best version of themselves!