Head of Merchandising

About the role...

Are you a commercially driven leader with a passion for retail and a proven track record in merchandising? Poundland is seeking an experienced Head of Merchandising to join our dynamic team.

This is a fantastic opportunity to significantly impact one of the UK's largest value retailers, leading an established merchandising team and collaborating closely with buying, finance, and supply chain functions.

We uphold three core behaviours that guide all our actions:

Love Our Customers: We strive to delight our customers, listening and responding to their needs because they are our priority.

Care for Our Colleagues: We support each other to foster a workplace where everyone can thrive.

Protect Our Pounds/Euros: We are committed to cost-efficiency and value, ensuring every penny counts.

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.

Why choose us?

• Professional development: A comprehensive induction plan and the opportunity to complete in-house development programmes to set you up for success or to pursue QUALIFICATION through our apprenticeship programme.
• Bonus Potential: Unlock the possibility of earning additional bonuses, rewarding your hard work and achievements.
• Car Allowance: Enjoy the advantage of a car allowance, allowing you to choose your own vehicle while reducing commuting costs.
• Free On-Site Parking: Enjoy the convenience of free parking, making your daily commute hassle-free.
• Onsite Coffee Lounge: Take advantage of our onsite coffee lounge, a perfect space to relax and recharge during breaks.
• Exclusive Store Discounts: Receive a 10% discount on most in-store purchases, enhancing your shopping experience.
• Family-Friendly Benefits: Our comprehensive benefits are designed to support your and your family’s needs.
• My Staff Shop: Gain exclusive discounts through our ‘My Staff Shop’ portal, saving on various products and services.
• Life Assurance Cover: Enjoy peace of mind with our life assurance cover, securing your family’s future.
• Health & Wellbeing Programme: Benefit from an employee assistance programme that supports your health and wellbeing.
• Generous Holiday Allowance: Start with a generous leave entitlement of 33 days per year, with the option to buy additional holidays annually. Celebrate your special day off work every year with an extra day of holiday because we believe birthdays are important.
• Pension Scheme: Plan for the future with our contributory pension scheme, helping you save for a secure retirement.

Your Impact and Responsibilities…

As Head of Merchandising, you will:

• Develop and implement customer-centric and profitable merchandise strategies for General Merchandise categories.
• Collaborate with the buying team to curate and manage product assortments that align with customer needs and company objectives.
• Lead and manage the merchandising team, driving high performance through coaching, mentoring, and development.
• Oversee category budget setting, including sales, margin, stocks, and options.
• Establish and implement robust merchandising processes that streamline operations and enhance efficiency.
• Take ownership of decision-making processes, driving continuous improvement and strategic growth initiatives.

Skills and Knowledge…

We are looking for a strategic thinker who brings the following:

• Strong merchandising planning skills with the ability to develop and implement effective strategies.
• Experience in general merchandise or clothing retail, with a clear understanding of customer trends and commercial performance.
• Proven success in working cross-functionally with key stakeholders, including finance, operations, and supply chain.
• Exceptional leadership skills with a track record of developing high-performing teams.
• Strong communication and influencing abilities to work effectively at all levels of the organisation.
• Current Head of Merchandising experience or a highly experienced Senior Merchandiser ready for the next step in their career.

If you're you're excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of merchandising at Poundland, we'd love to hear from you!

About us...

Since our humble beginnings in 1990, Poundland has evolved into a retail powerhouse with over 900 stores and nearly 18,000 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. Our behaviours and the hard work, commitment and passion of our wonderful colleagues 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 keep us on track. They are Love our customers, Care for our colleagues, and Protect the Pounds and Euros. By living our behaviours every day, we've created a land that is fun, friendly, and full of surprises—a place where our people can truly be the best versions of themselves!