Merchandise Planner - 12 Month FTC

Hybrid: We welcome applications from those looking for hybrid working, based 3 days per week in our Handforth Office.

Contract: 12 Month FTC

About the Role

As Merchandise Planner for our Dog Toys category, you'll play a key role in shaping the future of one of our most high-profile product areas. Partnering closely with the Senior Buyer, you'll help define and deliver the category strategy, using customer, market and trading insights to build compelling ranges that drive sales, profitability and customer engagement.

This is a highly commercial role with a strong strategic focus. You'll lead the planning and forecasting process, using data and trend analysis to inform range decisions, stock investment and long-term category plans. From supporting range reviews and range-building sessions through to managing stock, markdowns, clearance activity and day-to-day trading performance, you'll have end-to-end ownership across the category lifecycle.

Alongside business-as-usual trading, you'll play a key role in wider project and business planning activity, helping to drive continuous improvement and deliver strategic initiatives across the merchandising function. There may also be opportunities for international travel to support supplier and range development activities.

We're looking for someone who can hit the ground running, bring strong commercial judgement, and confidently influence decisions through insight-led recommendations. This is an opportunity to make a real impact within a category that continues to attract significant investment, attention and growth across the business.

Key Responsibilities – What you’ll be doing

• Accountable for WSSI management, ensuring financial targets are met and risks/opportunities are clearly communicated.
• Analyse weekly trading performance, identifying risks and opportunities and providing recommendations to support decision-making.
• Work in partnership with Buyers and Heads of Department to influence range architecture, preparing and presenting range frameworks that align to commercial and financial strategies.
• Lead the sign-off processes with robust analysis and clear KPI setting to support decision-making at a senior level.
• Oversee and challenge CPA timelines, ensuring critical path adherence and effective cross-functional collaboration for seamless launches.
• Champion promotional and new range launches, ensuring flawless execution and delivering “right first time” outcomes.
• Own and lead Sales and stock management across the category,
• Drive strategic stock planning and optimisation to deliver availability and sales growth while protecting margin.
• Drive cost-effective exit strategies, minimising terminal stock and maximising profitability.
• Lead, coach, and develop a junior member of the team, building capability and driving a high-performance culture.

About You

You'll be an experienced Merchandiser with a strong track record of driving category performance through effective planning, forecasting and commercial decision-making. Comfortable operating in a fast-paced retail environment, you'll be equally confident managing day-to-day trading activity and contributing to longer-term strategic plans.

Highly analytical and commercially astute, you're able to translate complex data into clear insights and recommendations, influencing decisions and identifying opportunities to drive sales, profitability and stock efficiency. You'll have experience leading business planning processes, building robust forecasts, and using customer and trading data to shape category strategies.

You'll also be a collaborative leader who enjoys developing talent and building strong relationships across Buying, Supply Chain and wider business teams. With excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, you'll be confident presenting recommendations, challenging constructively, and working in partnership to deliver results.

Most importantly, you'll be someone who thrives in a changing environment, enjoys getting involved in strategic projects, and is excited by the opportunity to shape the future of a key category. If you're looking for a role where you can make a real impact, influence range strategy, and help drive the next phase of growth, we'd love to hear from you.

We take our inspiration from pets in embracing people from all walks of life, and we value, respect and celebrate difference. We encourage our people to be their best selves so that we can create a better world for Pets, our Planet, and People. Our ambition is to reflect the diversity of the communities we operate in, and we are intentional in addressing and removing barriers to create opportunities for the exceptional talent and potential in our communities.

Even if your skills and experience don’t perfectly align, if you think you can make a unique contribution through your values and behaviours, we want to hear from you.