Men's Merchandiser

Purpose of Position

To analyse and support the commercial performance of the Manolo Blahnik business across the retail, wholesale and Ecommerce channels. Provide the Head of Merchandising and Senior Leadership with coherent analysis of the commercial process from initial ordering through to retail sell-through of collections for each commercial channel.

Key Responsibilities:

Product Merchandising

• Analyse Men’s market performance, sell in sales, by story, style, functions, material, highlighting best and worst sellers. Identify core & continuity product, highlighting lessons learnt to support future planning decisions.
• Create seasonal range plans based on sell in/out, by channel.
• Manage the seasonal line plans, taking ownership of Collection size (Number of stories and style vs SKU).
• Support with creating engaging training materials that are fit for purpose for use by our Wholesale, Retail and Ecommerce teams - transmitting depth of product knowledge acquired throughout the development process.
• Support with the selling campaign preparation, on editing, catalogue management, and upload to all systems in a timely manner.
• Document and relay of the seasonal "Key styles".
• Constant review of the "Classic cupboard" and carry over styles.
• Conduct seasonal competitive benchmarking and analysis.
• Active knowledge and documenting of market trends.
• Communicate and decide on styles for end of season markdown.
• Ownership of the Men’s Critical path from Development through to Market opening.

Retail

• Weekly/Monthly/Quarterly D2C sales analysis, for classic and seasonal products across the men’s range, by SKU, Channel, and door. 
• Analyses and monitors best and worst sellers and makes informed recommendations for action, including ensuring the stock is in the correct channel for optimum FP sell through.
• Provide regular market analysis including key competitor’s product assortments and price points.
• Management of the NOOS programme, ensuring replenishments are ordered on time, and are in line with current market needs and creative decision.
• Development of retail budgets vs sales plan and sell through, including margin analysis and Mark down.
• Work with HOM AND CCO to create seasonal OTB, and the planning of budgets by category, option count, and depth of buy based on the overall business and financial goals of the company.
• Monitor and maintain stock as per KPI’s set according to OTB.
• Link between all regional teams to ensure alignment on all strategies set.
• Ownership of preparing and uploading the Master Buy documents for D2C and press.
• Ensure alignment of SKUs across each channel, according to KPI’s set and to support campaigns and events.
• Work closely with Retail and Logistics to monitor weekly intake, identifying supply chain issues and finding solutions.
• Review and monitor in-season delivery performance on a product line/store level to promote timely and coherent product stories are delivered wherever possible, flagging potential issues as necessary.

General

• Partner with cross-functional teams, including PD, Production, Marketing & Communications, Ecommerce, Wholesale and Retail.
• Manage day to day queries/problems that arise within the department.
• Producing and analysing information for meetings.
• Presenting figures, providing information and contribute to meetings with senior management.
• Deadline focused - you anticipate and meet all deadlines and are committed to the completion of each task.

Any other tasks as requested. 

Skills and Experience Required:

• Experience in planning or commercial support and development, ideally within luxury brand.
• Intellect: Excellent analytical, report-writing skills, accuracy and attention to detail. Strong problem-solving skills with a strong, solution-based mindset. Ability to prioritise tasks and ensure delivery of results within tight deadlines.
• Communication: Strong and effective presentation skills and ability to converse with a diverse range of people at all levels.
• Proficient in MS Office, in particular Excel.
• Pace: Ability to work in a fast-paced and entrepreneurial environment by being flexible and adaptable.
• Excellence: High level of finesse and excellence required in delivery of all tasks.

Skills and Experience Desired 

• Experience of retail IS reporting and systems implementation.
• Footwear knowledge and experience.
• Italian language skills are advantageous.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equality and Inclusion:

Manolo Blahnik is an equal opportunity employer and are committed to preserving a caring, diverse and inclusive culture with people who feel a real sense of belonging. We recruit and reward based on capability and performance. Our diverse and multicultural teams ignite our creativity, and we celebrate the differences that we collectively bring. We are committed to equal employment and progression opportunities and the elimination of any form of discrimination. We all hold a responsibility to recognise and respect our diversity and to support this in our words and actions.

If you need reasonable adjustments at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know.

Our Benefits:

• 4 pairs of Ambassador Shoes per year
• 50% Friends and Family Discount
• 25 days holiday with an additional day off for your birthday, plus bank holidays
• Hybrid working model (core hours 10-4pm and 10 ‘flexi’ days per annum)
• Pension Contribution
• x2 Executive Coaching Sessions per year
• Enhanced Family Friendly Policy
• Workplace Nursery Benefit – a salary sacrifice based childcare scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• ClassPass - benefit-in-kind
• Employment Engagement Calendar