Vacancy NameAssistant Merchandiser Vacancy NoVN1194 Job TypePermanent LocationHatfield Job Details
Assistant Merchandiser (L2 Merchandise Planner)
Contract type:Permanent
Location:Hatfield (Hybrid working - 3 days in the office)
Working hours per week:40 hours (full-time)
Level:Assistant Merchandiser
Application Closing Date:Monday 19th January
About us
Our mission is to deliver joy in every shop, through unbeatable choice, unrivalled service, and reassuringly good value.
We’re Ocado Retail, a market-leading joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S, and the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket,. Not only is Ocado.com the only place to shop a full range of M&S food online, it’s also the home to the widest online supermarket range in the UK and champion of small, independent brands. We’re also the brains behind, our same-day grocery delivery service.
About the team and the role
The Merchandise Planner is responsible for the optimisation of stock levels for their department on Ocado.com. They will have full accountability for the stock holding, availability and warehouse space utilisation across a specified set of categories and suppliers.
The Merchandise Planner, with support from the MPM, works closely with the Buyer to ensure sales-weighted availability is maintained at optimal levels to drive sales, meet KPI’s and boost warehouse efficiencies.
What you’ll do
Merchandise Planning & Trading
1. Own the OTB Process: Develop long-term stock projections for new and continuity lines, ensuring alignment with financial KPIs, sales budgets, and promotional plans.
2. Maximise Availability: Daily validation and placement of weekly purchase orders to drive sales-weighted availability.
3. Performance Analysis: Collaborate with Product Buying to maximise key KPIs (sales, basket size, margin, stock holding).
4. Reporting: Prepare and present detailed KPI reports for weekly trade meetings with proactive, actionable recommendations.
5. In-Season Management: Proactively identify and resolve forecast/actual variances to ensure continuous availability.
6. Warehouse Optimisation: Analyse data to ensure profitable warehouse space utilisation and capacity for inbound volumes.
Stock Clearance & Exit Strategy
7. Discontinuation: Recommend lines for exit based on sales performance (ROS), aged stock, and supplier MOQs.
8. Minimise Write-Offs: Maintain minimum aged stock levels by early identification of slow sellers.
9. Execute Clearance: Plan and manage clearance promotions to ensure timely sell-through of exit lines while achieving margin targets.
Supplier Management
10. Relationship Building: Nurture effective long-term supply partnerships, from onboarding to regular performance reviews.
11. Service Reviews: Lead regular service level reviews with suppliers.
12. Launch Coordination: Coordinate new line launches, ensuring adherence to critical path timelines.
13. Forecast Sharing: Produce and share medium-to-long-term forecasts with suppliers.
14. Compliance: Ensure all supplier dealings adhere to GSCOP and Competition Law.
Data Management & System Integrity
15. Create and manage supplier schedules and delivery forecasts.
16. Manage MOQ sign-off, product availability updates, and administrative tasks (e.g., delists, availability category updates).
Who you are
Essential Experience & Skills
17. Proven experience as an Assistant/Junior Merchandiser.
18. Ideally, e-commerce retail experience (Homeware, Beauty, Clothing, or Healthcare sectors preferred).
19. Exceptional Numerical & Analytical Skills: Comfortable interpreting complex data to identify performance drivers and opportunities.
20. Strong Commercial Acumen: Deep understanding of market dynamics, product mix, basket metrics, and margin impact.
21. Organised & Results-Oriented: Highly focused on execution, able to manage multiple tasks, stakeholders, and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
22. High proficiency in MS Office and G Suite.
Core Competencies
23. Planning & Organisation: Effective prioritisation and timely delivery across all tasks.
24. Adaptability: Proactive in initiating and managing change and process evolution.
25. Communication: Able to adapt style to communicate effectively across all levels and with external suppliers.
26. Teamwork: A collaborative colleague who builds strong internal/external relationships and supports team goals.
27. Customer-Centric: Driven to exceed customer expectations and enhance the product offering.
What’s in it for you
By joining Ocado Retail, you’ll have the chance to experience life at the world’s largest online retailer, work with an amazing bunch of people who challenge what’s possible each day, and grow your skills and career in online retail.
If that’s not enough to tempt you, you’ll also get access to loads of great benefits to sweeten the deal. Here’s a taste of what we offer:
Health & Wellbeing: Private medical insurance with option to add your family, Digital GP appointments, market-leading family policies, mental health support, discounted gym memberships, dental insurance, and more.
Spend & Save: Annual bonus scheme split between personal and business objectives, recognition with reward platform, up to 7% matched pension contributions, 15% Ocado discount, 20% M&S discount, free breakfast every day in the office, electric vehicle leasing scheme, and free shuttle bus from Hatfield station to the office.
Never miss the moments that matter: Hybrid working, 26 days holiday plus 8 flexible bank holidays, options to buy extra holiday, 2 weeks work from anywhere, and lifestyle break opportunities.
Our Hiring Process
Lucky for us, we receive a high volume of applications and genuinely appreciate the time and effort invested by every candidate. To ensure a fair and thorough process, every application is reviewed by a member of our team. If your skills and experience are a strong match, a Talent Partner will contact you to discuss the role and guide you through the next steps of our hiring process.
Your Application and AI
In the spirit of innovation, we welcome you to use AI tools in your application, just as we use them in our own business at Ocado Retail. However, as you leverage this technology, please don't lose sight of the most important element: your unique self. Your experiences, passions, and personality are what truly set you apart. Ensure that your application still authentically conveys who you are and why you're a great fit for us.
Everyone’s welcome