Junior Merchandiser
Location: JD Group HQ (Bury, Greater Manchester)
Department: Merchandising
Employment Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Role Overview
As a Junior Merchandiser at JD Outdoors, you will support the Merchandising team in delivering successful product ranges across outdoor categories. Building on your experience as an Assistant Merchandiser, you will own key areas, managing stock effectively to maximise sales, minimise markdowns, and drive profitability.
You will analyse sales and performance data, identify trading opportunities, and assist with range planning and forecasting. Collaborating with Buyers, Supply Chain, Space Planning, and suppliers, you will help manage the critical path, monitor stock flow, and ensure timely product delivery.
This role demands strong analytical skills, commercial awareness, and the confidence to make recommendations that enhance business performance. Combining strategic planning with day-to-day trading, the Junior Merchandiser position offers a valuable next step for career growth in a fast-paced retail environment.
Key Responsibilities
Planning
* Review Previous Seasons and produce SWOT Analysis with supporting information.
* Create category level product mix using history, SWOT and SMT Plan.
* With Senior Merchandiser formulate the space and grading plan for store distribution.
* Ensure that the WSSI is updated with the buy plan and the KPI’s are signed off with the Senior merchandiser.
* Ensure that scheduling and Ideals are in place for your area of responsibility.
* Attend key selection meetings with the Senior merchandiser and Buyer
* Build the Range plan
* Build Layout plans in conjunction with buying and VM.
* Overview the ratios for all buys in conjunction with Asst merchandiser
* Ensure that the Buy matches the plan Buy
* Establish working relationships with Supplier Base
* Manage the order books both in season and preseason to ensure that the most accurate information is always in the system.
* Manage the Stock seasonality within the WSSI.
Trading
* Reviews’ weekly trading performance and achieved KPI’s, identifying Issues and the course of action in preparation for the weekly trading meetings and submit to the senior merchandiser.
* Propose and agree actions to recover risk and maximise opportunities with the Senior Merchandiser and Buyer at category and line level.
* Monthly – Capture all agreed actions in the monthly forecast reviews
* Work up the forecast from category/Season level to Buyer Group
* Meet and gain approval: Incorporating
o Forecasting any sales variance to plan
o Creation of OTB’s
o Management of commitments – On time delivery, rebuys cancellations
o Markdown proposals
* Provide Retail with Rack List/Hit List through Merchandise Assistants.
* Manage the range plan in Season reflecting any changes
* Manage Linecards
* Manage Intake at category and line level.
* Visit and understand the store base on a regular basis. Create action plans to Optimise Store performance.
* Manage the store option plans to ensure each store has the optimum amount of stock and neither too full nor lacking key lines.
Teamwork
* Reporting to the Senior Merchandiser
* Work with the Senior Merchandiser and Buyer to deliver the plan
* Guide and direct the Merchandising Team to help deliver the plan
* With the Senior Merchandiser provide and monitor development plans for the Asst Merch / Merch Asst on a regular basis
* Communicate to the Retail Team anything that will impact on Stores performance
* Establish working relationships with Store Operations, Visuals, Marketing, Finance DC etc.
Key Deliverables
* Attend all Systems courses to enable full utilisation of the System
* Adhere to the Merchandise Calendar delivery plans and forecasts as required
* Focus on Training and developing your team ‘On-The-Job’
* Provide reporting to asst in strategic decisions.
* Achieve company Sales, Margins, and stock plans
Skills & Experience
* Previous experience as a Junior or Assistant Merchandiser in a retail merchandising role.
* Strong understanding of stock management, allocation, and replenishment processes.
* Awareness of trading levers, retail KPIs, and the impact of merchandising decisions on sales and profit.
* Interest in outdoor retail and customer trends is desirable.
* Confident in Microsoft Excel and able to work with sales and stock data to identify patterns and insights.
* Strong numerical and analytical skills with the ability to make commercially focused recommendations.
* Experience with merchandising or retail planning systems is advantageous.
* Highly organised and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage priorities in a fast-paced environment.
* Strong communication skills and the confidence to present ideas to internal teams and external suppliers.
* Proactive, solutions-driven, and commercially minded.
* Ambitious and motivated to progress within merchandising, with a passion for retail and the outdoors.