As the Merchandise Planning Manager, you'll take the lead in shaping insight‑driven, accurate merchandise planning for our Central Commercial team across Home & Clothing. In this role, you’ll bring together budgeting, forecasting, stock management and trade insight to create truly connected, end‑to‑end planning across multiple regions and channels. You’ll also develop and inspire a high‑performing team of Assistant Merchandise Planners, championing best practice, strong governance and simplified, scalable ways of working across all central planning tools and processes.
Topline Planning & Forecasting
* Building and managing centralised country, region and channel budgets.
* Leading top-down financial planning and delivering periodic financial review (PFR) forecasts.
* Reviewing and aligning central WSSI across divisions, channels and markets, ensuring consistency between top-down and bottom-up planning.
* Identifying, quantifying and communicating risks & opportunities for sales, margin, stock and intake.
Stock, OTB & Option Planning
* Owning OTB governance for central planning areas, ensuring accuracy, compliance and transparency of decisions.
* Setting and reconciling stock budgets across regions/channels, supporting divisional targets.
* Managing commitment, intake, markdown and clearance forecasting to optimise sales and profitability.
* Supporting cross‑channel stock alignment to meet customer needs in stores, online and franchise channels.
Trading & Commercial Insight
* Leading weekly trade reviews with robust insight, commentary and forward‑looking recommendations.
* Driving actionable analysis for leadership and commercial teams, including divisional, country and attribute‑level reviews.
* Supporting the development and execution of trade plans, promotions and events.
* Enhancing forecasting and scenario planning capability through data‑driven modelling.
Range & Capacity Planning
* Working with buying and product merchandising teams to build insight‑led ranges aligned with central commercial strategy.
* Ensuring accurate ranging, forecasting and stock flow through effective processes.
* Collaborating with buying and SSP to confirm capacity and critical path alignment.
Team Leadership & Ways of Working
* Leading, coaching and developing a high‑performing team.
* Embedding governance, simplification and consistency in planning tools and processes.
* Acting as a super user for merchandise planning tools, supporting system and process evolution.
Governance & Code of Conduct
* Acting with integrity and due diligence in line with the Tesco Business Code of Conduct.
* Ensuring planning accuracy, process compliance and robust data governance.
Experience relevant for this job
* Commercial merchandising experience across multi‑channel and multi‑country environments
* Strong WSSI and OTB management capability
* Experience with country/region‑level planning and forecasting preferred
* Proven leadership of teams and ability to develop talent
* Experience navigating cross‑functional environments (Finance, Retail Ops, Supply Chain, Insight)
* Track record of process simplification and governance improvement
Operational skills relevant for this job
* Influencing and stakeholder management
* Strategic & tactical merchandise planning
* Range and trade planning
* Data analysis, scenario modelling and numeracy
* Advanced Excel, BI tools, planning systems
* WSSI ownership and multi‑level forecasting
* Range planning tools & central planning databases
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At Tesco, we champion a balance that lets you thrive both in and out of work. Spend 60% of your week collaborating with colleagues at our office locations or local sites and the rest remotely. Whether you're just kicking off your career, juggling passions, or navigating big life events, we're here to support you. We always welcome a conversation about flexible working, so talk to us throughout your application about how we can support.
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