Junior / Assistant Fashion Merchandiser - D2C Fashion Brand
Central Manchester - full time head office based role
up to £35k depending upon experience
Our client are one of the fastest growing fashion brands in the UK and are looking to expand their Merchandising team. They are looking to recruit an experience Junior / Assistant Fashion Merchandiser with at least 2+ years experience working for a D2C fashion brand in analysing weekly trade performance, planning, forecasting and WSSI, range and product strategy.
THE ROLE
Reporting to the Merchandiser
To take full ownership of a category or department, driving trading performance, stock control, and profitability through data-led decision making and strategic planning.
Key Responsibilities
Trading Ownership
Analyse weekly trade performance and implement trading decisions
Identify risks and opportunities and take ownership of action plans
Lead or contribute significantly to weekly trade meetings
Take accountability for category performance outcomes
Planning & Forecasting
Own and manage WSSI end-to-end for assigned categories
Forecast sales, intake, stock, and margin
Reforecast in line with current trading performance
Ensure alignment between stock position and financial plans
Stock Ownership & Intake Management
Own the stock file across all relevant channels (DTC, retail, wholesale where applicable)
Manage stock availability, intake flow, and phasing
Take accountability for stock efficiency and markdown risk
Make decisions on rebuys, cancellations, and stock redistribution
Range & Product Strategy
Collaborate with Buying teams on range planning
Analyse product and category performance to inform strategy
Influence range and stock decisions using data-led insight
Stakeholder Management
Lead cross-functional collaboration with Buying, Ecommerce, Marketing, and Supply Chain
Influence decisions through clear and confident communication
Present trade performance and strategy to stakeholders
Team Leadership
Support and develop Assistant Merchandisers
Delegate tasks effectively and review output
Provide coaching to build capability and performance
Leadership & Ownership
Act as key point of contact for stock-related decisions
Step in for Merchandiser or Head of Merchandising when required
Demonstrate leadership and accountability within the business
Skills & Experience
Strong commercial and trading awareness
Advanced analytical and Excel capability
Ability to make confident, data-led decisions
Strong communication and influencing skills
Proven experience operating at Assistant Merchandiser level
Leadership and team development capability
6-Month PDP: Assistant Merchandiser → Junior Merchandiser
Objective
To progress from Assistant Merchandiser to Junior Merchandiser within 6 months by demonstrating ownership, commercial decision-making, and leadership capability.
Key Development Goals
Own and actively trade a stock file independently
Lead weekly trade meetings confidently
Manage WSSI independently
Influence trading and stock decisions
Demonstrate leadership and stakeholder confidence