Assistant Merchandiser
Role Overview
The successful candidate will be responsible for monitoring product performance, managing stock levels, supporting range planning decisions, and identifying opportunities to optimise sales, margin and inventory productivity. In a fast-paced beauty retail environment, this role requires strong attention to detail, excellent organisational skills, and the ability to make data-driven recommendations that support both short-term trading performance and long-term business objectives.
Working closely with Buying, Supply Chain, Retail Operations, Ecommerce and Finance teams, the role combines analytical capability with commercial awareness to drive sales, maximise profitability, and deliver an exceptional customer experience.
Key Responsibilities
Sales, Stock & Performance Analysis
Monitor daily and weekly sales performance across stores and ecommerce channels, identifying emerging trends, risks and opportunities.
Analyse product, category and channel performance to understand customer purchasing behaviour and trading patterns.
Produce and maintain weekly trade reports, providing clear commentary and actionable insights for the wider merchandising and buying teams.
Track key performance indicators including sales, stock cover, sell-through, margin, markdown performance and availability.
Support post-launch and post-promotion analysis to evaluate product performance and commercial effectiveness.
Inventory Management & Replenishment
Manage stock availability across stores and online channels to ensure optimal inventory levels are maintained.
Support replenishment processes by reviewing sales trends, stock positions and future demand requirements.
Calculate and manage store allocations for new product launches, seasonal collections and continuity lines.
Work closely with Supply Chain teams to ensure timely replenishment and efficient stock flow through the business.
Forecasting & Demand Planning
Review forecasts regularly and update projections based on current trading performance, promotional activity and market conditions.
Support demand planning processes by analysing historical sales data, seasonal trends and upcoming business initiatives.
Contribute to forecasting accuracy by identifying variances and recommending adjustments to future plans.
Range Planning & Assortment Optimisation
Support the planning and development of seasonal and core product assortments across makeup, skincare, fragrance and beauty accessories categories.
Assist in determining option counts, depth of buy and product mix to achieve commercial objectives.
Analyse historical sales performance, customer demand and market trends to support range review decisions.
Evaluate product lifecycle performance and recommend actions relating to product continuity, discontinuation or expansion opportunities.
Support launch planning for new products and collections, ensuring appropriate stock levels are available across all channels.
Promotional & Markdown Management
Support the planning and execution of promotional campaigns, product launches and key trading events.
Model markdown and promotional scenarios to assess potential sales uplift, stock clearance and margin impact.
Monitor promotional performance and provide detailed analysis of results and return on investment.
Collaborate with Buying and Marketing teams to ensure promotional activity aligns with inventory and commercial objectives.
Supplier & Critical Path Management
Track purchase orders, supplier confirmations, production timelines and delivery schedules.
Monitor critical path milestones to ensure products arrive on time and in line with launch requirements.
Identify potential supply risks, delays or stock shortages and escalate issues proactively.
Support contingency planning and stock management strategies to minimise disruption to trade.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Build strong working relationships with Buying, Ecommerce, Retail Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing and Visual Merchandising teams.
Support store and online trading initiatives by ensuring stock and product availability align with business priorities.
Participate in regular trade meetings, range reviews and planning sessions, providing data-driven recommendations and insights.
Reporting & Presentation
Produce accurate and timely reports for weekly, monthly and seasonal business reviews.
Present trading updates, sales analysis and stock recommendations to senior stakeholders when required.
Develop reporting tools and dashboards that improve visibility of key merchandising metrics.
Ensure all data and reporting is maintained with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
Person Specification
Essential Requirements
Experience
1–2 years' experience in a merchandising, planning, retail analytics or inventory management role.
Experience working within a retail, ecommerce or consumer products environment is highly desirable.
Analytical Skills
Strong numerical and analytical capability with the ability to interpret complex datasets and translate findings into commercial actions.
Comfortable working with sales, stock, margin and forecasting data to support decision-making.
Systems & Technical Skills
Advanced Excel skills including Pivot Tables, XLOOKUP/VLOOKUP, SUMIFS, INDEX/MATCH, data analysis and reporting.
Experience using merchandising, ERP, planning or inventory management systems.
Ability to work with large datasets and identify trends, exceptions and opportunities.
Communication
Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present insights clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Confident building relationships across multiple departments and levels of the organisation.
Attention to Detail
High level of accuracy when managing data, reports, forecasts and stock plans.
Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Commercial Awareness
Passion for retail and beauty, with an understanding of customer behaviour, market trends and competitor activity.
Ability to balance analytical thinking with commercial decision-making.
Key Competencies
Commercially focused with strong business acumen.
Analytical and data-driven approach to decision-making.
Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Excellent organisational and prioritisation abilities.
Collaborative team player with strong relationship-building skills.
Adaptable and resilient within a fast-paced retail environment.
Proactive mindset with a continuous improvement approach.
Customer-focused, with an understanding of how merchandising decisions impact the customer journey and overall brand experience.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: £30,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
