Job Introduction
As we continue our mission to make people and nature happy through chocolate, we’re looking for a Merchandiser to join our Supply planning team on a fixed term contract basis.
As a Merchandiser, you’ll play a pivotal role in driving profitable sales growth across our sales channels by expertly forecasting demand, managing stock, analysing trends, and ensuring operational excellence. You’ll help deliver Hotel Chocolat’s commitment to quality, sustainability, and commercial success. You’ll work collaboratively across the business to ensure the right products are in the right place at the right time
As well as a competitive salary and a range of company benefits, you’ll receive 50% discount on all products, and a 70% discount for you and your guests when you stay at our Rabot Estate hideaway on the paradise island of Saint Lucia.
Here at Hotel Chocolat, we've adopted hybrid working. This means you’ll join us on site for three days a week, and for the other two days – you can work from wherever you like! The on-site location for this role is our support office, ‘Mint House’, in Royston, Hertfordshire. Our home from the very beginning, it’s just off the A505 and 10 minutes’ walk from Royston train station, with direct rail links to London King’s Cross.
What you’ll be doing….
-
Forecasting and planning: Develop and optimise sku-level forecasts, using historic data and future insights, and through weekly sales, margin and volume data and analysis
-
S&OE/S&OP- Timely and accurate feeds into our processes to ensure business transparency of projections,risks and opportunities in your area of responsibility for forecasts and inventory
-
Stock management and analysis: Optimisation of availability against stock levels and risk to deliver maximum sales and minimal risk, and ultimately the best commercial performance for your respective area of responsibility.
-
Unlocking opportunities:Constantly driving for business and operational optimisation, refining processes and enabling informed business decisions
Who you are…
-
You thrive in fast-paced environments
-
You love to learn from, and collaborate with, stakeholders within your own team and across the business
-
You’re highly analytical, taking a logical approach to challenges and converting data into insights and learnings
-
You have a positive can-do attitude and are solutions-focussed
Essential
-
Previous experience within the retail sector, in a demand planning, merchandising or inventory management role
-
Highly skilled in excel, with an ability to analyse, manipulate and draw insight from large data sets
-
Excellent communicator, making the complex seem simple
-
Ability to organise and prioritise tasks to manage workload
Desirable
-
Experience using a forecasting or demand planning system (eg Relex or similar)
-
Exposure to omni-channel retail environments, including wholesale/resellers
Who are we?
We’re one of the UK’s favourite premium chocolate brands, with a range of products spanning luxury gifts, alcohol and our pioneering drinking chocolate system, the Velvetiser™.
A cacao pod takes years to grow – it can’t be rushed if it’s going to be just right for our products. The same can be said for Hotel Chocolat, which originally started as a mint production company before we realised it was luxury chocolate that we were really passionate about.
Now, we’re market leaders in the industry. What began as an online-only business grew to over 140 stores across the UK, and we’re still growing… Today, we’re multi-category, multi-channel, and multi-territory, and our customers, colleagues, cacao farmers and suppliers all benefit from the success we make together.
To learn more about us and read about our People Pledge – our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion – click here: hotelchocolat.com/uk/engaged-ethics/our-people.html
