Retail Merchandiser

at  AVOCA

Avoca operates in 13 locations across the country. After all this time, the ethos of Avoca remains the same. We cherish our time-honoured traditions, which have been lovingly passed down through several generations. Our skills might be steeped in a long and rich tradition, but our attitude is to look to the future. We are now heralded as one of Ireland’s most exciting retail stores, with a host of award-winning cafes, restaurants and food markets crammed with artisanal ingredients from near and far.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Commercially aware with a strong understanding of merchandising. Knowledge of Retail brand marketplaces is a positive.
• A ‘trading mentality’ with the ability and appetite to work in a fast paced, commercial environment.
• Have a breadth of functional merchandising experience learned in a fast-paced, complex multi-channel environment.
• Able to build and maintain robust but constructive relationships with buying, supply chain and other internal colleagues.
• Have an inquisitive and entrepreneurial mind-set, with the ability to handle complexity and ambiguity.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills with a track record delivering to deadlines.
• Able to lead and work alongside the buying team & wider functions.
• Data and computer literate with advanced Excel skills

• Work in conjunction with Head of Buying and Business Analyst to influence strategic plans and developments.
• Develop category framework covering targets for sales, stock, intake, in season trading (promotional spend), end of life (markdown), net achieved margin and other commercial KPIs in line with company goals across your category / ranges.
• Ensure accurate data is used and analysed to make the best commercial decisions and work with various stakeholders to improve the underlying data integrity.
• Own forecast / reforecast process for key KPIs and regularly monitor progress, suggesting corrective action where necessary by Main Group.
• Support buying team in the development and buying of commercial ranges that deliver on company’s brand, financial, product and customer goals.
• Manage overall stock level for category / ranges. Maintain a WSSI and monitor intake into ROI, working with buying and supply chain teams and take corrective action where required.
• Work alongside digital and store teams to probe product performance, identifying issues and proposing corrective action.
• Analyse and monitor best and worst sellers, use latest data and sales trends across individual lines, ranges, channels etc to spot trading opportunities. Make informed recommendations to buying teams for action to ensure sales and profit opportunities are maximised.
• Work with Head of Buying to ensure product for an agreed launch / promotion is in place for key periods Summer & Winter Sale, Black Friday etc.
• Develop ideas and suggestions to positively impact business trading through the use of (price) promotions across stores / channels in season.
• Lead the markdown/sale process for Retail, working with buyers to identify lines to clear and ensuring clearance process is optimised and end of product life process is in place.
• Advise and implement additional strategies, actions and best practice to continually develop the merchandising and buying functions as necessary.
• Build effective and open relationships with all members of the buying, visual merchandising and supply chain teams, based on reliable, accurate and relevant data.
• Deliver key information at the right time, to the right people, and present at meetings as requested.
• Develop & enhance operational processes to improve overall consistent performance and compliance within Retail