Ribble Cycles (United Kingdom) - Ribble Cycles – Founded in 1897, the Lancashire based high-end bicycle, designer, manufacturer, retailer and market leading B2C specialist is recruiting an experienced Merchandiser to play a significant role in enabling the business and brand to achieve its future growth potential.

Job Description:

Reporting into the Head of Supply the role will oversee our stock ordering; and be directly responsible for availability and management of the Open to Buy. This role will cover some 3,000 products, from a variety of domestic and international suppliers; and spans both short-lead-time ordering as well as more structured forward-ordering. This pivotal role will work collaboratively with the Finance, Sales and Product teams to ensure availability of our core offer is maintained whilst keeping stock turn high; and our overall stock holding within budgeted levels.

We are looking for someone who is tenacious and driven; with a passion for retail and a focus on results. Having worked in a busy commercial environment before, you will be used to working (at pace) to deadlines, and working collaboratively cross-functionally. You will be a self-starter, who thrives on delivering results; with the ability to work independently for a common goal, or as part of a wider team. Applicants should be highly analytical, with advanced Excel skills and a sharp eye for detail. Experience of sourcing from Europe and the Far East is essential, as is experience of operating an Open to Buy model.

The role offers the successful candidate a high-profile opportunity to define our processes and ways of working for the future.

Key responsibilities of this role include:

• Maintaining strong availability across all stock lines.
• Ownership of Excel forecasting data, responsible for its ongoing maintenance
• and enhancement.
• Controlling our ordering within Open to Buy limits, in-line with our budget.
• Working closely with the Operations team to streamline processes and improve
• working practices.
• Managing our data within the Elucid back-office system to deliver the best
• possible results.
• Adhering to the Spend Approval process, ensuring that all PO’s are approved in a
• timely manner.
• Placing orders regularly with our suppliers, sometimes on their B2B platforms.
• Calculating and placing forward-order requirements, working closely with the
• Head of Supply, Head of Sales and Head of Product.
• Maintaining an accurate PO system, including a tracker for all open PO’s.
• Support the Customer Service team with resolving any stock-driven issues.

Experience and competency in the following is essential:

• Experience of managing supply or buying within a retail environment; with Far
• East and European suppliers.
• Advanced excel skills, with an analytical approach to decision making.
• The ability to influence at all levels within the business.
• Strong commercial awareness.
• Strong communication skills.
• Supplier management
• Demonstrable experience of having improved processes and ways of working.
• Placing orders on B2B systems.
• Managing a busy weekly workflow, with numerous conflicting priorities.
• Developing forward-order forecasts, based on data.

Experience and competency in the following is desirable:

• Elucid or similar back-office software
• Creation of databases, or similar complex data-driven systems.
• Manufacturing or assembly industry experience.
• Experience with Qlik Sense software.
• A knowledge or interest in Cycling or the Cycle Industry.