Merchandise Manager

The Merchandise Manager will assist with planning and selecting a commercially viable range of products and accessories for designated product categories to support the Company’s budget objectives.

Unicomer (Jamaica) Limited is seeking to recruit a dynamic and highly motivated individual to fill the position of: 

Merchandise Manager

(Kingston)

We are looking for a Merchandise Manager to assist with planning and selecting a commercially viable range of products and accessories for designated product categories to support the Company’s strategy and budget objectives, thus sustaining turnover, quality and service levels whilst achieving gross margin objectives.

 The successful incumbent will:

• Develop and manage local range plans for an assigned product category, in support of the Company’s strategic objectives. This includes analysis of cost, monitoring and the pricing of products within the range
• Execute agreed action plans including implementation of pricing strategy and maintaining the local range plan and store profiles at least quarterly; visiting all branches to ensure effective displays, space allocation and range compliance at all points of sale
• Work closely with Regional Buyers to develop annual monthly sales plan by Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) to achieve the budgeted sales and gross margin objectives and conduct monthly reviews to ensure plans reflect current trends
• Conduct ongoing SKU management and make recommendations to achieve sales plans including submission of accurate monthly product forecasts and in accordance with supplier lead times. This will include the monitoring of pending POs and recommending proactive measures to ensure that all sales and stock budgets are achieved
• Work closely with Regional Buyers to bring traffic to our stores from both existing and new customers through product innovation in existing product categories, and new categories
• Visit warehouses/storage areas to visually assess stockholding, stock rotation and storage conditions and feedback relevant information to Regional Buyers to inform appropriate decisions
• Partner with the Marketing and Operations functions to ensure that SML agreements are executed including supplying product nominations for primary and secondary marketing campaigns and evaluating results to ensure Sales, penetration and Gross Management Return on Investment objectives are met
• Manage a portfolio of preferred local suppliers to ensure that designs reflect market trends, establish ongoing processes to ascertain and monitor supplier capability to meet Unicomer’s volume, quality and service requirements, taking into account the need to build and maintain supplier relationships
• Reviewing and interpreting competitor marketing activity and the overall trading environment, including online activity, ensuring coherent and timely feedback to the Regional Buyers to ensure appropriate responses and maintain competitive position in the market
• Assist with all new store openings and refits, including store design fixtures and fittings, merchandising, and marketing activity and monitors the market and develops strategies to target newly emerging opportunities or to target possible profitable markets being developed by competitors
• Coach and develop team members to achieve agreed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and other objectives

 Qualifications and Key Competencies Include:

• Degree in Business Administration, Management or Logistics, preferable at the Master’s level
• Minimum 4 years’ experience in a similar role in multinational import and logistics management
• Working knowledge of supply chain management and sourcing strategies
• Ability to plan and replenish a range plan and forecast sales; amending plans and generating orders in response to observed trends and demand shifts, as necessary
• Ability to develop a balanced range plan and structure and modify range plans in accordance with customer demand, competitor analysis and market trends
• Commercial awareness; able to assess industry and market trends, market dynamics and data including analysis of key metrics, market and industry and emerging opportunities
• Commercial Acumen – ability to determine appropriate commercial strategies, including proactive price changes to drive sales in response to market analytics
• Strong numerical skills – ability to manage product category by determining price points and margins to maximise market share, gross margin and stock productivity. 
• Passion for retail and products - understanding of the product life cycle and key touch points to make appropriate competitive decisions
• Computer literacy with a comprehensive working knowledge of Microsoft office applications
• Positive ethical values

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.