Head of Merchandise Planning

Lead end-to-end planning, forecasting and trading for a high-growth retailer

Drive commercial performance through data, insight and inventory optimisation

Shape strategy and elevate a high-performing planning team

Are you a strategic, commercially minded Planning leader ready to shape the future of a fast-growing omnichannel retail brand? We are looking for a Head of Planning to own the end-to-end merchandise planning function and drive profitable growth across a diverse, design-led product portfolio spanning furniture, home, nursery and lifestyle categories.

In this pivotal role, you will lead a high-performing team and partner closely with senior leaders across Buying, Product Development, Supply Chain, Finance, and Digital to ensure we deliver an exceptional customer experience through the right stock, at the right time, at the right margin.

Key Responsibilities Strategic Merchandise Planning

Develop, lead and execute the merchandise planning strategy across all categories to support growth, profitability and brand ambition.

Own the long-range demand and forecasting process, ensuring accuracy and forward visibility across sales, inventory and margin.

Translate commercial insights, customer trends and business targets into actionable planning frameworks.

Inventory & Supply Chain Optimisation

Deliver optimal stock levels through effective forecasting, replenishment and flow management.

Drive inventory productivity, balancing availability with cashflow, supply constraints and operational capacity.

Lead markdown and pricing strategies to maximise profitability and minimise aged or excess stock.

Trading & Commercial Performance

Own the forecasting, budgeting and trading rhythm, working collaboratively across the business to ensure targets are met.

Monitor weekly performance, identifying risks, opportunities and commercial levers to drive sales and margin.

Lead scenario planning, financial modelling and planning insights to support strategic decision-making.

Leadership & Team Development

Lead, coach and develop a planning team to deliver exceptional analysis, forecasting and commercial outcomes.

Embed a Culture of accuracy, accountability, continuous improvement and cross-functional collaboration.

Champion data-driven decision-making and implement improved systems, tools and processes where required.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Buying to optimise assortment, category performance and product lifecycles.

Work closely with Supply Chain & Logistics to align demand, production and inbound flow.

Collaborate with Digital & Marketing to support campaign planning, promotional strategy and eCommerce trading.

About You You are a proactive, commercially astute planning leader who thrives in a pacey, entrepreneurial environment. You bring :

Extensive merchandise planning Experience within retail, ecommerce or consumer product environments.

Proven ability to lead Forecasting, demand planning, sales planning and inventory optimisation at scale.

Strong Analytical capability with a comfort for building detailed models and driving actionable insights.

Experience leading Teams, influencing at senior levels, and collaborating cross-functionally.

A Continuous improvement mindset, with the ability to refine systems and planning processes to support growth.

A passion for delivering great customer Outcomes and enabling high availability with efficient stock investment.

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