Merchandise Planner

Pattern is a leading eCommerce accelerator with offices across the globe offering outsourced marketplace and ecommerce management services for brands worldwide. The Pattern Ecommerce Acceleration Platform leverages AI-powered technology, industry expertise, and global distribution, logistics, and fulfilment services to help quality brands scale profitably on their own websites and through hundreds of marketplaces. Pattern works with some of the most recognized brands such as Pandora, Skullcandy, Nestle, Kong and it ranks among the top 5 Amazon sellers globally. Pattern has over 1100 employees across the globe and in November 2021 it received $225M in funding making us a double unicorn.

**Mission**:
The role of the Merchandise Planner is to drive efficient and sustainable Marketplace growth through effective planning and inventory management of our European brands. Ensuring that sales forecasts and buy plans drive demand with a direct link between buy in and sell out. This is a pivotal role in the European Team, ensuring best practice merchandising processes are implemented in alignment with the Global company strategy.

**Key Outcomes/Objectives**:

- Owns the forecasting, planning and inventory management of European Seasonal & Promotional categories.
- Sets annual, quarterly, and weekly budgets in partnership with the Head of Merchandising, Finance and Brand Management. Building demand targets by brand, week, local and marketplace and inventory forecasts by line.
- Uses available data and tools to ensure accurate stock and sales projections are maintained throughout the year. Proactively identifying trends, risks, and opportunities.
- Uses trading levers such as swap and return negotiations, EOL MD management and promotional planning to ensure revenue and margin targets are achieved.
- Provides analytical and actionable insights into forecast deviations and future implications. Working collaboratively to identify and implement solutions.
- Presents to external clients, leading discussions around Sell In and Sell Out forecasts.
- Oversees category intake, managing OTB, ordering and selection processes. Ensures optimum inventory health, with 95%+ availability on core ranges and targeted sell through on seasonal areas.
- Works closely with brands to ensure order fulfilment and supply chain efficiencies. Aligning with brand management on ordering strategies implemented by the inventory management team.
- Drives operational excellence through collaboration with key stakeholders and ownership of innovation projects. Helping with the implementation of reporting and tech improvements required to effectively trade our European brand portfolio.
- Assists the Head Of Merchandising and Sales team in the onboaring of new brands, contributing to range selection and the forecasting of new brands.
- Management of overseas upworker team priorities.

**Skills & Qualifications**:

- Bachelor's degree
- 6+ years working in a multiple category/brand merchandising or planning role.
- Experience in Demand and Supply Chain Planning.
- In-depth understanding of merchandising and trading approach (RTW experience preferable).
- Previous experience working with an e-commerce channel (eg. D2C)
- Highly Commercial mindset, considering both the customer and business needs.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, with strong Microsoft Office and PowerPoint skills.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Experience working in a client-facing role
- Past experience working in a fast-paced business environment

**Preferred**:

- Marketplace experience.
- Experience with the Amazon retail platform

**Desired Traits**:
**Game Changer** - Possess aptitudes and ability that will change the game for Pattern in both the short and long-term

**Data Fanatic** - Demonstrates an innate ability to process qualitative and quantitative data and draw insightful conclusions.

**Partner Obsessed** - Possesses an abundant mindset, understands how to create win-wins for the company. Understands that winning for our partners depends on the quality of output.

**Attention to Detail - **Does not let important details slip through the cracks or derails a project.

**Adaptable - **Able to jump between sectors and quickly gain a baseline understanding of new sectors we want to explore.

**High emotional intelligence** - capacity to be aware of, control and express ones emotions and to handle interpersonal relationships empathetically. Good listening skills and adaptable where required

**Teamwork - **Reaches out to peers and cooperates with supervisors to establish an overall collaborative working relationship

**Organised and efficient** - Grear at planning, prioritising, organising, and multitasking.

**Self-starter**, entrepreneurial, driven, motivated and hardworking