Format & Merchandising Manager

#BelongWithUs

Come and join us as a  results driven Format & Merchandising Manager and be part of our hugely successful and friendly Property team.

The Role:

As the Format and Merchandising Manager you will be a key member of the Property team helping to grow our branch portfolio, developing the physical brand experience and keeping our estate safe, compliant and operational. Excellent communication skills and the ability to work independently is highly desired.  Good working knowledge of the Google System, sheets application and have overall, excellent IT skills with a preferred background in Autocad.  Excellent business acumen with Commercial awareness is also desired. Ability to work to deadlines, by following standard operating procedures (SOPs) and to also have the capability to work independently, using their own initiative.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Property team and wider operations team with your CAD knowledge, experience, technical knowledge and solution driven approach.
• Work with our Commercial team to deliver innovative and cost effective product display solutions in both new and existing branches across the country.
• To support company growth in the launch of Exclusive Brands, contribute to expansion strategies and maintain strong relationships with the Commercial/Marketing/Supply Chain teams and all internal/external stakeholders.
• Document all current specifications to support in the creation and delivery of the Highbourne Group Ltd Design Manual.
• To enhance the branch performance by ensuring consistent, commercially effective and brand-aligned store formats and environments. 
• Help shape in-store layouts, create appealing and effective displays that drive sales and enhance the customer experience.
• This role will be to deploy store concepts and adapt layouts in response to changing customer behaviours or promotional/seasonal themes, keeping merchandising agile and responsive.
• Be responsible for the management of our external Merchandising partners.
• Be comfortable coordinating works across multiple projects and process streams liaising cross functionally with teams throughout the wider business and your colleagues in the Property team.
• Consult with internal stakeholders in Marketing and design to develop and produce store designs that align the brand guidelines.
• Support the development of furniture and decor options to progress existing branch concepts.
• Support the development of new concepts for review through 3D visuals, samples, prototypes and supplier collaboration.
• Collaborate with new and existing suppliers to lock down specifications for existing formats and investigate new materials to support new branch development and sustainability targets.
• Ensure products are accurately displayed and merchandised to brand standards.
• Conduct branch visits to assess merchandising effectiveness and gather feedback.

This is primarily a remote-based role with visits to our office on an adhoc basis as required. You should be based in the UK and our Head Office is based in Crick, Northamptonshire

You:

You’ll live and breathe our customer-first ethos, with a creative and data-driven approach. You’ll enjoy working collaboratively with the wider team and you’ll thrive on delivering excellent results

Skills and competencies

• Attention to detail and organisational skills.
• Preferably planogram planning experience.
• Excellent business acumen with Commercial awareness.
• A background in CAD with experience in designing shop layouts, fixtures & fittings and producing drawing packs to be used by others.
• Spatial awareness - ability to assess and visualise the branch/store operating environment in 3D from both the customer and staff perspective.
• Comprehensive understanding of the concept of merchandise planograms and warehouse product flows and adjacencies.
• Communicate and brief effectively using cross functional processes to achieve results.
• Gain the hearts and minds of others to get things done.
• Be adaptable in your communication style when working with key stakeholders across the business.
• Coach and support teams and individuals (as required) in order to deliver effective plans and planograms for the business.

Us:

From boilers to bathroom suites, tubing to towel rails and everything in between, City Plumbing has all the products our customers need to complete the job. And we have all you need to build a successful career! We’re proud of our reputation for selling quality plumbing and heating products to both trade and retail customers and we’re super excited about our future. We put our colleagues at the heart of all we do, giving them all the tools they need to be successful, happy and feel rewarded in their career with us.

Benefits Package and Cultural Environment:

• Bonus
• Discounts, savings and cash back at numerous retailers
• Life assurance
• Extended family policy including maternity, paternity, additional annual leave and more
• Mental Health First Aiders and Employee Assistance Programme, we look out for each other
• Complete induction and a company that lets you grow and encourages development
• Financial education and loans
• Flexible working options
• A business striving to create an environment of inclusion so everyone can be their true self
• And more!

#BelongWithUs

We’re passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that celebrates and values diversity. Bring your whole self to work regardless of age, disability, gender identity or reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. We don’t want you to ‘fit’ our culture, we want you to enrich it. 

We are committed to best practices in recruitment and undertake Basic Criminal Record Disclosures for candidates that are offered employment within our branches that undertake deliveries for British Gas. This check will only be undertaken after the acceptance of an offer of employment.