Head of Planning / Merchandising

MORI is a digitally native, direct-to-consumer baby and toddler clothing brand established and headquartered in London. We exist to inspire parents to raise kinder generations so together we can give babies a softer & stronger start. We are a hard-working and close-knit team dedicated to creating quality products and a brand loved by parents, globally. For a young emerging brand, MORI has achieved significant critical acclaim and global recognition, partly fuelled by celebrity endorsements such as Kim Kardashian and other influencers, as well as winning multiple awards incl. Best Baby Brand (2018, 2019, 2020), Most Eco-Friendly Brand (2020, 2021, 2022), The Queen's Awards for Enterprise (2022), Can’t Live Without Parenting Product (2021, 2023), Made for Mum (2024).

The Role:

The Head of Planning at MORI, will be pivotal in managing our extensive product range and operations. This role requires strategic oversight and a hands-on approach to manage over 5,000 SKUs, multiple warehouses, and international supplier relations. The successful candidate will be responsible for the buying and merchandising across multiple sales channels including e-commerce, retail, wholesale, dropship, and consignment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own and drive the merchandising strategies that align with our business goals, for MORI product categories and marketplace, across all channels.
• Provide detailed analysis delivering valuable insights to the Management team to support strategic decision-making
• Work closely with the Product team to build a commercial range using data driven insight and knowledge
• Plan and manage budgets to drive success across categories, new collections and core styles
• Confidently work with key stakeholders to understand and deliver range requirements for each trading channel
• Produce Weekly trade reports, review sales performance and providing trade-based recommendations and actions
• Manage key supplier relationships providing monthly rolling business forecasts
• Oversee buying process and margin targets with suppliers across Turkey, China and India
• Manage inventory levels and stock replenishment to prevent overstocking or stockouts
• Manage stock for two warehousing facilities, retail stores and consignment locations, ensuring optimum inventory levels aligned with global strategies and local market needs
• Proactively identify and implement industry best practices in merchandising, stock management, and Open to Buy (OTB) strategies
• Review and build In-season trading through tools such as line flows & WSSI’s and maintain with the support of the wider team
• Orchestrate a strategy for proactively exiting slow-moving stock, employing multiple methods such as pricing adjustments, liquidation etc
• Work alongside the growth and content teams to propose and implement discount proposals in key markdown periods
• Take initiative to propose and develop new processes that enhance efficiency, accuracy, and profitability within the merchandising department
• Lead the merchandising aspects of system-related projects, including the transition from Google Sheets to a more sophisticated Inventory Management System (IMS)
• Lead, mentor, and manage the Merchandising team, overseeing the entire function across all MORI channels including, providing ongoing feedback, and facilitating professional development

Requirements

• 7-10 years of proven experience as a highly experienced Head of Planning or Planning Manager in a high SKU consumer goods business, preferably in the apparel sector
• Strong analytical skills and experience with inventory management and systems, including Google Sheets, Excel, and Looker; experience in transitioning to or managing a comprehensive IMS is a plus
• Excellent Excel skills
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex supply chains and logistics
• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to work effectively with international suppliers
• A deep understanding of product costing and global market trends
• Excellent leadership and team management skills, including the ability to motivate and inspire a team to achieve goals and deliver results
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to bring innovative solutions and best practice approaches to complex merchandising challenges
• Proactive and entrepreneurial mindset with a track record of taking initiative in a fast-paced and changing environment

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Flexible working hours
• Remote working
• Working alongside a talented and passionate team of individuals