The Merchandising Administration Assistant will support the team by providing administrative support and contributing to the Buying process. This will be a key role to support the Buying team drive the performance against sales and margin targets, maximizing in-season opportunities and affecting future inventory.
Functional Roles and Responsibilities
- Ensuring all necessary records, files and databases are maintained accurately and updated in a timely manner.
- Creating new items, and purchase orders and maintaining cost and retail price changes.
- Ensuring timely entering of all seasonal orders, to meet requested deadlines. In addition, checking and providing overviews/ summaries of all orders placed.
- Validating of order confirmations against invoices and orders.
- Maintain the product hierarchy; ensuring product data is accurate and consistent.
- Create the master file ensuring accurate and correct data enrichment.
- Ensure supplier setup is complete including estimated landed costs.
- Provide finance department with details for drafting letters of credit and submit for supplier approval.
- Check all supplier order confirmation details received are correct, support the Buyers to resolve any queries with the supplier, buying and finance in a timely fashion to adhere to any supplier deadlines.
- Manage all aspects relating to the shipments and logistical processing.
- Manage return to vendor requests (RTV's), ensuring effective communication to suppliers.
- Produce weekly % shipped report. Ensure PO shipment trackers are maintained, delivery dates managed and deviances are escalated to buyers and planners. Highlight any possible risks and reasons for delays.
- Coordinate shipments with suppliers and Al Tayer logistics to ensure timely deliveries.
- Track and manage special orders and customer requests.
- Update delivery schedule and communicate to the buyers and planners on a weekly basis.
Education/Certification and Continued Education
- A Bachelor’s degree in any related field is a requirement.
Years of Experience
- Minimum 2 years of buying merchandise / planning experience in fashion/luxury retail.
Knowledge and Skills
- Strong understanding of Merchandising financials.
- Advanced computer skills in Excel and MS Office.
- Numerate with strong analytical skills and financial acumen.
- Excellent communication, organizational and problem-solving skills.
- Aptitude to function within deadlines, while working both independently and as part of a team.
- Ability to recognize, analyze and quantify market trends.
- Ability to work independently and proactively, with excellent attention to detail.
- Able to successfully manage and execute priorities in a timely manner within a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
- Demonstrate ability to build and foster productive working relationships with cross-functional teams and vendors.
Languages
- Proficient in the English Language.
Additional Requirements
- Product / brand orientation with good knowledge of fashion industry and benchmarks.
- Stakeholder management skills to build and maintain collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders and counterparts.
- Commercial skills with the ability to identify opportunities and potential business risks.
