Merchandising Manager

**Description**:
The Merchandising Manager is responsible for developing and executing creative strategies to drive sales and enhance the customer experience. This role requires a proven track record in managing merchandising teams, driving sales, and creating innovative strategies for product promotion.

**Responsibilities**:
Strategy Development and Execution
- Develop and execute merchandising strategies aligned with the company's overall business objectives
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure the successful delivery of merchandising strategies
- Monitor and evaluate retail sales performance and make necessary adjustments to achieve sales targets

Sales Analysis and Customer Trends
- Analyze customer buying trends and behaviors to identify opportunities for product assortment improvement
- Implement changes to improve customer loyalty and satisfaction
- Conduct demographic research to gather data on the customer base and utilize the insights for merchandising decisions

Product Selection and Supplier Management
- Identify correct products to be ranged and negotiate favorable terms with suppliers and distributors
- Ensure the product selection aligns with market trends, customer preferences, and company's brand strategy
- Manage inventory levels to optimize stock availability and minimize stockouts

Pricing and Promotions
- Develop pricing strategies based on market trends, product costs, and competitive positioning
- Create promotional campaigns to drive sales and increase brand visibility
- Collaborate with marketing teams to develop effective marketing materials and coordinate promotional activities

Budgeting and Financial Management
- Manage Merchandising budget
- Track and analyze sales data, gross margin, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of merchandising strategies

Scorecard, performance management, and reporting
- Set agency scorecard, update performance tracking monthly
- Review and present merchandising department & agency performance monthly - to be presented to both senior management at Southern Oil and Agency management.
- Address any performance issues
- Achieve distribution target
- Achieve correct ranging of all products in tandem with the relevant Key Account Managers
- Effectively execute marketing drives in stores
- Achieve sales budgets

Business Development - Key Accounts
- Manage critical accounts directly and build strong relationships and negotiate merchandising roll outs and marketing activities in stores
- Develop critical wholesale clients - and grow business aggressively
- Travel to relevant regions for in person client meetings

Health and Safety
- Participate in safety forums and attend relevant training/programmes
- Report all safety incidents to the relevant people
- Comply with safety policies and procedures
- Wear protective clothing (where applicable) at all times

Employee management and development
- Ensure overall compliance to relevant procedures and policies
- Ensure that all team members have clearly defined job profiles
- Regular goal reviews are completed to assess achievement of results
- Support, coaching and mentoring is continuously provided to ensure that objectives are met
- Appropriate allocation of resources to meet operational demands
- Ensure adequate succession planning in order to meet ongoing and anticipated business requirements

**Requirements**:
**Minimum Requirements**

Qualification and Experience
- Relevant tertiary qualification recommended
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in retail merchandising or a similar role
- In-depth knowledge of retail industry trends, consumer behavior, and best practices
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and data analysis tools
- Familiarity with inventory management systems and merchandising software
- Proven track record of creating successful partnerships with vendors

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes
- Strong leadership skills to motivate and guide the merchandising team
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, suppliers, and distributors
- Analytical thinking and ability to interpret sales data, customer trends, and market insights
- Strong negotiation skills to establish and maintain favorable relationships with suppliers.
- Results-oriented mindset with a focus on achieving sales targets and driving profitability
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities
- Creative thinking and ability to develop innovative merchandising strategies
- Excellent organizational, project management, and communication skills

**SOILL VAUES**

Ownership
- Accountability and Responsibility

Respect
- We treat other’s how we want to be treated

Strengths-Focused
- Together we achieve more

Excellence
- Creating a high performance culture

Transparency
- Open and Effective communication

Integrity
- We walk our talk
- The opportunity listed has minimum requi