Merchandise Planning Assistant (FTC)

Merchandise Planning Assistant (FTC) Contract type: Fixed-term contract until the end of April 2027 Location: Hatfield (Hybrid working - 3 days in the office) Working hours per week: 40 hours - Full-time Level: Administrator Reports to: Merchandise Planner Application Closing Date: Wednesday 14th October About us Our mission is to deliver joy in every shop, through unbeatable choice, unrivalled service, and reassuringly good value. We’re also on a mission to empower our business with smart technology; we've recently launched our AI Academy, providing a tailored AI learning journey for every colleague. We’re Ocado Retail , a market-leading joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S, and the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket, ocado.com . Not only is Ocado the only place to shop a full range of M&S food online, but it’s also the home to the widest online supermarket range in the UK and a champion of small, independent brands. We’re also the brains behind Zoom by Ocado , our same-day grocery delivery service. About the team and the role The Merchandise Assistant will provide admin support to the Merchandise Planners and Merchandise Planning Manager. The Merchandise Planning team is responsible for optimising stock across the Ocado range. The Merchandise Assistant supports the team of Merchandise Planners by actively managing and maintaining data. This enables accurate forecasting and ordering stock as well as the prompt and precise payment of supplier invoices. What you’ll do Invoice Matching for a defined set of suppliers Delivery Conformance Monitoring - Communicating with suppliers by email and phone about short deliveries and failed deliveries. Identifying the impact of consistent shorts / failed deliveries on Sales Weighted Availability KPI and flag issues to Merchandise Planner / Merchandise Planning Manager Supplier ‘out of stock’ Management - Availability Tracking and managing non-orderable products through communicating with suppliers and managing availability statuses Updating supplier delivery schedules Maintaining product information such as descriptions, product life, barcodes, etc. Undertaking periodic data checks, such as costs, VAT, product life, etc. Setting up new suppliers and liaising with other departments on supplier setup Relisting and delisting existing lines Loading clearance promotions Organising purge and stock transfers with GMDC Ops Running regular reports, circulating results and taking consequent actions Liaising with warehouse operations teams resolving supplier non-conformance issues and dealing with supplier returns Ad hoc support as required by Merchandise Planners and Merchandise Planning Managers Who you are Previous Experience in an administrative role Experience in a Retail background Good IT skills with experience using Microsoft Office, in particular Excel Communication - Good written and verbal communication skills …