Merchandising Specialist - Range Analyst

Role Purpose: This role involves analysing and identifying store clusters by category and conducting detailed range analysis to ensure optimum store assortments. Using specialised clustering and strategic assortment tools, this role will leverage sales and customer data alongside predefined master ranges to generate data-driven range recommendations and sales forecasts. The outputs will be reviewed and presented to key stakeholders—including Traders, Senior Traders, and Trading Directors to secure collective alignment. By combining commercial insights, supplier relationships, and strategic context from trading teams, this role is critical in driving category performance through strong interpersonal, influencing, and communication skills.

Role Measurements:

• Delivery of robust store clusters and customer-led assortments that directly target specific shopper needs.
• On-time delivery of range reviews and assortments aligned with agreed critical path timelines.
• Ensuring all range recommendations align with broader business and category strategies.
• Securing collective alignment across commercial, trading, and operational teams.
• Maintaining high standards of data accuracy and analytical rigor in all forecasts and recommendations

Dimensions:

• Delivery of robust store cluster and range analytics outputs.
• Acting as a key category management stakeholder to help shape strategy and drive commercial actions.
• Customer and data-driven approach to identifying and solving category opportunities.
• Skilled storyteller who uses data insights to constructively influence commercial decision-making.
• Clear articulation of completed analysis and demonstrate business benefits.

Key Relationships:

• Commercial - Traders across all levels, including Leadership team
• Merchandising - from category specialists to to their senior team
• Space & Layout - Space Performance and Layout Planning teams
• Customer Insight - collaboration with internal and external insight analysts
• Operations - Retail (Central and Stores) and Supply Chain teams

Requirements

Knowledge

• Exceptional knowledge of Space, Range and Merchandising systems (especially Blue Yonder CatMan)
• Deep understanding of the UK grocery retail industry.
• Comprehensive knowledge of category management processes, including market and customer insight data

Skills

• IT literacy across a number of platforms, including but not limited to Blue Yonder, Google and Microsoft
• Strong data management, analytical, and statistical skills to identify trends and draw actionable conclusions from large datasets.
• Exemplary communication and presentation skills across all business levels, tailoring insights to meet the needs of specific audiences.
• Strong negotiation and influencing capabilities that constructively shape decision-making to deliver customer and data-led outcomes.
• Excellent listening and relationship-building skills to cultivate trusted stakeholder networks and ensure recommendations are well-considered.

Experience

• Proven experience in grocery retailing or a comparable fast-paced retail environment.
• Hands-on experience with comprehensive category management processes and systems.
• Demonstrated track record in senior stakeholder management, cross-functional engagement, and alignment.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• 25 days holiday (in addition to 8 bank holidays)
• Company contributory pension scheme
• Joining a supportive, empowered culture & a team with outstanding capability and experience
• A dynamic environment in which you can personally learn, develop and make an impact
• Opportunity to shape a growing and market leading technology business business

Why join us

• Strong support from experienced sales, insight, and product teams
• A collaborative, high-performing culture
• The chance to shape and grow a scaling tech and insights business
• Direct exposure to a major grocery retailer and leading CPG brands
• A dynamic environment where you can learn, contribute, and make an impact