About the Role
Support the Franchise Planner and Director in embedding the GCC franchise partner into Core planning and buying processes, focusing on pre-season buy analysis and how Core process links to partner requirements. This role provides the analytical and process backbone that sits behind that relationship, keeping Franchise low-touch for Core teams by using existing tools rather than adding complexity.
Responsibilities
- Track Core planning deadlines against partner deadlines, ensuring the right information flows at the right time.
- Support analysis of depth vs width by store, and how this is reflected in buys and allocations.
- Feed into the seasonal Option Framework review process, ensuring IAQ, line life and options align with agreed OTB parameters.
- Help track adjustments issued to buy against what is allocated weekly.
- Monitor plan vs actual and flag risks/opportunities to the Director.
- Support sizing analysis post inventory-file cleanse to capture market opportunity in planning and allocation.
- Plan seasonal Franchise Store Sales & OTB requirements with the partner, adhering to internal deadlines.
- Plan forward season Franchise Division & Class Sales & OTB mixes, ensuring close alignment with Core business whilst considering market trading differences.
- Issue Buy Adjustments to Core teams in line with internal deadlines.
- Manage and review the Franchise planning calendar, ensuring the Franchise team and partner adhere to relevant planning deadlines.
- Input into seasonal Lessons learnt and Strategy conversations with Franchise planner.
- Feed back big deals to core teams.
- Support the Branch Merchandising Planner on inventory management, protecting flow of newness and bestsellers.
- Help introduce and maintain planning tools such as WSSI and option planning.
- Support sign-off process for markdown and promotional proposals.
- Monitor Franchise FP/MD mix and influence partner MD strategy to align closely with Core business.
- Provide Core insight into class mix, growth/decline distortions, and how these feed the B&P process.
- Support monitoring of seasonality parameters, including aging as a key attribute.
- Support partner Recode sign-off process, ensuring partner is aligned with Core business whilst reacting to market exceptions.
- Help align the partner with Core ways of working.
- Feed back how partner pre-season planning could inform changes to Core process.
- Assist with the review of the Local Buys process, including reviewing critical path, collating and sharing selected Core buy information where relevant, and managing the sign-off process.
- Support the Director on scoping ad hoc projects.
- Work closely with the Branch Merchandising Planner on trading viewpoint and stock package alignment.
- Work with Buying, Logistics and Finance to resolve supply chain, allocation and margin issues.
- Lead the quarterly Sales & Dispatch Review meeting with Azadea, inputting into and actioning any agreed amends to sales & OTB.
Requirements
- Proven experience in planning or merchandising within fashion retail.
- Wholesale/franchise experience preferred.
- Confident numerical and analytical skills, with sound commercial judgement.
- Clear communicator, comfortable presenting analysis to senior stakeholders.
- Highly organised, deadline-driven, and comfortable working across time zones.
Skills
- Strong Excel skills (WSSI, OTB modelling)
- Exposure to MicroStrategy or similar BI tools an advantage
Location
- Brick Lane
Work Type
- Full-time
Experience Level
- Senior
Benefits
- Flexible start and finish times
- Bring your dog to work
- Employees Assistance program to support with mental, physical and financial health
- Fully equipped free gym and on-site wellness room in Brick Lane
- 50% discount of external gym memberships
- Private Medical Insurance
- Up to 40% off at all URBN Brands
- One paid day to either volunteer or fundraise for a charity of your choice
- Cycle to work scheme
- Season ticket loan
- Structured support within the business alongside continued learning and development
About the Company
- Urban Outfitters started out as a single boutique in 1970s Philadelphia with creativity and uniqueness at its core.
- 50 years on, and over 60 stores across Europe later, we’ve become a destination for emerging design, unexpected styling, One-Of-A-Kind vintage and homeware that makes you want to hit the share button.
- We speak to a social community of over 10 million forward-thinking individuals, bringing together a nostalgia for the past with an enthusiasm to shape the future.
- The UO community are culturally aware, they shape the music scene, they live a digitally native life and they wear style trends before anyone else.
- At our core, we empower our customers and staff to express themselves, unapologetically, living life in a way that's truly authentic to them.
- We are always excited to bring new talent into the room, especially if you share our values: Progressive, Creative, Inclusive, Responsible, Compassionate.
Equal Opportunity
- URBN is an Equal Opportunities Employer committed to diversity and inclusion.
- We provide equal employment opportunities regardless of age, sexual orientation, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy, marital status, religion, race, or disability.
- We base all our employment decisions on merit, job requirements and business needs.
