Senior Merchandising Admin Assistant (FTC starting late October for minimum of 9 months)
10 hours ago
London
About the company: La Coqueta is a digitally native, Spanish-inspired, British-based children's wear brand, synonymous with high-quality materials and craftsmanship. Founded in Hampstead in March 2013 by mother of five Celia Muñoz, La Coqueta has grown into a globally recognised brand with a loyal customer base and celebrity following, coveted by major publications including The Sunday Times, Vogue, Grazia, Hello!, You Magazine, Red Magazine and Smallish Magazine. Our flagship store is in Notting Hill, with concessions in Selfridges and Harrods and stockists around the world; our international online store delivers beautifully crafted, timeless clothing for children from newborn to age 10 to families globally. We remain proud of our Spanish heritage, working with small artisans across Spain and embracing local customs and traditions in dressmaking and manufacturing, this attention to detail and high-quality finish, coupled with excellent customer service and presentation, is what sets us apart. As we expand internationally, including a growing US retail presence with a store in New York, our ambition is to continue evolving as a modern luxury lifestyle brand representing all ages, lifestyles and nationalities through timeless design and powerful storytelling. Role Profile: As a Senior Merch Admin Assistant, you will be an integral part of our Merchandising team, playing a key role in supporting both the Merchandising and Buying functions. You will take ownership of key merchandising administration, stock and reporting processes, acting as an important link between Merchandising and the wider Business. The role requires a high level of organisation, accuracy and commercial awareness, alongside the confidence to proactively identify issues, coordinate effectively with multiple stakeholders and drive actions through to completion. You will have accountability for the day-to-day operational processes that support the Merchandising function, ensuring information, systems and stock activity are managed accurately and efficiently. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with strong numeracy and analytical skills, a high level of Excel proficiency and a genuine passion for fashion merchandising to develop their career within a dynamic, fast paced and growing business. Overview • Manage end-to-end intake, from supplier coordination through to warehouse delivery, including freight forwarder coordination and proactively resolving delivery issues., • Manage retail allocations and stock levels across retail and Ecom channels, working closely with the Merchandiser on store options and volumes and coordinating replenishment with the Store Teams., • Act as the first point of contact for stock-related queries across Retail, Warehouse and Customer Service, building strong relationships across these teams and ensuring issues are resolved quickly and effectively., • Own weekly sales reporting, ensuring reports are accurate, timely and provide clear visibility of trading performance., • Execute re-pricing and markdowns as directed by the Merchandiser, ensuring all changes are processed accurately and within agreed deadlines., • Manage the purchase order process, ensuring orders are raised, maintained and processed accurately through to delivery. What Success Looks Like • Stock is effectively managed across retail and Ecom channels, with minimal stockouts or excess stock and replenishment running smoothly., • Intake, allocation and delivery activity is well coordinated, with potential delays or issues identified and communicated proactively., • Sales and performance reporting is accurate, timely and supports clear commercial decision-making., • Strong, collaborative relationships are maintained across Retail, Warehouse and Customer Service, enabling stock and product queries to be resolved quickly and effectively., • Purchase orders, re-pricing and markdowns are processed efficiently, accurately and within agreed deadlines., • Systems, reporting and key departmental documents are consistently accurate, up to date and trusted by the wider team., • Stakeholders have clear and timely visibility of stock, intake, sales and delivery information. Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities Stock Management and Allocation • Take ownership of the end-to-end intake process, coordinating with suppliers, freight forwarders, carriers and the Warehouse, including DAP and Ex Works shipments, to ensure stock is delivered accurately, smoothly and within agreed timelines., • Ensure all pre-advice documentation is accurate and submitted on time, and review supplier invoices and supporting information to ensure accuracy and support timely Finance processing., • Proactively manage delivery dates, intake plans and the Delivery Schedule, providing clear visibility of upcoming stock movements and identifying and escalating potential delays or risks., • Produce and share weekly intake and allocation forecasts with the Warehouse and relevant stakeholders to support effective stock planning., • Manage and action retail store allocations, working closely with the Merchandiser on option and volume recommendations and with Retail Teams on location-specific requirements., • Actively manage and optimise stock levels across retail and Ecom channels, ensuring stock is positioned effectively to meet sales requirements and minimise stockouts or excess stock., • Coordinate store replenishment, working closely with Store Managers and Merchandising to review stock levels, stock-take results, peak trading periods and location-specific requirements, adjusting replenishment accordingly., • Act as the key point of contact for stock-related queries across Retail, Warehouse and Customer Service, building strong relationships with these teams to ensure queries are resolved quickly, accurately and effectively., • Manage communication with Wholesale regarding sales orders, stock availability and deliveries, ensuring orders are progressed efficiently and issues are proactively highlighted., • Keep relevant stakeholders informed of product launches, stock availability, delivery updates and changes, ensuring clear and timely communication across the Business., • Monitor stock and order issues, identifying discrepancies and potential risks and taking appropriate action or escalating with clear recommendations for resolution. Reporting & Systems • Take ownership of weekly and monthly sales and trade reporting, ensuring reports are accurate, timely and provide clear visibility of performance to the Product and wider Business teams., • Produce regular and ad-hoc analysis, including seasonal analysis, to identify key trends, risks and opportunities and support commercial decision-making., • Support the Merchandiser with in-season reviews, preparing accurate sales and stock analysis and providing relevant insights to inform trading decisions., • Work closely with Ecom and Retail teams to monitor product availability, identify potential issues and ensure actions are communicated and followed through., • Support the preparation and set-up of markdown proposals during key promotional and sales periods, and execute re-pricing and markdowns as directed by the Merchandiser, ensuring all changes are accurate and completed within agreed deadlines., • Support the Merchandising and Product teams by monitoring competitor activity and market trends, highlighting relevant risks and opportunities., • Maintain a high level of system and data accuracy, ensuring product, pricing, stock, order and reporting information is complete, accurate and up to date across all relevant systems and key documents., • Work closely with Buying and Design teams to ensure accurate product attribution, purchase order and product data, identifying and resolving discrepancies promptly., • Create, maintain and manage purchase orders, ensuring they are processed efficiently and accurately through to delivery., • Use Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, confidently to manipulate data and produce accurate reports, analysis and presentations., • Proactively identify opportunities to improve reporting, administrative processes, data accuracy and ways of working within the department. Key Skills and Attributes Essential • Genuine enthusiasm for La Coqueta and strong alignment with the brand's values and vision., • Previous experience in Merchandising Administration, Buying Administration, Stock Management or a similar commercial role, ideally within fashion or retail., • Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel, with the ability to manipulate data and produce accurate reports and analysis., • Strong numerical and analytical skills, with excellent attention to detail and a high level of accuracy., • Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build strong, collaborative relationships across multiple departments., • Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced and changing environment., • Proactive, solutions-focused and commercially aware, with the confidence to identify issues, recommend solutions and take ownership through to resolution., • Flexible and adaptable, with a positive approach to changing priorities and business requirements., • Self-motivated and able to work independently, with a strong sense of accountability and ownership., • Demonstrates initiative and a continuous improvement mindset, with a genuine interest in improving processes, efficiency and ways of working. Highly Desirable • Spanish language skills are advantageous but not essential.