- Location: JD Group, Hollinsbrook Way, Pilsworth, Bury, BL9 8RR.
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm, 40 hours per week.
- Apprenticeship Course: Buying and Merchandising Assistant Level 4
- Apprenticeship Duration: 18 Months FTC
About The Apprenticeship:
Kickstart Your Career in Fashion & Retail! Join us and begin your Level 4 Buying and Merchandising Apprenticeship – a hands-on, 18-month programme for those ready to step into the exciting world of retail. You’ll gain real workplace experience with a top employer while learning how products are chosen, bought, and managed in stores and online.
What you’ll get:
• A nationally recognised Level 4 qualification
• Practical skills in buying and merchandising, stock planning, and trend analysis
• One day a week of expert-led training (online)
• A salary and the chance to earn while you learn
• Company discount of 25% off a large number of products in-store and online (JD Sports Size?, Foot patrol, Blacks, Millets, GO Outdoors)
• Discounted Memberships at JD Gyms
• Exclusive deals and discounts and offers from retail and hospitality businesses through our online benefits platform (TELUS Health)
• Access to digital health and well-being services through our benefits platform (TELUS Health)
• Access to colleague networks, to share lived experiences and support initiatives that drive positive change
• Opportunities to volunteer and contribute to JD Foundation
• Employer engagement forums to help influence positive change
If you’re creative, love retail, and have an eye for trends, this is your chance to build a career in one of the most dynamic industries out there.
This 18-month apprenticeship programme (Not including EPA) will develop key skills, knowledge and behaviours of a Buying and Merchandising Apprentice, allowing them to work collaboratively with others in the team to meet key performance indicators.
Role Overview:
The purpose of this job is to provide administrative support for the JD buying team. The successful candidate will have a passion for our product with a great knowledge of current sportswear and high street fashion trends.
Key Duties/Responsibilities:
- Assist the Assistant Buyer/Buyer with the day to day running of the range and samples.
- Ensure post is collected, and samples are sent out where required in a timely manner with correct documentation attached.
- Assist the Assistant Buyer with any order amendments and post trade actions.
- Assist the Assistant Buyer with compiling weekly Competitor Shopping Reports to highlight competitor activity, missed opportunities & promotional activity, utilising websites, store visits and magazines to complete the report
- Create and maintain all product sheets, ensuring they are completed with correct information and most up to date images
- Complete weekly trade admin; Compile Best and Worst documents, pull relevant samples with completed product tags and ensure samples are cleared away after the meeting.
- Chase suppliers for press samples and pass to marketing. Monitor web lines to make sure intake images are correct and appearing on the websites in a timely manner.
- Support the Assistant Buyer with compiling the relevant information needed for sign-off presentations (i.e. Top 20, Top 50 documents).Take minutes in meetings and ensure they are written up, distributed and followed up in a timely manner.
- Manage samples for staff sales. Follow various social media channels to ensure we are aware of current and emerging trends within sportswear fashion. Provide sell-through information to brands on a weekly basis
- Run rankings for Top 20 and Top 50 lines from last week’s trade
- Use WSN to predict trends and produce trend reports by month
- Attend appointments when specified by Buyer
Core Competencies:
- Knowledge of our store base and website
- Desire to learn and a passion for our product
- Social media awareness and understanding of the relevance to category
- Proactive and forward-thinking in suggesting improvements
- Confidence in their knowledge of the market and ability to challenge and influence across all levels
Skills/Experience/Knowledge needed:
- JD retail experience is preferred
- Current sportswear fashion trend knowledge and a passion for JD product is essential.
- An awareness of celebrity trends within sportswear fashion.
- As this role is admin based, knowledge of Microsoft office software is essential
- Good organisational skills
Please note, as this is a recruited apprenticeship role, you will need to meet the below criteria in order to be eligible:
- Candidate has the relevant Right to Work in the UK
- 16 years of age or over – there’s no upper age limit
- Living in England
- Not in part-time or full-time education or any other government-funded scheme
- Resident in the UK for at least the previous three years
- Obtained GCSE Maths & English Level 4/Grade C and above