Senior/ Merchandising & Planning Manager

The Senior/Merchandising & Planning Manager leads product planning and inventory management for WBSTS Retail, owning the global-range assortment to ensure the right products are selected, planned, bought in the right depth, launched and traded successfully to maximise sales, margin and stock efficiency. The role is the primary WBSTS interface with the Global Team on global-range selection, range architecture and launch planning, and is fully accountable for inventory health across WBSTS Retail. It works in partnership with the Product Development & Sourcing Manager, who leads locally developed products, to ensure one coherent, commercially balanced assortment for the Chinese guest.

• Lead the selection of products from the global range and other global product hubs, curating the most relevant and commercially compelling assortment for the Chinese guest.
• Act as the primary WBSTS interface with the Global Team on product selection, range architecture and launch planning for the global range.
• Build seasonal, annual and long-term merchandise plans aligned to global brand direction and WBSTS commercial objectives, owning order quantities, order timing and planning cycles in line with global lead times and the WBSTS sales plan.
• Lead inventory planning for key product launches, seasonal events and peak trading periods.
• Partner with the Product Development & Sourcing Manager on depth of buy, pricing recommendations and in-store allocation for locally developed products.
• Own the open-to-buy and inventory investment for WBSTS Retail, and be accountable for inventory health including stock turn, weeks of cover, availability against demand, and aged and slow-moving stock.
• Lead reductions and discounts (R&D) management, including markdown planning, clearance strategy and margin protection.
• Lead forecasting, demand planning, replenishment and allocation, driving continuous improvement in forecast accuracy.
• Partner with warehouse, distribution and global supply chain teams to ensure stock is delivered on time and in full.
• Lead weekly, monthly and seasonal trading reviews and develop action plans to improve sales, margin, sell-through and stock productivity.
• Analyse product performance, customer behaviour and guest data, turning insight into trading and range decisions, feeding Chinese guest insight back to the Global Team and partnering with Marketing to align the range with campaigns, events and evolving customer trends.
• Ensure merchandising processes are documented, scalable and executed in line with retail system guidelines, act as business owner for merchandising requirements in retail systems, and establish and monitor merchandising KPIs and reporting frameworks aligned with global reporting standards.
• Lead, coach and develop the Merchandising & Planning team, manage the team's objectives, performance and end-of-year review process, and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous improvement.
• Contribute as a key member of the WBSTS Retail Leadership Team to annual planning, budgeting and strategic priorities, providing market insight, recommendations and constructive challenge, and collaborating with Finance, Marketing, Retail Operations and other functions.
• Be accountable for key performance measures including sales and gross margin against plan, stock turn and weeks of cover, availability against demand, reductions and discounts against budget, forecast accuracy, and aged and slow-moving stock.

• 5+ years of merchandising, planning or allocation experience in retail or consumer products, with at least 2 years managing a category, team or business unit.
• Proven track record of delivering sales, margin, stock turn and inventory targets.
• Hands-on experience in open-to-buy management, demand forecasting, replenishment and markdown planning.
• Experience working with global or regional teams in a multinational environment.
• Strong commercial numeracy covering margin, sell-through, stock turn, weeks of cover and forecasting.
• Advanced Excel skills, with experience of BI and reporting tools.
• Experience with retail ERP/POS systems.
• Ability to present trading performance and recommendations to senior leadership with clarity and conviction.
• Fluent in English (the working language) and Mandarin Chinese.
• Data-driven, commercially sharp decision-maker.
• Disciplined inventory owner who acts on risk early.
• Collaborative partner to Product Development, Retail Operations and the Global Team.
• Calm under pressure through peak trading periods.

• Licensed or IP-based product experience.
• Deep familiarity with the Chinese consumer.
• Experience in attraction, destination or experiential retail.

• Employed through Warner Bros.'s joint venture with Jinjiang International (Holdings) Co., Ltd; the joint venture entity is Shanghai WB Jinjiang Studio Tour Co., Ltd, and successful candidates are hired by the joint venture company and assigned to work with Warner Bros. Discovery as required for this project.