Buying and Merchandising L4 Apprentice

Summary

We are The Very Group and we’re here to help families get more out of life. We know that our customers work hard for their families and have a lot to balance in their busy lives. That’s why we combine amazing brands and products with flexible payment options on Very.co.uk to help them say yes to the things they love.

Wage

£25,000 a year

N/A

Training course

Buying and merchandising assistant (level 4)

Hours

The hours will be confirmed at the interview stage.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Tuesday 5 May 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

Positions available

3

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

About the team:

You’ll be joining the Merchandising Team who look to provide the customer with the right product at the right time. Working closely with the Buying team to build assortment strategies and focusing on ensuring the best possible range for our customers.

Looking at internal data, history and competitor performance whilst managing brand and supplier relationships across Brand and Own Brand. About the role You will provide administrative support to the Merchandising function, ensuring effective order management to deliver commercial KPI’s and critical path management.

You will be involved in administrative tasks to manage planning tools & critical path, and you will work collaboratively with other business functions including buying & operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Supports Merchandise department to deliver assortment strategy
• Analyse sales history to review size & style performance
• Ensure planning tools are up to date with the most recent information
• Effective critical path management to fulfil assortment plans
• Understand product lifecycle in order to manage style level plans
• Working in collaboration with buying, operations & wider merchandising team
• Understands and utilises data to best inform effective decision making for department

About you:

We know that our expectations are high, as are our ambitions as a business, so we are aware that one candidate will not have all of the below experience.

The ideal candidate will have/be:

• Understanding of the merchandising function
• Good knowledge of Excel
• Strong with numbers - able to produce, analyse and articulate findings from reports
• Attention to detail
• Ability to establish relationships, internal & external - working cross functionally and collaboratively
• Desire to understand the Very customer
• Problem solving/critical thinking
• Decision making skills
• Ability to prioritise and manage workload
• A great attitude and who is willing to learn

Where you'll work

Skyways House
Speke Road
Liverpool
L70 1AB

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

Training provider

SCL EDUCATION & TRAINING LIMITED

Training course

Buying and merchandising assistant (level 4)

What you'll learn

• Uses their market/industry knowledge to contribute to new product development and innovation
• Contributes to the building of customer focused ranges to meet the brand identity of the business
• Ensures product quality and legal compliance by working within industry standards, regulations and legislation to source, purchase and sell goods
• Ensures accurate implementation of the critical path prioritising actions accordingly
• Negotiates in a manner that balances the need for a sound financial return, with the need to operate ethically, honestly and fairly
• Monitors agreed performance targets with suppliers to manage ongoing supplier relationships
• Applies the organisation strategy to buying and/or merchandising to ensure strategic objectives are met
• Applies an ethical and sustainable approach to the buying and merchandising process in line with policies and procedures to achieve legal compliance
• Ensures the agreed route to market is delivered and maintained successfully so that objectives are met
• Works with external and internal departments (for example, marketing, distribution, suppliers) to build relationships to drive sales activity and support the delivery of the business objectives across all channels
• Uses data to support decisions to influence both the strategic and operational direction of the buying and/or merchandising approach.
• Demonstrates accurate application of systems in analysing data (for example, customer trends, buying patterns, stock rotation and levels)
• Evaluates commercial performance to support proposed actions for both good and poor product performers
• Demonstrates anticipation of customer buying and product patterns to forecast future demand
• Articulates relevant ideas and opinions towards trends and competitor activity so that opportunities may be identified
• Applies customer profile/trend data to inform the development of a range, products and services
• Formulates and communicates customer propositions
• Develops self and individuals to improve personal and team performance and capability
• Demonstrates commercial buying and merchandising within a financial framework
• Operates in a manner that produces the required financial rate of return for the business
• Coaches and mentors new/less experienced colleagues
• Analyses and presents business data to support achievement of business strategies, brand and KPIs
• Ensures effective stock management to support the delivery of the sales and profit forecasts
• Uses their market/industry knowledge to contribute to new product development and innovation
• Contributes to the building of customer focused ranges to meet the brand identity of the business
• Ensures product quality and legal compliance by working within industry standards, regulations and legislation to source, purchase and sell goods
• Ensures accurate implementation of the critical path prioritising actions accordingly
• Negotiates in a manner that balances the need for a sound financial return, with the need to operate ethically, honestly and fairly
• Monitors agreed performance targets with suppliers to manage ongoing supplier relationships
• Applies the organisation strategy to buying and/or merchandising to ensure strategic objectives are met
• Applies an ethical and sustainable approach to the buying and merchandising process in line with policies and procedures to achieve legal compliance
• Ensures the agreed route to market is delivered and maintained successfully so that objectives are met
• Works with external and internal departments (for example, marketing, distribution, suppliers) to build relationships to drive sales activity and support the delivery of the business objectives across all channels
• Uses data to support decisions to influence both the strategic and operational direction of the buying and/or merchandising approach.
• Demonstrates accurate application of systems in analysing data (for example, customer trends, buying patterns, stock rotation and levels)
• Evaluates commercial performance to support proposed actions for both good and poor product performers
• Demonstrates anticipation of customer buying and product patterns to forecast future demand
• Articulates relevant ideas and opinions towards trends and competitor activity so that opportunities may be identified
• Applies customer profile/trend data to inform the development of a range, products and services
• Formulates and communicates customer propositions
• Develops self and individuals to improve personal and team performance and capability
• Demonstrates commercial buying and merchandising within a financial framework
• Operates in a manner that produces the required financial rate of return for the business
• Coaches and mentors new/less experienced colleagues

Training schedule

Buying and Merchandising Assistant Level 4.

The apprentice will receive full on the job training from the employer as well as 20% off the job training. they will also receive a wraparound service from SCL.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• Math's (grade 4)
• English (grade 4)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

• Attention to detail
• Communication skills
• Organisation skills
• IT skills
• Presentation skills
• Administrative skills

Other requirements

The ideal candidate will have/be:

• Understanding of the merchandising function
• Good knowledge of Excel
• Strong with numbers - able to produce, analyse and articulate findings from reports
• Attention to detail
• Ability to establish relationships, internal & external - working cross functionally and collaboratively
• Desire to understand the Very customer
• Problem solving/critical thinking
• Decision making skills
• Ability to prioritise and manage workload
• A great attitude and who is willing to learn