Merchandise/purchasing Officer

An exciting and unique opportunity has arisen for someone to join our team in a Full Time Capacity as a Merchandise/Purchasing Officer at Australia Zoo
Australia Zoo is an equal opportunity employer, where we recognise the diversity of our workforce and community - be it on the basis of gender, age, race, sexual orientation, or religious belief. We provide specific workplace programs to support diversity and equal employment opportunities for women, people with disabilities and all cultural backgrounds.
The Australia Zoo retail department is relentlessly focussed on excellence and strives to ensure guests’ shopping experiences are the best they can be and an experience on its own.
This role is responsible for the Retail and Warehouse budget performance, ensuring key risks and opportunities are highlighted and reported on a monthly basis; provide forecast updates and variance explanations to Senior Management. The Purchasing/Buyer is target driven and uses their strong strategic development skills to ensure revenue increase across all areas.
**Duties May Include -**
- Remain up to date with emerging retail trends
- Sourcing and researching products that align with Australia Zoo’s core values
- Multi store development
- Assisting & advising Senior Management with budgetary & financial accountabilities
- Managing department wages, purchases, and revenue targets/budgets
- Responsible for overseeing the maintenance of all Retail equipment and hire services
- Undertaking performance management systems for individual and team performance
- Responsible for the overall retail activity directed at local, national & international levels
- Directing and ensuring effective display & merchandising of all products
- Responsible for effective & efficient stock control & management
- Responsible for maintaining a high standard of customer service
- Responsible for maintaining a high standard of hygiene & cleanliness of all retail outlets
- Providing monthly reports to Senior Management (departmental & statistical)
- Attending weekly marketing meetings
- Directing and attending merchandising meetings as requested
- Ensure brand consistency across all areas
- Managing the department in all aspects of the operational and financial performance
- Communicate, monitor, evaluate and modify the quality and consistency of service and product delivery
- Have the ability to build and establish strong relationships with key stakeholders, local businesses, suppliers and community groups
- Identify development and operational opportunities to build sales and control costs
- Continuously meet and improve service standards, ensuring alignment with the overall strategic and operating plans for the business driving revenue targets
- Preserve excellent levels of internal and external customer service
- Compile reports for management regarding sales results and productivity
- Establish targets, KPI’s, schedules, policies, procedures where required
- Compile and analyse data in a detailed report for management showing the profit and loss, operational performance and cost control measurements
- Attend to guests and customer complaints when appropriate
- Assist with training sessions organised by the HR department
- Identify patron’s needs and respond proactively
- Provide a two-way communication and nurture an ownership environment with emphasis in motivation and teamwork
- Daily brief with Supervisors to discuss any performance or operation issues with products
- Collaborate with all Senior Retail Members to provide smooth execution of new products and changes
- Overseeing signing off of invoices of received products
- Liaising with the Workplace, Health and Safety Officer in regards to health and safety processes, accidents, reporting

**Essential Criteria -**
- Full availability, including weekends, public holidays and school holidays
- High level of problem solving and communication skills
- Exceptional performance and adherence to the Australia Zoo policies and procedures
- Ability to order stock in accordance with Retail store sets
- Exceptional Attendance record and proof of record keeping with any time off/sick calls
- Ability to open and close all retail department outlets and work well unsupervised
- Proven ability to develop training plans and provide one-on-one training to Customer Service Attendants within the team
- Proof of Coronavirus Vaccination (unless otherwise exempt)

**Preferred Criteria -**
- Forklift Licence (LF)
- Manual Drivers License
- Education history
- Employment history
- References
- Any qualifications you may have e.g. First Aid
- Any achievements you may like to tell us about
- Your availability (what hours can you work)
- A resume in.pdf or.doc format