Who are Bird & Blend Tea co? Bird & Blend was set up and is run by Krisi and Mike, who met whilst studying Politics (of all things) at university. Starting off by packing tea in their bedroom, attending markets, and building Bird & Blend from scratch while staying true to our ethos and values have been Krisi and Mike’s passions. Now with an awesome team, multiple retail stores & a thriving international online store, Bird & Blend is leading the way in tea innovation in the UK. You can read heaps more information about us and our mission here: https://www.birdandblendtea.com/pages/our-story The Business Context & Purpose Currently we have over 200 employees across our warehouse, retail locations, and support centre functions. We currently have 25 stores across the UK, so have grown rapidly in the last 2 years. Over the next 3 years, our purpose is to be known & loved as a great place to work, that empowers our people to: Deliver awesome experiences that make our customers smile Build a community of ambassadors to tell the story and spread the word Develop trailblazing products & experiences in our magical world of tea Why We Need You We are looking for an experienced Head of Trade to lead and expand our Trading, Planning, & Product functions. This role is pivotal in ensuring sales performance, demand planning, stock optimisation, and commercial growth, ultimately enhancing revenue, maintaining business GP, and improving supply chain sustainability. Role Overview You will be responsible for driving both commercial and product strategy, ensuring that the right products are developed, launched, and managed in alignment with customer demand, trading performance, and brand positioning. This role is pivotal in ensuring the right stock is in the right places at the right time, while driving efficiency, profitability, and commercial success. You will lead a cross-functional team to deliver on these goals, who are responsible for product planning, demand forecasting, buying, and stock flow across the business, ensuring optimal inventory levels and maximum revenue potential. Key Responsibilities Business wide Product Forecasting & Demand Planning Take ownership of top-down and bottom-up forecasting, ensuring alignment across Retail, E-commerce, and B2B channels by forming close working relationships with key cross-departmental stakeholders. Oversee and refine the demand forecasting process, ensuring accurate stock levels that support both business growth and cost efficiency. Ensure stock allocations, inventory controls, and replenishment strategies are optimised for sales growth while minimising waste. Work closely with the channel owners to ensure stock levels align with sales performance and promotional activity. Work closely with wider Operations Team, Goods-In, Production, and Fulfilment teams to align stock planning with capacity and logistics. Stock Optimisation & Commercial Performance Balance stock availability and working capital, ensuring efficient inventory management. Collaborate with the Planning team to optimise product allocations across all sales channels. Use data analytics to track key trading metrics, ensuring proactive decision-making. Drive collaboration across Finance, Supply Chain, and Operations to improve forecasting accuracy and cost efficiency. Trading & Commercial Performance Implement the calendar year Range Planning strategy following the bi-annual planning cycle, ensuring the right product mix, new product introductions, new innovations, and exit strategies. Own the WSSI (Weekly Sales, Stock & Intake) framework, ensuring data-driven trading decisions, accurate forecasting, and quick response to demand fluctuations. Use sales data, customer demand trends, and competitor analysis to adjust pricing, promotions, and stock allocations to drive commercial success. Optimise product lifecycle management, ensuring all exit strategies protect margins and minimise stock write-offs where necessary. Procurement, Buying & Supplier Management Develop and implement a strategic procurement plan, ensuring we achieve the best quality, cost efficiency, and supplier relationships. Ensure that all purchasing aligns with the company's financial and sustainability goals, in collaboration with the Finance Director and Sustainability Manager. Oversee strategic buying decisions, ensuring cost-effective procurement and supplier performance. Ensure efficient goods-in planning, aligning supplier deliveries with production and retail demand. WSSI, Data Insights & Continuous Improvement Further develop, own and maintain the WSSI, ensuring weekly trading reviews drive agile decision-making. Track and analyse sales performance, stock turn, and gross margin to ensure financial targets are met. Implement real-time commercial reporting, providing insights that support reactive trading decisions. Work closely with Merchandising and Finance teams to continuously refine forecasts, stock levels, and sales trends. Cross-Functional Collaboration Work closely with the Brand, Retail & Digital teams to align product launches, promotions, and seasonal campaigns with trading strategies. Partner with the Finance Team to align pricing and stock investments with budgeted category targets. Work closely with the Operations Team to ensure that planning, purchasing, production, and fulfillment are fully integrated. Product Strategy & Innovation Support the Buyer in delivering a strong product strategy by leading the end-to-end product delivery process, ensuring a robust pipeline of innovative, commercially successful products that launch at the right time and with optimal stock availability. Work closely with the Buyer, Brand, Retail, and Digital teams to execute product launches that align with broader campaign planning, customer insights, and market trends. Partner with the Buyer & Creative Team to shape the New Product Development (NPD) roadmap, ensuring alignment with brand positioning, commercial viability, and operational feasibility. Champion customer-led innovation, leveraging data, insights, and trend analysis to inform product decisions that drive sales and market relevance. Collaborate with Retail, E-commerce, and B2B teams to support the Buyer in identifying gaps, opportunities, and market expansion strategies. Assist in defining the range architecture, ensuring the right balance of core, seasonal, and limited-edition products to meet business objectives. Team Management In this role, you will manage a diverse, cross-functional team across different business streams, working together to achieve both individual and business objectives. Your leadership will guide the team in delivering results, driving collaboration, and maintaining a culture of continuous improvement and high performance. You will: Lead and motivate a multi-disciplinary team, ensuring alignment with organisational goals and maintaining a focus on clear and measurable deliverables. Empower team members by giving them ownership and autonomy over their roles, while maintaining accountability and a strong sense of responsibility for outcomes. Provide ongoing coaching, mentoring, and constructive feedback to enhance individual performance and professional development. Foster a culture of inclusivity, collaboration, and respect for individuality, encouraging team members to bring their authentic selves to work and contribute innovative ideas. Proactively manage team dynamics, resolving conflicts and challenges in a positive and productive manner, ensuring that the team remains focused on achieving common goals. Set clear performance expectations and monitor progress against agreed KPIs, ensuring that team objectives are met with efficiency and excellence. This position requires an individual with a hands-on, empowering approach to management, who can inspire their team to achieve both short-term milestones and long-term strategic objectives. Skills, experience & attributes: Strong commercial and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret sales data and demand trends to drive strategic decision-making. Experience working cross-functionally with Operations, Finance, Merchandising, and Buying teams to ensure seamless planning and execution. Experience leading and managing a team to deliver against your objectives. A track record of optimising stock levels, minimising waste, and maximising profitability through proactive demand and supply chain management. Strong commercial mindset, with a track record of margin optimisation and revenue growth. Ability to drive commercial trading decisions based on data, customer demand, and business strategy. Negotiation and supplier management expertise, with experience in global procurement. A collaborative, proactive, and problem-solving mindset, with the ability to work across multiple teams. Preferably, experience within a high growth business. Are there any perks? Of course there are, for all the hard work you will get: We are proud to be a Sunday Times Best Places To Work 2024 employer. Friendly and supportive team culture: Enjoy working alongside a team of like-minded individuals who value collaboration, camaraderie, and fun in the workplace. Membership of company pension scheme (if applicable): Secure your financial future with enrollment in a company-sponsored pension scheme, ensuring peace of mind and financial stability in retirement. Holiday accrual that grows with loyalty: Enjoy 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays ) as a token of appreciation for your dedication and loyalty to the organisation, providing you with ample opportunities for rest and relaxation. This entitlement increases with service. Life Insurance & Income Protection: providing financial security and peace of mind for you and your families. Health Cash Plan: after one year service we will enrol you into our Health Cash Plan which will allow you to claim back money for dental, optical, prescription charges etc. Specific information on this scheme will be shared with you. Life Happens Leave: Sometimes life can throw unexpected challenges our way, we offer paid leave specifically dedicated to these situations to provide employees with the time and space needed. Complimentary drinks and snacks: Stay refreshed and energised throughout the day with a variety of free drinks and snacks provided in the office. Monthly tea allowance and generous staff discount: Indulge in your favourite teas while benefiting from a discount on company products, fostering a culture of enjoyment and appreciation. Employee Assistance Programme: Access confidential and professional mental health support services to prioritise your well-being and address any personal or work-related challenges. Bike to Work and Electric Vehicle Schemes: Take advantage of a sustainable transportation option, contribute to environmental conservation, and benefit from tax-efficient savings. Paid volunteer days: Make a positive impact in our community by participating in volunteer activities during dedicated paid volunteer days, fostering a culture of corporate social responsibility and giving back. Dog-friendly office: Bring your furry friend to work and enjoy a pet-friendly environment that promotes work-life balance and companionship. We also have enhanced family friendly policies, offer flexible working and are always open to discussing your individual circumstances Our Commitment to Sustainability & Ethical Practices At Bird & Blend, people and the planet are at the core of everything we do. As a certified B Corp, we are committed to sustainability, ethical sourcing, and creating a positive impact. We’re looking for team members who share our values and are passionate about making a difference. Prior experience in sustainability-focused work is a bonus, but full training is provided. Inclusion & Diversity We are committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace where everyone can bring their true selves to work. Applications are encouraged from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or belief. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please let us know. At Bird & Blend, we’re always on the lookout for exceptional individuals to join our growing team. We value talent, passion, and a positive attitude above all else. While we have certain requirements for this role, we understand that every candidate is unique. For the right person, we are happy to be flexible on some of the specifics mentioned in the job description. I f you think you’d be a great fit but don’t meet every single requirement, please don’t hesitate to apply and let us know in your application where you feel you could bring value. We believe in the potential of our people and are open to considering candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.