In Season Trader

Hudson Group is an international retailer and distributor primarily involved in the sport and fashion wear sectors. The Group’s head office is in Malta but is also present through offices in Italy, Cyprus, Morocco, Nigeria and Algeria.

Though Hudson Holdings was founded in 2006, the Group’s roots reach as far back as 1987 when the first pair of NIKE was sold in Malta.

Role Purpose

The In-Season Trader is responsible for day-to-day trading activities aimed at optimizing sales, profitability, and inventory levels. This role requires hands-on involvement in monitoring sales performance, making real-time adjustments to inventory and pricing strategies, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to maximize the success of product assortments. The focus is on immediate decision-making to ensure stock levels and sales align with current market conditions.

The key duties and responsibilities of the role are as follows:

Sales and Inventory Monitoring:

• Track daily and weekly sales performance, inventory levels, and sell-through rates to identify short-term opportunities and risks

Trading Strategy Implementation: 

• Execute in-season trading strategies by adjusting stock levels, pricing, and promotional tactics in response to market dynamics and sales performance.

Inventory Management: 

• Work closely with the buying and planning teams to ensure optimal inventory levels across stores.
• Make recommendations for markdowns to optimize stock levels and minimize stockouts or excess inventory.
• Work on new replenishment tool to ensure accurate stock allocation and replenishment across countries.

Assortment Optimization: 

• Collaborate with the buying and planning teams to analyse the performance of individual products and categories.
• Recommend assortment adjustments, product substitutions, or exit strategies to optimize sales and meet customer demand.

Cross-functional Collaboration:

• Work closely with supply chain, buying, and logistics teams to ensure seamless execution of the trading strategy and efficient movement of stock.
• Provide insights and recommendations based on real-time market intelligence to drive cross-functional decision-making.

Manage Inventory Intake: 

• Work closely with Supply chain administration, to monitor & manage inventory intake from Suppliers. Collaborate with logistics to ensure timely product delivery and stock availability.

Reporting:

• Generate weekly and seasonal reports on sales performance and inventory levels for senior stakeholders, highlighting key trends and immediate action areas.

Data Analysis:

• Analyze sales data, customer insights, and product performance metrics to provide actionable recommendations for assortment adjustments and promotional activities.

ERP User:

• Execute price changes and provide scanner files in timely manner

KPIs

• Total Sales & Revenue Growth.
• Week Cover
• Sell through Rate.
• Markdown %
• Stock Turnover.
• Excess & Terminal Stock.

Core competencies, knowledge, and experience

• Degree/Diploma in business administration or engineering is a plus.
• Previous experience in a trading, merchandising, or inventory management role (1-2 years preferred).
• Excellent analytical and numerical skills, with the ability to interpret data and trends.
• Proficiency in planning and inventory management systems. Knowledge of pricing tools and analytics software is a plus.
• Strong business acumen, understanding of retail operations, and inventory management.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate and build relationships with cross-functional teams.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Familiarity with Retail Planning, product lifecycle, and fashion retail processes is a plus.