Nathan Bryant

I play a key role in driving the performance of the £40m p.a. Travel Luggage and Casual Bags business, encompassing own brand and wholesale assortments with a strong seasonal focus. I have built strong relationships with both brands and internal teams, and have recently led and completed a large-scale space planning piece to optimise our assortment in line with North Star strategy.

Key Achievements include –

• Successful implementation of range rationalisation with reduction of -27% SKU count in line with Business KPI's
• Launched new brands such as Stubble & Co. who will achieve c. £1m retail sales in their first full year within wholesale casual bags assortment having accelerated store role out launch.
• Led Merchandising through AR1 strategy meetings with SLT to outline forward vision across own brand and wholesale brands.
• Honed seasonal sales, stock, profit, and SKU forecasts by channel utilising new tools within Travel including brand level BTA forecasts and product line cards.
• Actively managing Weekly Sales Stock Intake (WSSI), highlighting availability and stock level issues with proposed solutions that meet demand for key moments in trading calendar.
• Managing OTB, launch position and stock plans, supporting efficient stock flow that has maintained availability consistently above 90% for all lines.
• Arranged and led on regular business reviews with key brands to share feedback and agree forward plans to optimise trading opportunities.
• Clear guidelines for Merchandising Assistant regarding OTB, Line Cards, and WSSI to facilitate effective order raising and channel replenishment.
• Guiding and supporting Merchandising Assistant in identifying commercial opportunities, controlling stock, and managing delivery schedules within agreed targets.
• Supporting Buying office team with their communications to suppliers to review production plans and resolve any issues.

• Successfully leading and coordinating cross-functional team of product matter experts to deliver £6.2m OpX project, anticipated to generate £9m in business benefits by end of FY2025.
• Led complex Oracle systems upgrade project for over 600 end users across John Lewis Commercial teams, resulting in systems implementation that unlocks future growth and will see increase in efficiencies by up to 10%.
• Successfully manage tri-party collaboration between internal stakeholders, Oracle, and Cap-Gemini, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to contractual obligations.
• Developed and implemented robust change management strategy, including effective communication plans and impact assessments, to minimise disruption and maximise successful adoption.
• Established dedicated change working group to gather feedback, conduct user acceptance testing, and plan for smooth launch and transition to BAU.
• Proactively identified and resolved project bottlenecks, optimised resource allocation, and implemented innovative solutions to ensure project success.

• Delivering Partnership Plan Objectives in line with 3-year plan focusing on increasing Availability of stock to
• Developing team of 15 Operations specialists whose network across matrix include Merchandising, Supply chain and Supply base to best deliver seasonal sales and stock launch targets.
• Networking across wide variety of stakeholders to raise profile of Merchandising operations function whose role adds value to business by supporting stock flow.
• Assist Head of Merchandising in holding to account B&M Cat leads regarding KPI management for their monthly BTA, Flow planning and strategy meetings.
• Working closely with Divisional Merch operations managers and specialists to implement ways of working, driving consistent approach, analysis and actions that aid growth of function.
• Champions change and adoption of new processes and tools e.g. standardised automation tools that increase efficiency.
• Develops individuals to understand their roles and potential career path and acts as enabler to increase exposure and understanding of wider business network by working on both their technical and soft skills unique to each candidate.

• Responsibility for centralised planning function whose reach across bricks, digital and wholesale channels implemented standardised process and reporting throughout business.
• Accountability for monthly reforecast and OTB reviews. I collate data across all merchandise and planning functions, and control reporting and reconciling of all variances. This manifested into 5-year plan which highlighted how key KPI’s on EBITDA and margin growth could be met with sound scenario presentations.
• Analysis of big picture trends and granular detail of performance to challenge and provide internal product teams with decisive actions highlighting how to improve EBIT contribution across geographical store group and/or Product category area combinations. Accordingly provides feedback to Board pack and also to external business partners/stakeholders.
• Strong stakeholder relationship management developing 3rd party concession businesses with UK omni channel players (JLP, HoF, Fenwicks), luxury sector (Harrods/Selfridges/Brown Thomas) as well as Airports, Off price retail centres and global wholesale partners.
• Oversees and coordinated all stock and promotional activity movements within retail and digital estate working with field operators to potentialise assortment packages, as well as coordinating opening/closures, newness launch terminalisation and seasonal stock recalls