Reporting to Category Director Branded Merchandise            Department: Client Services

The Branded Merchandise Specialist will work within our successful Branded Merchandise team and also work with other teams across the APS business to ensure the success and profitability of the category. This role will also support the Category Director and Category Manager to execute our Branded Merchandise strategy and process, from brief to delivery

Key responsibilities
•Work with the client service teams and clients to ensure that briefs are correctly defined, asking for clarifications when necessary or possible, to have enough information to share with supply partners to ensure the best solutions
•Respond to briefs and provide the best Branded Merchandise proposals or supplier options to the APS Client Service teams
•Proactively provide suggestions that are appropriate for our clients
•Interact with our client services teams and clients to understand their business and discover opportunities to grow our relationship and the branded merchandise category
•To have an understanding or the aptitude to learn about social compliance requirements for our suppliers, to include, factory audit requirements, product testing and quality control
•Have the drive and focus to provide Merchandise proposals to create client delight and generate a return on investment for the client
•To support the Branded Merchandise Category Manager and our New Business Team with tender pricing and proposals, when required
•Collaborate with our preferred suppliers to constantly propose the best-in-class solutions to our clients – attractive products, competitive pricing, lead-times that meet the client’s needs
•Engage with our preferred supply partners to get the best results and ensure a strong partnership
•Constantly seek product innovations to share with the APS business and our clients, including sustainable options
•Attend Trade Shows to identify potential new suppliers and innovations

Work together with the Category Director, Category Manager and Client Services Teams on strategic account plans for Branded Merchandise
•Support the Category Director and Category Manager with reporting requirements and data analysis to drive recommendations
•Deliver against client KPI's and other targets to meet contractual obligations
•Support Client Service teams with the development of Global/Regional/Client/Brand catalogues for Merchandise
•Collaborate with colleagues and suppliers to contribute to maximising the profitability of the category

Essential Skills & Criteria required
•Excellent Project Management skills
•Strong written and verbal communication skills
•Preferably prior experience working with Branded Merchandise, from a supplier, marketing services or client company
•Passion and love for Branded Merchandise
•Have an understanding of technology & systems and have the ability to learn to work with different systems correctly and quickly
•Able to meet and report on SLA’s/KPI’s if required
•Results oriented
•Ability to take project briefs and manage client/internal stakeholder expectations
•Numerical skills and commercial awareness
•Negotiation skills
•To have a keen interest in current affairs to be able to identify macro environment factors which could have a direct impact on branded merchandise pricing, quality or logistics
•Microsoft office advanced user, particularly Powerpoint and Excel
•Flexible and robust attitude and ability to work to deadlines
•Excellent written and verbal communication skills
•Fluent English required and desirably French or Spanish as a second language

APS Competencies
1)Relation management: Develop and maintain a strong relationship with client and internal stakeholders
2)Priority Setting: Plans and organizes work activities. Knows what will help or hinder accomplishing a goal
3)Teamwork: Works with and helps others to accomplish goals