Jobs

As Head of Buying and Merchandising, you’ll have the opportunity to shape and lead a high-impact area of BHF’s Trading and Commercial directorate, driving performance across our stores and online channels. This is a unique leadership role where commercial thinking, customer insight and operational delivery come together to maximise the success of our bought-in product range.

You’ll lead the strategy for a diverse and evolving portfolio spanning categories such as furniture, homewares, electricals, accessories, medical devices and seasonal ranges, while also supporting ethical surplus stock partnerships. With ownership of trading performance across physical stores, the BHF Online Shop and the Defibrillator Shop, you’ll play a key role in delivering sales, margin and stock outcomes that directly support our wider mission.

This role offers the chance to make a visible impact through shaping ranges, setting pricing and promotions, improving availability, and driving eCommerce growth. You’ll work collaboratively with suppliers and colleagues across Trading, Commercial and Digital, while leading talented teams and embedding modern, data-led and AI-enabled ways of working. 

If you are excited by commercial leadership, innovation and the opportunity to influence change at scale, this is a brilliant chance to make a meaningful contribution at BHF.

About you

You’ll bring significant senior-level experience in buying and/or merchandising, with a strong track record of delivering commercial results across both physical retail and digital channels. You’re commercially astute, financially confident and comfortable using data, insight and market trends to shape strategy, drive performance and improve profitability.

An experienced and credible leader, you can guide teams through change and embed new ways of working, including digital and AI-enabled approaches. You’ll also be confident building strong relationships across teams and with external partners, using your communication and influencing skills to align others and turn ideas into action.

We’re looking for someone who is curious, collaborative and future-focused, with sound judgement, strong decision making skills and the ability to lead with clarity in a fast-paced environment. If you enjoy combining strategic thinking with hands-on commercial leadership, this is an exciting opportunity to make a real impact.

Working arrangements

This is a hybrid role, where your work will be split between your home and at least one day per week, on average, in our Northampton Office (NN1 2BN). This may vary from time to time, so you will need to work in a flexible way to unlock your best work for our cause.

This role will also involve travel across the UK in line with the supplier base. 

• Are you a data enthusiast ready to make a real impact?

  Join British Heart Foundation (BHF) as our Senior Data Executive and play a key role in leading and managing data import processes for BHF, ensuring high standards of data quality, accuracy, and efficiency

  About the role

  As our Senior Data Executive, you’ll support team members involved in import activities, conducts root cause analysis to resolve issues, and work closely with the Data Operations and Data Engineering teams to troubleshoot and improve processes.

  Ensuring all import documentation is maintained and kept up to date, you’ll drive continuous improvement across data and import-related practices, whilst also championing data import best practice and proactively identifying areas for improvement. 

  About you

  IT literate and fully conversant with Microsoft packages, you’ll have familiarity with CRM databases and, ideally, an understanding of charity fundraising. You’ll also have a good understanding of ETL tools, CRM systems, and database packages (Blackbaud Enterprise CRM, MS Dynamics 365, etc.).

  You’ll have previous experience of running data imports, ensuring quality, integrity and accuracy of data using an ETL tool, as well as experience of GDPR and dealing with confidential data, and using Blackbaud CRM, or have equivalent CRM knowledge. 

  To be successful in this role you’ll also have the following skills and experience:

  • Highly numerate.
  • Able to take a proactive approach to problem-solving, taking initiative to identify and resolve issues independently and a tenacious attitude to root cause analysis.
  • Excellent attention to detail and appreciation of data quality issues. 
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, able to communicate technical issues to a non-technical audience. 
  • Excellent time management skills, able to deliver workload to strict deadlines.
  • Collaborative team player able to share knowledge and learning openly to create understanding and support.
  • Able to manage multiple tasks, working with both external suppliers and internal stakeholders.

  Working arrangements

  This is a fixed term contract until December 2026.

  This is a hybrid role, where your work will be split between your home and at least one day per week, on average, in our London Office. This may vary from time to time, so you will need to work in a flexible way to unlock your best work for our cause.

  Belonging at BHF

  By embracing diversity and fostering an inclusive environment, we strengthen our ability to achieve our mission of saving and improving lives, ensuring our work reflects and serves the needs of every community across the UK. 

  To hear from our people, check out Belonging at BHF.  

  Our people are at the heart of everything we do. By funding research across six decades, we’ve helped keep millions of hearts beating and millions of families together. We’re investing in ground-breaking research that will get us closer than ever to a world where everyone has a healthier heart for longer. 

  Benefits and development

  At BHF, we offer a comprehensive range of benefits designed to support our colleagues’ wellbeing and professional growth. 

  To find out more about our benefits you can download the Benefits document at the bottom of this page or check out our Benefits and Development pages.

  Need more help balancing your work and home life? Talk to us about what flexibility is available at the application or interview stage.

  Interview process

  The interview process may take place in-person or virtually via MS Teams. 

  How to apply

  It’s quick and easy to apply for a role at the BHF. Just click on the apply button below. All you’ll need is an up-to-date CV and a supporting statement, outlining your interest in the role and how you meet the role’s criteria 

  Our recruitment processes are fair, accessible, and inclusive. BHF use anonymous CV software as part of the application journey.

  Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us.