Temporary Merchandiser

Temporary Merchandiser – Sourcing, Quality & Compliance

Location: London (Holloway Road head office) or Manchester (print and operations facility), working across both sites

Salary: £45,000–£55,000 per year pro rata, depending on experience, plus benefits

Contract: Full-time, temporary (3-month fixed-term contract with possible extension)

Closing date: 27 November 2026

Who we are

At The Souvenir Collection, we make the gifts, stationery and souvenirs people take home to remember a great day out. Our products sit in the shops and websites of leading heritage, cultural and retail partners, and every one of them has to be beautifully made, safe and worth the money.

We're growing fast, and we're looking for someone to join us for three months and take charge of how our products are sourced, made, checked and kept compliant.

Why this role is different

This isn't a job where you hand off to the quality team or wait for compliance to sign things off. You are the quality team, and you're the one who knows the rules. You'll find the factories, negotiate the deals, set the standards and make sure everything that leaves the factory is right.

It's a hands-on role with real autonomy and a clear 3-month remit: put the right standards, checks and records in place, and hand over a system we can keep using. You'll see the results on shop shelves at some of the country's best-loved attractions.

What success looks like in 3 months

• A quality standard and inspection checklist agreed with each of our main factories.
• Up-to-date test reports and technical files for our current range / priority products, ready for UK and EU (GPSR) requirements.
• A simple handover pack, so the processes you set up keep running after you leave.

What you'll be doing

Finding and growing great suppliers

• Scout, assess and approve new factories.
• Strengthen relationships with our existing suppliers, and track every supplier on quality, cost, delivery and compliance.

Buying smart

• Negotiate prices, minimum order quantities and payment terms.
• Calculate and manage landed costs to protect our margins on every order.

Bringing products to life

• Work with our design and sales teams to turn ideas into clear product specifications.
• Manage samples, pre-production approvals and final sign-off.

Keeping products safe and compliant

• Identify the safety and compliance requirements for each product and market, including UK rules and the EU General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR).
• Coordinate testing laboratories and keep test reports and technical files up to date.
• Stay ahead of changes in product safety rules and make sure our processes keep pace.

Setting the standard (quality assurance)

• Agree clear quality standards with each factory before production starts.
• Set up practical QA processes, checklists and supplier quality manuals.

Catching problems early (quality control)

• Arrange and review inspections during production and before goods ship.
• Make sure defects are fixed at the factory, not discovered in our warehouse, and follow through on corrective actions.

Getting it here on time

• Manage production and shipping schedules from order to delivery.
• Spot risks early and act fast to keep orders on track.

Keeping everyone in the loop

• Keep accurate supplier, product and compliance records.
• Juggle several projects at once and keep colleagues and customers informed.

What you'll bring

Essential

• At least 3 years' experience in sourcing, buying, merchandising or product compliance, including sourcing direct from Asian factories.
• Hands-on experience of factory management, quality control and product testing.
• A working knowledge of UK and EU product safety requirements.
• Sharp negotiation skills and a good head for costs and margins.
• Excellent organisation, with the ability to keep several projects moving at once.
• Confident, clear communication with suppliers, colleagues and customers.
• A self-starter who enjoys building things from scratch.
• Happy to travel between our London and Manchester sites.

It's a bonus if you have

• Experience in giftware, stationery, drinkware or promotional merchandise.
• A CIPS qualification, or you are working towards one.
• Experience with testing standards for products like ours, such as toys, ceramics, textiles or food-contact items.
• Spoken Mandarin, at a fluent or conversational level.

What's in it for you

• Real ownership: a role where your decisions make a lasting difference to the business.
• Products you can be proud of: high-profile ranges for prestigious heritage and cultural partners.
• Room to build: the chance to set up processes and supplier relationships we will keep using long after your contract ends.
• The package: £40,000–£50,000 per year (pro rata), pension, holiday accrued pro rata (based on 23 days plus bank holidays a year) and eye care scheme.

The Souvenir Collection is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds. If you need any adjustments to apply or attend an interview, just let us know.

 

 

 

INDLS

Equals One is an advertising and recruitment agency working on behalf of our client to promote this vacancy. You may be contacted directly by the employer should they wish to progress your application. Due to the number of applications we receive, we are unable to provide specific feedback if your application is unsuccessful.