Myer axes 90 jobs from Melbourne head office in latest round of cuts
Myer is making another 90 jobs at its Melbourne head office redundant as the retail giants continues to fight for survival amid the COVID-19 pandemic and its toughest trading environment in decades.
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Myer is making another 90 jobs at its Melbourne head office redundant as it continues to adjust in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and seeks a leaner operation.
The cuts represent about 1 per cent of the department store group’s workforce.
It is understood Joanne Mercer, who is the general manager of footwear and accessories, is among those who will go, while Sue Price, who is head of beauty and lingerie, is also departing.
Ms Mercer has worked at Myer for almost 20 years and in her current role since October 2008.
Before that, her title was founder director head of merchandise and in earlier years she was a category buyer.
Tara Broomfield, who ran menswear and womenswear has also departed, sources say.
It comes amid speculation Myer is embarking on a refinancing, with advisory firm KPMG in its corner.
Sources close to the department store business say KPMG is helping with its supply chain, as well as examining working capital and refinancing solutions.
Myer, which counts Solomon Lew’s Premier Investments as a major investor, has been in negotiations with landlords after temporarily closing stores earlier this year because of the social restrictions necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic.
The latest round of job losses comes after Myer cut 35 executive roles at its Docklands head office in January.
It takes to almost 200 the number of reduncies in the past year as chief executive John King clamps down on costs amid the toughest trading environment in decades.
Myer, like many other retailers, was forced to close its doors in late March and sent 10,000 staff home.
Its stores have since reopened and although online sales are booming, the retailer is determined to cut its cost base.
In addition to the 90 roles being cut now, a further 50 executives will be redeployed elsewhere in the business as their roles were also eliminated.
As part of the wider review and restructure at Myer, it will continue to invest in its online platform and supply chain.
“Given the impact COVID-19 has had on our industry, and the unknown future of retail conditions, we have proactively accelerated plans to refine and adapt our business to reflect the changing retail landscape,’’ a Myer spokesman said.
“As a result, we will be putting a leaner and more agile business model in place to ensure we are best placed to successfully manage the period ahead.
“This includes refined roles and responsibilities, team structures and simplified reporting lines, which in-turn has unfortunately resulted in a number of management, support and administration roles departing the business.’’
Myer said it had successfully redeployed a significant number of staff within the business.
“We will provide full support to those team members departing the business and we thank them for their contribution to our business,’’ the spokesman said.
The Australian
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