Exclusive: John Lewis is restructuring its buying and merchandising teams to ‘turbocharge’ transformation

The shift is designed to help “turbocharge” the business under the leadership of recently appointed boss Peter Ruis, who has returned to reignite its appeal after a turbulent few years for the business.

The changes will result in the net addition of 48 roles, or full-time equivalents, but consultations are beginning about the future of 20 roles that may be made redundant.

John Lewis intends to re-establish individual buying and merchandising leadership roles across fashion and home, and to improve the ranges offered. There will be a smaller number of reporting lines, while the changes proposed should allow staff to concentrate on their specific fields of expertise and provide clearer career progression opportunities.

A John Lewis spokesperson said: “As we look to turbocharge our business and offer the best possible products to customers, we’ve proposed some changes to our buying and merchandising teams including the creation of nearly 50 new roles.”

So far this year, John Lewis has introduced around 80 new brands such as Sol de Janeiro, Hayley Menzies and Easy Klix Furniture, and launched exclusives such as the Oura Ring smart health tracker.

Later this month, it will launch an exclusive collaboration with designer Sophie Conran, which will include its biggest investment in sofas for a decade.

Such collections and product curation are seen as key to underpinning the retailer’s continued appeal.