Advise for applying to a job in a linked but very different roll to all previous experience

[Panda368]

I currently work in a creative and niche corner of the fashion industry.

Have been in my roll for 8 years and in industry for 12 and want to try something different or with more scope as I feel at a bit of a dead end.

There is a merchandiser job going with a great brand with the UK based office based in my city. (my current commute is over an hour drive each way)
Is there any advise for writing a cover letter to highlight strengths and explain a sideways move?

I have great industry and product knowlege but not really any experience of merchandising. (Its the same niche corner I currently design in)
Ideally I'd think a buying roll could be an easier move for me but this job description seems like a crossover roll.

Applications close tomorrow so any advise on how to craft an amazing cover letter would be great!

Could you call up and speak to the hiring manager/recruiter and discuss with them? They might look on your application more favourably with the context of having spoken to you and your reasons for applying.

Different industry, but I completely changed career path a few years ago, albeit I moved within a company I’d been in for a long time so I was known there, but I just forged a relationship with the person I wanted to work for so I’d be considered when a job came up in their department.

Small point but if you're going to use the language in your post it's role not roll.

I'm not posting this to be snarky or mean, but your cover letter needs to be proofread by someone who can spell.

The word "roll" in your OP should be "role". If you're going to use the word, you need to spell it correctly.

thanks - there goes the dyslexia!

Obviously I'll be triple checking and getting the non-dyslexic DP to read over it before I submit!

It's a huge corporate company. I'm sure I could do a deep dive looking for the hiring manager on linkedin but there isn't anything online thats obvious unfortunately