As the Merchandising Manager, you'll provide expert-level department leadership and all facets of the merchandising process. You will be leading the start up of the merchandising process for all outlet stores/web. You'll act as a merchandising expert and lead the planning flow, development, selection and forecasting of brand-right apparel, footwear and accessory products.

Strategic Merchandising Planning and Execution

  • Create and communicate a vision for specific products and lead and manage the seasonal merchandise planning, pricing and product creation or selection process, including silhouette/style/color plan, sizing strategy, flow plan, wholesale and suggested retail pricing strategies and stock ledger margin targets.
  • Planning the appropriate style/SKU/Quantity level to optimize productivity and ensuring minimum raw material quantities can be met, while facilitating P&L requirements and sales targets are achieved.
  • Conduct and/or manage analysis of the current business, sell-through by target audience, age/gender/sport segments, size and color, to proactively aid in the formulation of future product strategies and inventory needs
  • Lead the cross-functional team through the decision-making processes encountered in product and demand creation for the outlet stores.

  • Sourcing product lines that are not available thru Converse manufacturing.

Merchandising Planning and Tactical Management

  • Track shipments to/from vendors to ensure anticipated launch dates are met, run dropped product reports and coordinate with Inventory management on availability and production, while managing planned buys and order file through buy reports.
  • Track inventory levels, sell thru and turn rates to provide analysis for management decisions.

  • Work with each Category Manager to develop seasonal merchandising plans by identifying key volume and image drivers, while balancing product flow strategies with major alliance partners to create the overall category distribution strategy for the brand.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Retail Merchandising or a related field
  • 7+ years' in a buying role
  • Expert merchandising skills and thorough understanding of the product process, including skills in forecasting / planning
  • High-level understanding of retail buying and/or sales
  • Microsoft Word, Access, Excel and PowerPoint skills (Experience with Illustrator and PhotoShop is a strong plus)
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Ability to lead complex initiatives and project teams
  • Proven knowledge in financial line, business and strategic planning
  • Ability to travel up to 20% of the time
  • Strong business orientation, analytical aptitude, retail math and computer skills
  • High-level understanding of retail buying and/or sales
  • Ability to communicate complex and/or controversial topics and concepts to a wide and diverse audience

  • Strong business management knowledge with P&L responsibility

Core Accountabilities / Responsibilities

Product Merchandising: Uses analytical and creative reasoning to identify key volume and image drivers and product merchandise flow to enhance the overall brand distribution strategy. Understands the consumer and product with the end goal of developing product assortments that meet the needs of the consumer.

Has a strong understanding of the product and an ability to match the product towards a consumer, month by month. Ability to work up and across the organization.

Competitive/Retail Knowledge: Understands what’s affecting retail landscape. Able to translate into actionable merchandise plans by category and target audience.

Solid understanding of what’s working and what’s not and what trends are happening on-line.

Knows competition’s products and how they are performing.
Consumer Understanding: Strong understanding of consumers by distribution channel, consumer purchasing behavior at the various channels and how they differ. Must be able to take a product and cater it specifically towards the needs of a specific consumer via color and material.

Business Analysis: Conducts historical analysis of business to get solid understanding of where the business has been. Formulates financial plans to protect valid business and attack new ones. Constantly monitors shipped and open orders versus forecasts to track business. Proactive in making recommendations to achieve forecasts. Can build financial model or appropriate analysis to support recommendations to management.

Qualified candidates should forward resumes to: jobs@converse.com; or fax to 978-983-3502.