Merchandising Manager  

The Senior Merchandise Manager is responsible for delivering on sales, margin, and product quality for assigned categories. They will build comprehensive assortment strategies and lead their product line from concept through commercialization. They're charged with ownership of assigned marketplace data, driving product knowledge through relevant sales tools, and establishing great cross functional leadership. The Senior Merchandise Manager assists the GMM in identifying trends, business strategy plans and serves as a key leader in the success of greater Merchandise Management team. This person should have a passion for product and a great understanding of the fashion apparel market. Establish control-related standards and procedures.

Key Responsibilities

1. Oversee assigned subcategory product lines and leads assigned lines in product concept, design, and development process. Owns business and assists in enhancing category growth.
2. Write executable seasonal product briefs targeting opportunity and competitive set.
3. Understand manufacturing processes and capabilities and is able to build briefs with material and feature set commensurate to required target MSRP’s.
4. Present product information to key internal and external groups in a comprehensive, clear and tactical manner
5. Work with Marketing/ Store Teams to help coordinate and develop category initiative for selling and marketing tools
6. Actively participate in product development cycle including identifying potential issues, solutions for process challenges and to execute sample/prototype production
7. Build and maintain intradepartmental relationships with all functional areas
8. Attend key account meetings, trade shows, market visits for presentation, relationship building and trend/market research
9. Manage, distribute and maintain all information of assigned product category encompassing hang tags, workbooks, line lists, and seasonal look books
10. Examine, report and track success and failure of the company's products on the marketplace, and determine reasons for success or failure

Qualifications:

• Years of Related Professional Experience: 10+
• Bachelor's Degree in apparel, operations, business or related field
• Minimum 10 years of demonstrable successes in managing an apparel or equipment lines

Skills:

• Must be detail oriented but able to present the big picture
• Works effectively within a team
• Influential in building positive partnerships with cross functional teams
• Strong change management, and problem solving skills
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Knowledge of apparel construction, materials/fabrics
• Forward thinking and strategic skills
• Strong Retail math skills
• Must be able to handle multiple priorities in efficient manner
• Mentors junior merchandise managers
• Experience in merchandising/buying