Lead Merchandiser

Role overview

This position leads shoe-line merchandising and category planning for the assigned business. The role focuses on building commercially strong collections, managing stock and buy plans, supporting store rollouts, tracking market trends, and coordinating with multiple stakeholders to keep the assortment aligned with customer demand and business targets.

Collection planning and assortment development

• Create a product assortment that fits the customer profile and keep the shoe line continuously updated.
• Recommend fresh concepts within the category and decide their selling window.
• Develop the collection for approved concepts after sign-off from the Chief Buyer.
• Maintain backup options for concepts that do not perform well so they can be replaced quickly.
• Set product pricing using the concept, distribution, and margin requirements while preserving any minimum cushion or required reduction.
• Ensure collection decisions are approved by the Merchandising Head and that pricing receives final counter-approval from the Managing Director.

Category management

• Define category norms for the assigned business and build lines accordingly.
• Visit stores regularly to review category performance on the ground.

Open-to-buy and budget planning

• Prepare seasonal budget plans in line with company guidance.
• Select the concepts to emphasize in the upcoming season.
• Allocate budget across concepts based on the company’s control figures.
• Plan styles and quantities for each concept.
• Create a month-by-month buying plan based on sales trends.
• Continuously revise the plan as sales patterns change.

Ordering and supplier coordination

• Place orders with contract suppliers to support and extend the collection.
• Place import orders where needed to improve margins, especially when a concept cannot be produced locally at the same cost.
• Help keep factories operating in line with factory estimates.

Promotions and store communication

• Develop promotional plans for the collection, secure approvals, and implement them with the store merchandising team.
• Support volume-led projects such as the chosen-for-you trend poster and PWP activities.
• Keep store teams updated on fashion trends, shoe collections, and product selling features through merchandise catalogues and newsletters.

Sales monitoring and stock management

• Track category sales across regions and store formats.
• Review category performance regularly and make sure stock levels support sales.
• Increase the availability of substitute products for strong-selling concepts to capture more demand.
• Monitor how new articles perform across stores.
• Review stock depth in stores on an ongoing basis.
• Adjust the number of stores carrying an article based on its sales potential.
• Remove slow-moving and defective lines through promotions and price cuts.
• Flag discontinued lines and share the information with store teams so they can clear them faster.
• Maintain an updated sample stock of current lines along with sales records for all articles.
• Track article performance closely, increase procurement for high sellers, stop slow movers, and replace production with suitable alternatives when needed.
• Ensure no stock older than 2 years remains in inventory.

New store openings

• Support new store planning so the right space is assigned to each category.
• Prepare merchandise plans for new stores.
• Arrange special supplies for new stores to help business performance.
• Monitor category performance in new stores for at least one year.
• Make sure stores receive requested products accurately and on time.

Market research

• Track emerging market trends and price movements.
• Prepare seasonal trend boards, storyboards, and paper collections.
• Stay connected with district managers, store managers, and customer service teams.
• Study changing customer buying habits.
• Visit competitors and suppliers to gather market intelligence.

MIS and process improvement

• Develop logistics and merchandise-handling systems from source to store using modern MIS methods.
• Support the ongoing improvement of merchandising and physical-distribution MIS, including efficient use of EDP.

Sales estimates and factory estimates

Own shoe-line development, stock management, and distribution guidance, while ensuring that merchandise older than 2 years is not retained in stock.

People management

• Hire suitable team members.
• Train staff on products, competitor offerings, customer needs, and operations.
• Drive motivation and retention across the team.
• Plan careers for high-potential employees within the organization.
• Build proactive succession plans for critical business roles.