Merchandising Manager - Sportswear, Footwear, Apparel

Job Description:

The Merchandising Manager is responsible for the development and execution of the company's merchandising strategy to deliver sustainable revenue growth, profitability, and inventory efficiency across all channels. This role provides strategic leadership over merchandise planning, assortment strategy, pricing, and execution, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives, brand positioning, and customer demand. As a member of the leadership team, the Merchandising Manager translates business objectives into actionable merchandising strategies and builds a high-performing merchandising organization.

Key Responsibilities:

I. Strategic Merchandising Leadership

Ø Develops and leads the merchandising strategy aligned with the company's short- and long-term business objectives.

Ø Establishes category, channel, and seasonal strategies to support growth and profitability.

Ø Ensures customer-centric assortments informed by market trends, consumer insights, and competitive analysis.

Ø Drives long-term merchandise portfolio planning, including category development and optimization initiatives.

II. Financial & Inventory Management

 Ø Manages merchandise financial performance, including sales, gross margin, inventory investment, stock turns, and Open-to-Buy (OTB).

Ø Ensures disciplined inventory management and optimal stock health across all channels.

Ø Approves pricing strategy, markdown frameworks, and promotional strategies in accordance with margin targets.

Ø Establishes controls to manage inventory risk and ensures item and category-level profitability.

III. Performance Management & Analytics

Ø Oversees performance monitoring against approved plans and budgets, and leads corrective action planning where required.

Ø Defines merchandising KPIs, governance frameworks, and performance dashboards.

Ø Utilizes data analytics and consumer insights to identify opportunities and mitigate risks.

Ø Prepares and presents regular business performance reviews to executive leadership and key stakeholders.

III. Leadership & Organization Building

Ø Provides leadership, direction, and development to merchandising team.

Ø Builds a high-performance, insight-led, and accountable merchandising culture.

Ø Partners closely with Marketing, Finance, and Operations to drive business results.

Ø Strengthens brand relationships to support strategic and commercial objectives.

Qualifications

Ø Bachelor's degree in Business, Management, Marketing, or any related field;

Ø 5-8+ years of progressive experience in merchandising, buying, or retail planning, with significant leadership responsibility.

Ø Proven track record of owning and delivering sales, margin, and inventory targets.

Ø Strong strategic and commercial acumen with deep understanding of retail KPIs and consumer behavior.

Ø Extensive experience in assortment planning, OTB management, pricing, and markdown strategy.

Ø Highly analytical, data-driven, and proficient in Excel and other merchandising analytics tools.

Ø Strong leadership presence with effective communication and executive presentation skills.

Ø Able to operate effectively in a fast-paced, multi-channel retail environment.

Work Location: Mandaluyong City (On-site)

Pay Range: 80,000 php - 120,000 php