General Merchandising Manager

Christian Bassett is recruiting a General Merchandising Manager for a European luxury fashion company. 

 

• The GMM sets the merchandise direction and strategy to ensure achievement of company business goals. 

• Responsible for conceptualizing and developing the merchandise strategy, leading the buying team, defining product assortments. 

• Responsible for managing the development of product programs, procurement of product and has a lead role in merchandising these programs across the retail store categories. 

• The GMM will develop tactic with the team of merchandisers to ensure customer satisfaction and maximize business performance and profitability by executing business plans that maximize sales, margins and inventory turnover. 

• This is a key role in the organization reporting to the General Manager and leading a team of Merchandisers and Visual Merchandisers. 

 

Key Accountabilities 

• Develop product programs to support retail store operations. Install category management practices to provide a planning framework and financial direction. 

• Develop product vision by category, 6 months in advance of selling season by gender, category and classification. 

• Directs team to develop product assortments that support the needs of the customer while achieving space efficiency. 

• Works with merchandisers and visual merchandisers to strengthen market and vendor relationships. 

• Guides team to increased knowledge of market trends, strengths and weaknesses in the industry and within competitive sets. 

• Analyzing performance against plans for both merchandise and visual merchandisers. 

• Evaluating product performance and developing necessary strategies. 

• Responsible for assortment plans by gender, category and classification. 

• Develop key item strategies and guidelines. 

• Develop seasonal merchandise strategies. 

• Oversee the setup and maintenance of replenishment system. 

• Develops processes and practices around pricing promotions and markdowns to meet sales and margin targets. Establishes pricing strategies by store type. 

• Adjust strategies in-season where needed and provide appropriate and timely direction in order to react to customer and business needs. 

• Coach and lead the buying team to realize goals. 

• Manage, coach and develop merchandise and allocations staff. 

• Foster an environment that promotes personal development of merchandisers and visual merchandisers, high morale amongst team. 

 

Qualifications 

• Ability to plan, prepare, and execute strategic business plans. 

• Ability to develop effective processes and procedure that support business growth. 

• Ability to collaborate effectively with all levels of management, build partnerships, and direct teams. 

• Demonstrated analytical and project management skills required 

• Must be customer service orientated with the ability to build relationships internally and externally. 

• Experience training, managing, and developing staff. 

• Strong negotiation skills for international and domestic relations. 

• Ability to manager staff to achieve results. 

• Ability to use performance management techniques to improve individual and group performances. 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 

• Must display a high degree of professionalism, tact, and diplomacy. 

• Must possess strong organizational and time management skills, with strong attention to detail and ability to prioritize multiple projects and priorities. 

• Strong Mentor with a good understanding of how to develop a team. 

• Highly organized with an ability to predict and maximize trends. 

• Ability to travel based on the needs of the business department is required(sometimes on short noticed). Domestic and International Travel Required.