Head Of Merchandising

The Opportunity : RK Group in collaboration with a leading global footwear brand is setting up a new venture to run e-commerce operations for the brand. For the same, we are looking to hire an experienced and business focused Head of Merchandising . The ideal candidate should have strong experience in fashion e-commerce to drive the merchandising strategy / assortment planning and should be able to manage key stakeholders (partner brand and marketplaces), thereby achieving topline and bottomline targets.

Key Responsibilities :

Devising merchandising strategy :

Develop merchandise strategy for all e-commerce channels (annual, seasonal and for major events), aligned with brand positioning and sales targets.

Optimise assortment strategy, working closely with design and sourcing teams.

Analyse product performance and consumer trends to take buying and replenishment decisions.

Managing stakeholders :

Build and nurture strong relationships with partner brand and its key stakeholders such as design, sourcing and pricing teams. Coordinate with brand partner on aspects like pricing and discounts (e.G., finalize differential discount plan for BAU vs events).

Partner with marketplaces (category teams) to ensure visibility and conversion. Push brand visibility on marketplaces via marketing campaigns, PLAs, strategic discussions with marketplaces for free-of-cost visibility. Discuss, plan and negotiate for participation in marketing events.

Cross functional collaboration :

Manage the merchandising calendar to align marketplace content with marketing campaigns, promotions and product launches.

Optimize marketplace site merchandising (brand store) by developing appropriate product catalogues, imagery and categorization.

Partner with finance and operations teams on budgeting and inventory planning.

To achieve bottomline target, work closely with operations / finance teams and brand partner to ensure that there are no leakages in revenues / claims and there is regular reconciliation / settlement.

Team leadership :

Lead and mentor a high-performing merchandising team (3 to 5 members to start with, with an average experience of 4 to 6 years).

Set clear KPIs and foster a culture of ownership and performance.

Reporting and analytics :

Track key performance metrics (ASPs, discounts, customer returns, ROS, sell through, ageing, etc.) and make timely interventions on reorders, markdowns and exits. Also regularly track competition performance metrics.

Develop timely MIS reports for the management.

Qualifications and Experience :

Graduates / Post graduates from NIFT / premier fashion institutes or Tier – 1 B-schools.

12 to 15 years of experience in e-commerce fashion merchandising, preferably in footwear category. Must be highly skilled in inventory planning, pricing strategy and managing large assortments.

Proven track record in vendor / brand management. Should have undertaken P&L responsibility in prior roles.

In depth knowledge of marketplace operations and platform merchandising levers.

Strong understanding of fashion and consumer behaviour across price points.

Experience in leading teams with a focus on people development.

Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills. Ability to manage multiple internal and external stakeholders.

Location : Bangalore, with travel as required.

Reporting to : Chief Executive Officer.

Compensation : Competitive and commensurate with experience. For the right candidate, compensation is not a constraint.