Brand Merchandising Associate, Luxury

Position Overview

The Brand Merchandising Associate is responsible for day-to-day merchandise activities to support the wider Purple Label merchandising team. They are responsible for weekly meeting documentation, system and report creation, and line opening materials/tracking. Merchant teams play a key role in all major events throughout the process (i.e. design final, adoption, line opening & costing).

Research:

• Identify growth opportunities and protect needs of business for product category.
• Comprehensive knowledge and adherence to product category, calendar milestones, line development and status.
• Weekly analysis and knowledge of global business performance; partnering with regional teams to understand needs of regional businesses.
• Knowledge of competition and trends, identifying new opportunities appropriate for brand.

Financial:

• Provide support and direction for the merchandising process.
• Develop and partner with the planning team on Global Line Plans - creating super season category strategies inclusive of style and SKU plans with a focus on delivery flow - understanding sales history, top volume drivers, fashion and price tier matrices and new market opportunities.
• Assist in driving Assortment Plan to Win - focus on core, seasonal core and seasonal product flow and balance (a classic v-concept approach within product life cycle).
• Prepare analysis on sales trend and sell through, volume drivers and SKU productivity to influence business driving recommendations.
• Manage OK to BUY process.
• Create and maintain assortment data in GFE; including accurate & timely data entry & system updates for all merchandising item definition and line changes; ensuring all cross-functional teams are in alignment.
• Ensure accuracy and distribution of Change Control Form to cross-functional teams and regions.
• Assist with ad hoc projects and work with the team as requests arise.

Communication:

• Partner with cross-functional team members to drive business objectives.
  • Design: work closely together on the line creation - driving a balance with fashion and price tier while merging business and brand intentions and maintaining the integrity of the GLP.
  • Production/PM: partner to meet category margin targets, understanding all cost components and cost saving challenges.
  • Regions + Channels: partner on upfront business needs to incorporate into line creation and provide daily support on product needs through both the development and in-store life cycle.
• Communicate & distribute all critical merchandising information to key functional areas on a timely basis.
• Maintain and follow through on daily interaction with Design and Production to ensure accurate on-order, delivery flow, change control & calendar adherence for product category.
• Attend line status meetings, driving product category and managing change.
• Create and present seasonal product strategy and line plan for product category, ensuring they support global brand direction.

• Product development/merchandising experience in Men's Wear, Accessories and Footwear preferred.
• Strong analytical and retail math skills.
• Strong communication, interpersonal & teamwork skills.
• Evident leadership and influencing skills.
• Highly organized, detail oriented & accurate.
• Resourceful, efficient and able to take initiative.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Priority and time management.
• Computer
  
  Skills:
  
  Proficiency in MS Office applications, Retail Math, and systems knowledge (GFE+). #LI-CE1