EMEA Category Merchandising Senior Manager – SportStyle & Apparel

Company Description

Amer Sports is the world leader in sports equipment with brands such as Salomon, Arc’teryx, Peak Performance, Atomic and Wilson.

Salomon SAS, “The Mountain Sport Company,” was founded in 1947 in the heart of the Alps, the birthplace of modern mountaineering. Driven by a passion for sports and innovative design, Salomon has created a wide range of revolutionary new concepts in bindings, boots, skis, and apparel for alpine and Nordic skiing. They have also provided innovative solutions in footwear and equipment for snowboarding, competition, mountaineering, hiking, trail running, and many other sports.

Through this focus on performance, Salomon innovates and excels in mountain sports, turning new ideas into products and pushing the boundaries of what is possible. Salomon’s commitment, culture, and heritage are all tied to a simple concept: every employee can make Salomon the leading mountain brand. Salomon is committed to responsible outdoor practices through its Play-Minded program. Diversity is one of Salomon’s five values, which is why we are committed to creating an environment accessible to all.

Salomon’s headquarters are based in Annecy (74), France.

Job Description

We are recruiting our new EMEA Category Merchandising Senior Manager – SportStyle!

Here are the main responsibilities of the role:

Regional Category Strategy Development:

1. Develop and implement a comprehensive category strategy that aligns with the company’s overall business objectives.
2. Drive regional input: analyze key accounts, retail, eCom, market trends and consolidate countries input consumer preferences, and competitive landscape to identify opportunities for growth and innovation and feed SBK and leadership teams.
3. Define Omnichannel product assortments and category plans to drive sales and profitability.

Regional Product Assortment Management:

1. Manage the Regional end-to-end product lifecycle, from SBK to launch, ensuring timely and successful product introductions.
2. Collaborate with global merchandising, regional merchandise planning and supply chain teams to ensure optimal product availability and inventory levels.
3. Regularly review and adjust the product assortment based on sales performance, market trends, and customer feedback.

Merchandising Planning and Execution:

1. Co-develop with regional merchandise planning team and execute merchandising plans, including pricing, promotions, and markdown strategies.
2. Work closely with regional marketing/VM and sales teams to create compelling product presentations and promotional campaigns.
3. Monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess the effectiveness of merchandising strategies and make data-driven adjustments.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

1. Partner with cross-functional teams, including marketing, sales, finance, and operations, to ensure alignment and support for category initiatives.
2. Communicate category goals and performance updates to senior leadership and other stakeholders.
3. Work closely with Planning, Allocation and Market Merchandising teams on demand, forecast, merchandise flow and future opportunities, allocation and in season management.

Market and Competitor Analysis:

1. Conduct ongoing market and competitor analysis to stay informed about industry trends and best practices.
2. Identify potential risks and opportunities in the market and develop strategies to address them.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will hold a Master’s degree in Buying & Merchandising or a diploma from a business school.

They will have 10 to 12 years’ experience of Merchandising, retail buying, sales/product, management. A professional experience in leisure goods industry is a plus as well as a strong knowledge of retail environment and of the retail industry in general.

Language: Fluent in English

Additional Information

Permanent, full-time position.

Based in Annecy, France