THE ROLE
The Retail Buyer & Merchandiser Outlet is responsible for driving the buying and merchandising strategy for the Karl Lagerfeld Outlet Accessories and Footwear division across Europe, overseeing seasonal product selection and retail pricing. Working across multiple product sources, the role focuses on curating a commercially relevant assortment for the European Outlet market, while managing seasonal budgets and OTB to optimize sales performance and profitability. A strong commercial mindset, a keen eye for product and excellent cross-functional collaboration skills are essential to succeed in this role.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Build seasonal range plan according to customer needs, company strategy and market trends.
- Brief design and product development teams to ensure appropriate collection building.
- Drive competitor benchmarking and market research.
- Collaborate with product development to ensure margin targets are in line with company expectations.
- Collaborate with the US team to select the right products and build a commercially relevant assortment tailored to the European Outlet market.
- Plan a retail pricing strategy that delivers profitable growth and continued margin expansion.
- Run relevant analysis as preparation for the buying periods and to review current trade.
- Ensure optimal assortment planning according to store space, customer profile and budget expectations.
- Collaborate with Allocation team to maintain store assortments while maximizing inventory productivity.
- Manage seasonal OTB and reorders to support sales performance and stock efficiency.
- Collaborate with internal departments, such as VM and Marketing, to maximize the potential of the seasonal buy, both in-season and ahead of the season launch.
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
THE PROFILE
- Degree in Business, Fashion, Retail Management or related fields.
- Minimum of 3 years experience in a similar role.
- Strong understanding of retail landscape and key competitors. Flexible to adapt to the changing trends of the business and/or adhoc projects.
- Ability to judge and balance product design / taste level and commercial viability.
- Sharp eye for detail and consistency.
- Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
- Well-founded knowledge of Excel, experience with QlikSaas reporting system a plus.
- Fluency in English, both written and spoken.
- Ability to travel internationally for store visits, openings and meetings with licensing partners.