The role is primarily responsible for driving product strategy, assortment planning, and in-season merchandising execution to maximize sales, margin, and inventory productivity. The individual will own the end-to-end merchandising lifecycle, ensuring the right product is available at the right place, time, and price, aligned with brand positioning and customer demand.
Key Responsibilities
1. Merchandising Strategy & Assortment Planning (Core Focus)
Lead the development of seasonal assortment strategies by category, sub-category, and SKU level.
Curate commercially viable product mixes aligned with customer preferences, regional trends, and brand positioning.
Work closely with buying and brand teams to ensure depth vs. breadth balance in assortments.
Drive range planning, ensuring optimal category contribution and product lifecycle management.
Identify opportunities for new product introduction, assortment expansion, and gap filling.
2. In-Season Merchandising & Trade Management Continuously track sell-through, product performance, and category contribution.
Take proactive actions on slow-moving stock, fast sellers, and replenishment opportunities.
Recommend and execute markdowns, promotions, and stock movements to optimize sales and margins.
Ensure strong in-season trading decisions based on real-time data and store feedback.
3. Inventory & Allocation Management
Ensure optimal inventory levels across stores and channels.
Drive store-wise and SKU-level allocations based on performance, store grading, and demand patterns.
Collaborate with supply chain to ensure timely replenishment and stock availability.
Maintain healthy inventory by managing aging stock, stock turns, and liquidation strategies.
4. Pricing & Promotions
Define and implement pricing strategies aligned with brand positioning and market competitiveness.
Partner with marketing to plan and execute promotional calendars and campaigns.
Analyze promotion effectiveness and margin impact, optimizing future actions.
Ensure price consistency across stores and channels.
5. Market & Trend Analysis
Stay updated on fashion trends, customer behavior, and competitor benchmarking.
Translate insights into actionable merchandising decisions.
Conduct regular store visits to assess product performance, visual merchandising, and customer preferences.
6. Sales Planning Support (Secondary Responsibility)
Support planning function with sales forecasting and budgeting inputs.
Align merchandising strategies with financial targets (sales, margin, stock turns).
7. Reporting & Insights
Develop and maintain MIS reports on sales, inventory, and product performance.
Provide actionable insights for faster stock movement and improved product productivity.
Employment Standards
Education
Bachelorâs degree in Business, Fashion Merchandising, Retail Management, or related field
MBA or relevant certifications preferred
Experience
7â10+ years of experience in merchandising within fashion/lifestyle retail
Strong exposure to Dubai / GCC retail market is mandatory
Required Skills & Competencies
Strong merchandising acumen and product sensibility
Deep understanding of retail KPIs (sell-through, GM%, stock turns, etc.)
Excellent analytical and commercial decision-making skills
Ability to balance creativity with business objectives
Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
High attention to detail and execution excellence
Agile and proactive with a hands-on approach to in-season trading
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