Brand Manager

Apparel Group; Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Apparel Group is seeking a Brand Manager to drive the growth and profitability of brand stores in Dubai. You will develop launch strategies, manage budgets, and ensure execution of brand positioning in alignment with Marketing and Brand leadership.

You will lead merchandising planning, buying, and in-season stock management across territories, while recruiting and developing the team to maximize sales performance and customer experience.

Qualifications

• Experience in brand management and retail operations.
• Strong analytical and market research skills.
• Leadership and team coordination abilities.

Responsibilities

• Maximize sales and profitability of brand stores in line with targets.
• Develop brand launch strategy in consultation with Brand GM.
• Control costs within brand budget guidelines.
• Optimize store productivity through effective resource deployment.
• Review territory feedback on brand acceptance and customer expectations.
• Ensure adherence to financial plans including sales, margins and inventory.
• Create brand positioning in consultation with Marketing and Brand leadership.
• Recruitment and training of team members.
• Design merchandise plan with pricing, promotion and assortment.
• Determine buying requirements and budget; coordinate product selection.
• In-season management across territories (stock balancing, markdowns, stock vs. sales).
• Develop Visual Merchandising strategy and analyze market trends.
• Research brand acceptance in new territories and competitive inputs.
• Coordinate store openings and re-fits with operations and projects team.

Job description

POSITION OBJECTIVE

• The position is responsible for overall brand development and implementation for maximized sales and profit.
• Strategize for brand penetration and positioning within the region to create brand image in the market.

Key Responsibilities

Brand Growth and Profitability

• Maximize sales and profitability of brand stores in line with Company targets.
• Develop the brand launch strategy in consultation with the Brand General Manager.
• Control costs within budgetary guidelines for the brand stores.
• Maximize productivity in stores through effective deployment of resources at brand stores to ensure complete sell through as per brand product, style and assortment plans.
• Review feedback from territories on Brand acceptance and customer expectations.
• Ensure adherence to financial plan in all key areas
• sales, markdowns, margin and average inventory.
• Create the brand positioning in consultation with the Marketing team and Brand Principal / Brand General Manager.

Brand Merchandise Planning and Product Selection

• Involve in recruitment and training of team members.
• Study merchandise requirements for assigned brand by setting sourcing triggers based on actual sales, sales forecasts, company order parameters, inventory checks, forth coming events, replenishment needs.
• Design the merchandise plan (pricing, promotion, assortment etc.) with the team for timely availability of stocks at the stores.
• Determine buying requirements and formulate buying plan and budget.
• Conduct product selection in coordination with the buying requirements and the product research received.
• Ensure effective in-season management across territories (stock balancing, markdown management, stock analysis, stock vs. sales performance).

Brand Image

• Create brand awareness “Club Apparel”.
• Coordinate with Retail Operations to collate the feedback on retail and brand operations.

Market and Competition Research

• Develop Strategy for Visual Merchandising at Stores and ensure implementation of the same.
• Acquire market intelligence through various sources and analyze trends that may impact business.
• Research the brand acceptance within the region or any new territory and identify any inputs on brand customizations required.
• Map competition prices / products and provide qualitative inputs to business.
• Research and look at new sites for brand outlets and discuss the same with the Operations Manager and General Manager.
• Research on the latest trends in products, brands, styles, designs, fits etc.

Projects & Administration

• Evaluate the selected site on parameters like trade area, customer base, additional merchandising considerations and seek internal approvals.
• Co-ordinate for new store openings and re-fits with the operations and projects team.
• Ensure brand outlet locations are in line with the brand strategy and positioning.
• Ensure adherence to the store opening plan.