Brand Manager Footwear

Career Raiser; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail firm in Dubai is seeking a manager for Buying and Category Management. The role involves managing footwear buying strategies, implementing brand marketing plans, and overseeing operations across stores in the UAE and GCC. The ideal candidate will have experience in retail management and a strong background in brand development.

Qualifications

• Experience in buying and category management for retail.
• Strong understanding of brand management and business development.
• Proven ability to manage retail operations and teams effectively.

Responsibilities

• Manage buying for Ladies & Men’s footwear categories.
• Develop and implement marketing and brand strategies.
• Oversee retail operations across UAE & GCC stores.

Job description

Description

Buying & Category Management

• Manage the buying for Ladies & Men’s category footwear
• Formulate a bi-annual buying plan / OTB (Open to buy) for SS/AW collection as per the sales & purchase budget, events calendar and company expansion plans.
• Determine life-cycle of a product including decision on discontinuing SKU’s and launching the new one’s based on price point, design, materials used, expected sell-out etc.
• Develop a stocking pattern for Stores & warehouses based on store categorization, performance, location, customer profile etc. to optimize stock holding at all times.
• Prepare monthly re‑orders for all the above listed categories.
• Ensure proper allocation of merchandise based on the sales trend & demand.
• Tracking and maintaining optimum inventory levels in the stores for allSKU’s by doing Inter‑store transfers where required.
• Undertaking necessary actions to accelerate the sale of slow movers & have stock ageing under acceptable levels.

Brand Management & Business Development

• Prepare & implement marketing plan including media plan, customers & press events, BTL activities, mailers etc. Also negotiate with agencies to get the best insertion rates, free ads etc with the help of Marketing team.
• Prepare annual brand / store budgets.
• Responsible for profitability of the brands.
• Prepare necessary monthly brand reports to be presented to GM & CEO.
• Undertake pricing activities for the brands based on predetermined mark‑ups and forex rates.
• Liaise with principals on a day‑to‑day basis.
• Impart brand training to new recruits.
• Finalize the store layout and store fit‑out works. Capable of managing the store fit‑out’s right from beginning to setting up the store for operations with the help of Project team.
• Establish new stores from scratch with the correct stocks, POS materials, props, visual merchandising & windows displays.

Retail Operations

Directly managing Stores in UAE & GCC

• Administer overall store operations including retail hygiene checks, window merchandising, inventory management, retail operations & promotions.
• Preparing monthly target and incentive plans for the stores.
• Managing a team of over 30 which includes Operation Manager, Merchandiser, Store Managers, Sr Sales Associates, Sales Associates & thebrand visual merchandiser.
• Annual manpower planning & recruiting the necessary staff’s to cater tothe requirements. Also includes staffing for the stores & annual leaveplanning for the team.
• Implement window theme and merchandising plans as per brand guidelines.
• Communicate with the visual merchandiser for timely installation ofrelevant window schemes for the stores as per the guidelines, season andpromotions.
• Undertake regular store visits to ensure that stores are in pristinecondition.
• Attend escalated after sales matters to arrive at amicable solution.
• Impart brand / product training to the team on a regular basis.