Senior Merchandiser - Sports

TALENTMATE; Dubai; On-site; AED 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

TALENTMATE is seeking a Senior Merchandiser for its Sports division in the United Arab Emirates. The role drives merchandising strategy, assortment planning, stock productivity, and category performance across channels and stores.

You will partner with Category Management, Buying, Planning, Allocation and Store Operations to optimize inventory, pricing, and sell-through while coaching junior merchandisers and sustaining GMG standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business; a degree in Retail Management is preferred.
• Postgraduate qualification is advantageous
• 6 years of experience in merchandising roles
• Experience in the sports retail industry
• Experience in inventory management
• Certifications (advantageous): Certified Retail Merchandiser, Advanced Excel Certificate, SAP ERP Certification, Data Analysis Certificate, Project Management Certificate

Responsibilities

• Translate category strategy and financial targets into seasonal merchandise plans, including range architecture, option counts, depth, and investment by channel, country, and store cluster
• Lead post-season and mid-season reviews, identifying lessons learned and embedding them into future plans (assortment, sizing, grading, launch phasing)
• Own merchandise KPIs at category and cluster level (sales, margin, sell-through, WOS, stock turn, markdowns), tracking performance against plan and proposing corrective actions
• Work with Planning and the Category Manager on open-to-buy (OTB) usage, intake phasing, and stock exit strategies to protect both top line and profitability
• Define inventory targets and guardrails for Merchandisers and Allocators (e.g., min/max levels, WOS bands, priority doors) and monitor adherence
• Lead weekly and monthly trading meetings for assigned categories, consolidating inputs from Merchandising, Allocation, and Stores into clear actions (rebuys, cancellations, rephasing, promotions, transfers)
• Use advanced analysis (rate-of-sale, cohort performance, store clusters, size curves) to recommend targeted actions rather than blanket decisions
• Propose commercial actions such as markdown strategies, promo mechanics focus, and product re-positioning to unlock demand or clear non-performing stock
• Act as the senior point of contact for Merchandisers and Allocators on category priorities, parameters, and ways of working
• Provide direction on which products, stores, and channels to prioritize, ensuring execution by Merchandisers and Allocators is aligned with category strategy
• Partner with the Category Manager, Buying, Supply Chain, and Store Operations to drive end-to-end alignment from pre-buy through to exit
• Develop and maintain robust reporting packs for category performance, synthesizing data from SAP, Excel, and BI tools into concise insights and scenarios for leadership
• Identify structural issues (e.g., grading, size curves, minimum order quantities) and work with the Category Manager and Planning to implement medium- to long-term fixes
• Champion process and system improvements within merchandising, standardizing best practice across Merchandisers and Allocators

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Organizational skills

Excel proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business

Postgraduate qualification

Tools

SAP ERP

Excel

Job description

Role Summary

The Senior Merchandiser plays a key role in executing and optimizing the merchandising strategy for the Sports division, taking ownership of complex product assortments, stock productivity, and category performance. The role combines commercial planning, data-driven trading, and inventory management to ensure the right products, quantities, and sizes are in the right locations to drive sales, margin, and sell-through. Working cross-functionally with Category Management, Buying, Planning, Allocation, Supply Chain, and Store Operations, the Senior Merchandiser acts as a subject-matter expert and coach for junior merchandising staff.

Job Description

The Senior Merchandiser plays a key role in executing and optimizing the merchandising strategy for the Sports division, taking ownership of complex product assortments, stock productivity, and category performance. The role combines commercial planning, data-driven trading, and inventory management to ensure the right products, quantities, and sizes are in the right locations to drive sales, margin, and sell-through. Working cross-functionally with Category Management, Buying, Planning, Allocation, Supply Chain, and Store Operations, the Senior Merchandiser acts as a subject-matter expert and coach for junior merchandising staff.

Role Responsibilities

• Translate category strategy and financial targets into seasonal merchandise plans, including range architecture, option counts, depth, and investment by channel, country, and store cluster
• Build pre-season assortment frameworks (good/better/best, price ladders, category mix) and provide Buying with clear quantitative and qualitative briefs
• Lead post-season and mid-season reviews, identifying lessons learned and embedding them into future plans (assortment, sizing, grading, launch phasing)
• Own merchandise KPIs at category and cluster level (sales, margin, sell-through, WOS, stock turn, markdowns), tracking performance against plan and proposing corrective actions
• Work with Planning and the Category Manager on open-to-buy (OTB) usage, intake phasing, and stock exit strategies to protect both top line and profitability
• Define inventory targets and guardrails for Merchandisers and Allocators (e.g., min/max levels, WOS bands, priority doors) and monitor adherence
• Lead weekly and monthly trading meetings for assigned categories, consolidating inputs from Merchandising, Allocation, and Stores into clear actions (rebuys, cancellations, rephasing, promotions, transfers)
• Use advanced analysis (rate-of-sale, cohort performance, store clusters, size curves) to recommend targeted actions rather than blanket decisions
• Propose commercial actions such as markdown strategies, promo mechanics focus, and product re-positioning to unlock demand or clear non-performing stock
• Act as the senior point of contact for Merchandisers and Allocators on category priorities, parameters, and ways of working
• Provide direction on which products, stores, and channels to prioritize, ensuring execution by Merchandisers and Allocators is aligned with category strategy
• Partner with the Category Manager, Buying, Supply Chain, and Store Operations to drive end-to-end alignment from pre-buy through to exit
• Develop and maintain robust reporting packs for category performance, synthesizing data from SAP, Excel, and BI tools into concise insights and scenarios for leadership
• Identify structural issues (e.g., grading, size curves, minimum order quantities) and work with the Category Manager and Planning to implement medium- to long-term fixes
• Champion process and system improvements within merchandising, standardizing best practice across Merchandisers and Allocators

Technical / Functional Competencies

• Strong analytical skills, leveraging advanced tools to monitor inventory levels, sales performance, and market trends
• Understanding of customer behavior and purchasing patterns to guide data-driven product selection and promotional strategies
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple product categories, tasks, and deadlines effectively
• Strong communication abilities, ensuring clear and efficient collaboration with cross-functional internal teams and external partners, including suppliers
• Proficiency in ERP systems (SAP preferred) and advanced Excel for reporting and analysis
• Sound decision-making abilities to respond to changing market demands and operational challenges
• Consistently upholds GMGs merchandising standards and contributes to the teams overall efficiency and success

Experience / Qualification

• Bachelors degree in Business; a degree in Retail Management is preferred
• Postgraduate qualification is advantageous
• 6 years of experience in merchandising roles
• Experience in the sports retail industry
• Experience in inventory management
• Certifications (advantageous): Certified Retail Merchandiser, Advanced Excel Certificate, SAP ERP Certification, Data Analysis Certificate, Project Management Certificate

Job Details

Role Level: Mid-Level

Work Type: Full-Time

Country: United Arab Emirates

City: Dubai

Company Website: www.gmg.com

Job Function: Retail & Merchandising

Company Industry/Sector: Retail