Director Franchise Buying, kids

Adidas; Pasighat; On-site; INR 12,00,000 - 18,00,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading sportswear brand is looking for an experienced Merchandise Planner in Pasighat, India. This position involves strategic assortment planning, collaboration on product strategies, and driving sales performance. The candidate should have a strong background in retail merchandising with significant experience in leadership roles. Fluency in English and Mandarin is also required. Join a dynamic team committed to enhancing brand loyalty and maximizing sales performance.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in retail merchandising or buying, with 3+ years in leadership roles.
• Strong fashion sensibility and understanding consumer trends.
• Bilingual fluency in English and Mandarin.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage assortment plans tailored to franchise store clusters.
• Analyze sell-through rates and translate insights into actionable strategies.
• Partner with teams to ensure successful product launches.

Skills

Leadership

Financial literacy

Analytical skills

Communication skills

People management

Education

University degree in Business or related field

Tools

MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint)

Job description

Overview

PURPOSE & OVERALL RELEVANCE FOR THE ORGANISATION:

This role is critical in driving profitable growth for Kids franchise stores through strategic assortment planning, efficient order management, and data-driven merchandising. By ensuring the right product is available at the right time and place, this position directly contributes to maximizing sales performance (ATV, UPT, conversion rate) while optimizing inventory efficiency. Additionally, the role plays a key part in implementing new product strategies and fostering collaboration between cross-functional teams to align with business objectives.

This role requires a deep understanding of the kids' market, current trends in sportswear, and consumer preferences. The ideal candidate will lead a team to create compelling product assortments that resonate with young athletes and their parents, driving sales and enhancing brand loyalty.

Key Responsibilities

Assortment Planning & Merchandising Strategy

• Develop and manage assortment plans tailored to franchise store clusters, ensuring alignment with company targets and customer demand.
• Participate in the Go-To-Market (GTM) process, representing the franchise perspective and providing insights on product selection, range optimization, and market trends.
• Collaborate with BU, and Sales teams to ensure cohesive product strategies.
• Implement new product/category introductions with a structured rollout plan.

Order & Inventory Management

• Execute just-in-time purchasing for pre-selected products, optimizing stock levels to meet sales forecasts.
• Develop and manage purchase plans that align with Open-to-Buy (OTB) budgets and company financial goals.
• Monitor and improve stock turnover rates while minimizing excess inventory.
• Track order fulfillment and follow up to ensure timely product availability.

Sales & Performance Analysis

• Analyze sell-through rates for key products, identifying trends and recommending actions to improve performance.
• Prepare sales forecasts and translate insights into actionable strategies for franchise stores.
• Conduct regular business reviews to assess product performance and adjust merchandising strategies accordingly.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Franchise Operations and Visual Merchandising teams to ensure smooth product launches and in-store execution.
• Serve as the key liaison between BU and Sales teams to align on product strategies.

Team Development & Leadership

• Identify training needs and contribute to the development of team members.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide coaching to enhance team effectiveness.

Success Metrics:

• Increased ATV (Average Transaction Value), UPT (Units Per Transaction), and conversion rates.
• Improved inventory turnover and reduced excess stock.
• Effective implementation of new product/category strategies.
• High accuracy in sales forecasting and demand planning.

Key Relationships:

• GCA local management team
• BU, CCS
• Brand Marketing Kids Team
• Franchise Operations Team
• Account Sales

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs)

Leadership & Business Management

• Strongbusiness acumen, with the ability to manage processes, projects, and drive operational efficiency.
• Results-driven mindset, with a focus on achieving key performance targets.
• Financial literacy, including budgeting, forecasting, and profitability analysis.
• Capability to develop long-term strategies that align with business objectives and respond to market changes

People & Performance Management

• Proven ability tolead, develop, and coachteams to high performance.
• Strongorganizational and people managementskills, with experience in setting performance frameworks.
• Ability toinfluence stakeholdersand drive cross-functional collaboration.
• Ability to mentor and develop team members, enhancing their skills and fostering professional growth within the company.

Analytical & Decision-Making Skills

• Excellentanalytical and problem-solvingabilities to interpret sales data and optimize merchandising strategies.
• Strongdecision-making skills, balancing data insights with business priorities.
• Ability to identify trends and translate them into actionable business strategies.

Communication & Collaboration

• Exceptionalverbal and written communicationskills in English and Mandarin.
• Ability to present complex data clearly and influence key stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience

• 8+ years of experienceinretail merchandising, buying, or sales, with at least 3 years in asupervisory/leadership role.
• University degree(Business, Retail Management, Fashion Merchandising, or related field).
• Strongfashion sensibilityand understanding of consumer trends.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office(Excel, PowerPoint, etc.) for data analysis and reporting.
• Bilingual fluencyinEnglish & Mandarin(written and spoken).