General Merchandise Trading Director

Lotus's Malaysia; Kuala Lumpur; On-site; MYR 240,000 - 420,000; Full time

Job summary

Lotus's Malaysia is seeking a General Merchandise Trading Director to lead the commercial strategy, trading performance, profitability, and growth across all channels. You will accelerate omnichannel and e-commerce performance with a seamless customer experience in-store and online.

You will drive category management, supplier partnerships, and international sourcing while owning GM P&L and delivering sales targets. Strong leadership and analytics are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business/commerce/marketing or related field.
• MBA is an advantage.
• 15+ years' experience in retail commercial/trading leadership.
• Strong negotiation and supplier management skills.
• Advanced analytical and commercial acumen.
• Experience managing large commercial P&Ls.
• Experience in own-brand/private-label development and sourcing.
• International sourcing and global procurement experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the overall trading strategy for General Merchandise.
• Deliver sales, gross margin, market share, and profitability targets.
• Drive category growth through customer-led assortment and merchandising strategies.
• Identify emerging consumer trends and new business opportunities.
• Lead buying and category teams to develop compelling product ranges.
• Build strategic partnerships with local and international suppliers.
• Negotiate commercial terms, rebates, promotions, and exclusive products.
• Own the GM e-commerce growth strategy and optimize digital channels.
• Improve online conversion, basket size, and customer retention.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Digital, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams.
• Manage working capital, inventory productivity, and risk.
• Foster capability and succession planning within the team.

Skills

Negotiation

Supplier management

P&L management

Analytics

Leadership

E-commerce & omnichannel

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Business/Commerce/Marketing

MBA

Job description

The General Merchandise (GM) Trading Director is responsible for leading the commercial strategy, trading performance, profitability, and growth of the General Merchandise business across all channels. This role drives category strategy, merchandising, pricing, promotions, supplier partnerships, inventory optimization, and digital commerce to deliver sustainable sales and profit growth.

A key focus of the role is accelerating omnichannel and e-commerce performance by creating a seamless customer experience across physical stores and digital platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the overall trading strategy for General Merchandise.
• Deliver sales, gross margin, market share, and profitability targets.
• Drive category growth through customer-led assortment and merchandising strategies.
• Identify emerging consumer trends and new business opportunities.

Category & Supplier Management

• Lead buying and category teams to develop compelling product ranges.
• Build strategic partnerships with local and international suppliers.
• Negotiate commercial terms, rebates, promotions, and exclusive products.
• Drive innovation, own-brand development, product differentiation, and private-label growth opportunities.
• Develop and execute international sourcing strategies to improve product quality, innovation, cost competitiveness, and access to global trends.
• Identify, evaluate, and manage global supplier networks to support commercial objectives and supply continuity.
• Develop and execute the GM e-commerce growth strategy.
• Optimize product assortment, pricing, promotions, and content for digital channels.
• Improve online conversion, basket size, customer acquisition, and retention.
• Work closely with Digital, Marketplace, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams to improve fulfilment, availability, and customer experience.
• Leverage data analytics to drive digital trading decisions.
• Expand marketplace and online-exclusive offerings.
• Accelerate online growth of own-brand products and exclusive internationally sourced ranges.
• Own the trading P&L for the GM business.
• Deliver sales, margin, stock turn, and inventory productivity targets.
• Optimize promotional investment and return on investment.
• Ensure effective working capital and inventory management.
• Use customer analytics to shape assortment and promotional strategies.
• Monitor competitor activity and pricing.
• Enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty through differentiated propositions.
• Lead, coach, and develop high-performing commercial teams.
• Build succession pipelines and organizational capability.
• Foster collaboration across Commercial, Operations, Marketing, Digital, Finance, and Supply Chain.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with company policies, regulatory requirements, and ethical sourcing standards.
• Drive continuous improvement in trading processes and governance.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Commerce, Marketing, or related field.
• MBA is an advantage.
• 15+ years' experience in retail commercial/trading leadership.
• Strong experience in General Merchandise buying and category management.
• Proven success leading e-commerce and omnichannel retail businesses.
• Experience managing large commercial P&Ls.
• Strong negotiation and supplier management skills.
• Advanced analytical and commercial acumen.
• Proven experience in own-brand/private-label development and portfolio management.
• Strong experience in international sourcing, supplier development, and global procurement strategy.
• Experience working with international manufacturers and sourcing markets across Asia, Europe, and/or other key global regions will be an added advantage.
• Strategic Commercial Leadership
• Customer-Centric Mindset
• Digital & E-commerce Expertise
• Data-Driven Decision Making
• People Development
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Own Brand & Product Development
• International Sourcing & Global Supplier Management