Senior Specialist -Merchandising

adidas; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A global sportswear company is seeking a Senior Specialist Merchandising in Cape Town to drive profitability across Factory Outlets. The role demands 6-8 years of merchandising experience, expertise in merchandise planning, and strong Power BI skills. The candidate must excel in analyzing sales and stock performance, implementing strategies, and collaborating across diverse teams to maximize results. Excellent communication skills are essential.

Qualifications

• 6-8 years of merchandising experience, preferably in retail or factory outlet.
• Proven experience with Power BI for dashboard building and reporting.
• Strong background in merchandise and inventory management.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement key merchandising strategies.
• Plan and manage seasonal buying to meet sales targets.
• Monitor sales and stock performance, executing gap plans.

Skills

Merchandise planning

Power BI

Inventory management

Analytical skills

Financial acumen

Collaboration skills

Excel

Education

University degree in Business, Marketing or related field

Tools

Power BI

MS Office

Job description

Senior Specialist Merchandising – Value Stores EM

Location: Cape Town, South Africa

Grade: P1

Purpose & Overall Relevance

This role is responsible for maximizing the profitability of retail Factory Outlets (FO) across Emerging Markets by driving key merchandising processes and implementing strategic initiatives across all countries of operation. The position ensures in-season activity delivers planned sales, margin, and stock objectives, while also supporting the effective execution of promotions and optimizing product flow.

What we are looking for

We are looking for a data-driven merchandising professional with 6–8 years of retail or factory outlet experience, strong expertise in merchandise planning, inventory management, and OTB control, and proven hands‑on skills in Power BI for dashboard building and reporting. The ideal candidate will bring advanced Excel proficiency, strong financial acumen, and a trading mindset to maximize sales and margins. They will excel at working across multiple countries and functions, demonstrating excellent communication and influencing skills, along with the resilience to thrive in a fast‑paced, diverse environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and drive the implementation of key merchandising strategies aligned with business priorities.
• Plan, manage, and monitor seasonal FO/Planned Production OTB & Buy to deliver sales and margin targets.
• Maintain monthly sales and stock intake views, including product gap analysis.
• Collaborate with Store Development to allocate optimal product space in new stores.
• Partner with VM & Trade Marketing to standardize in‑store communication across Emerging Markets.
• Work with Supply Chain to enhance supply efficiencies.
• Monitor and drive channel KPIs including Net Sales, Sell‑through, Standard Margin, Inventory, and IDL.
• Ensure consistent implementation of markdown/promotion processes across markets.
• Develop and maintain key merchandising dashboards and reports in Power BI to drive actions.
• Review weekly sales and stock performance; define and execute gap plans with local markets.
• Share best practices across Factory Outlet and franchise channels.
• Lead and execute projects aligned with business needs.
• Role model the leadership framework and promote the ONE EM mindset.

Key Relationships

• Global Merchandising Team
• EM DTC Cluster Teams
• EM Retail Operations
• EM & Cluster SCM
• EM Finance
• EM Demand Planning
• EM Hub BU, CTC & DTC Merchandising Teams

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong capability in Power BI dashboard building and reporting.
• Strong financial acumen and expertise in retail math & KPIs.
• Excellent influencing and collaboration skills across diverse teams.
• Strong trading mindset with entrepreneurial flair to maximize opportunities.
• Advanced Excel and MS Office skills.
• Understanding of retail management systems and back‑office operations.
• Strong analytical skills with attention to detail.
• Structured, process‑oriented, yet approachable and team‑focused.
• Ability to perform in a fast‑paced, high‑pressure, diverse environment.
• Fluent in English; excellent communication and presentation skills.

Qualifications & Experience

• University degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• Mandatory: Proven hands‑on experience with Power BI (dashboard building, visualization, and reporting).
• Mandatory: Solid experience in Merchandise Planning (OTB management, assortment planning, sales/margin forecasting).
• Mandatory: Strong background in Inventory Management (stock flow, aging, gap analysis, replenishment strategies).
• 6–8 years of merchandising experience, ideally in retail or factory outlet environments.