Category Director, Men Apparel, Bu Originals, (m/f/d)

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

Recognize sport and consumer insights

Heavily influence category direction and drive its implementation

Reduce strategies to tactical plans

Steer a cross-functional product creation team to deliver the category vision

Lead and develop the category team

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage a team and develop their functional and social skills using available resources to create a top performing team
• Set and manage strategic category direction; ensure cross-functional alignment
• Identify new business opportunities to drive innovation and / or commerciality
• Develop an "all for one attitude" within the team to ensure smooth cooperation with interlinked departments
• Have full understanding of the product creation process to drive it forward
• Be a role model for all team members in regards to strategic direction and the product creation process
• Show leadership through living the brand values while fostering a performance culture
• Manage and develop optimum relationship with cross-functional teams and with interlinked departments to enable an efficient product creation process
• Challenge the cross-functional team to ensure creation of industry leading products
• Analyse and report category business performance to ensure achievement of category KPIs
• Positively represent the category both internally and externally
• Work with the CtC (Concept to Consumer), Brand Marketing and Sports Marketing teams throughout the season to define strategic marketing direction
• Be a competent partner for category and ranging discussions with markets and retailers
• Define projects to optimize category performance and steer to conclusion
• Build an understanding of product information systems and the interlinking functions – clarity on respective timelines

Authorities:

• Personnel managed – yes Budget managed – no

Key Relationships:

• Steer a strong relationship and ensure constant dialogue/feedback with
  • Your category across all functions, other categories and creation centers (if appl.)
  • Cross-functional team (Design, Development, CtC, Materials, Costing, Planning)
  • Markets and relevant key retailers

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Manage a team to create industry leading products
• Inspire, coach and lead; set framework for performance and growth
• In-depth knowledge of respective product category
• Advanced analytical skills, be solution driven and result oriented, strong business orientation
• Ability to thrive in a fast paced environment
• Strong communication skills
• Lateral thinking and challenge status quo
• Profound consumer, market and retail knowledge especially in regards to different needs of different countries/ regions
• Step up to conflicts and work towards a diplomatic solution
• Execute change management
• Cooperate effectively to maintain and develop trustful relationships
• Ability to travel
• Passion for sports

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• College degree, preferably in marketing/business /textile/fashion
• Minimum of 7 years Product Marketing experience with APP, FTW, ACC or comparable background
• First experience in managing and developing direct reports
• Strong leadership skills
• Experience in trade or sales is helpful
• Fluent in English
• PC skills (MS Office programs)