Manager Buying FRA

Manager Merchandising Franchise

Department:                                     DTC

Direct Reporting Line:                    Sr. Manager Merchandising

Indirect/Second Reporting Line   -

Subsidiary/Country:                       Israel

Location:

GSMS Grade:                                    M4

Personnel managed:                      No

Budget managed:                            No

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization:

This role is pivotal in maximizing the profitability of franchise partners by driving performance, aligning product offerings with market trends, and meeting customer demands. As a Merchandising Manager, you will play a key role in sales planning, buying, in-season trading activities, and post-season analysis, ensuring merchandising excellence and operational efficiency. This position demands a strategic approach to driving sales and enhancing brand equity while collaborating cross-functionally with key stakeholders.

 Key Responsibilities:

Pre-Season Buying:

• Develop and implement comprehensive buying plans that align with sales targets and optimize OTB budgets.
• Provide franchise partners with expert guidance on sell-in strategies, ensuring assortments reflect seasonal direction and store specific needs. Share structured guidance on expected SOB by category, consumer group, age, gender and more.
• Provide partners with excess to product highlight summaries to support informed buying decisions.
• Build an optimal product mix tailored to store formats, product categories, store types, and key consumer segments.
• Ensure accurate size ratios are applied to improve inventory efficiency and minimize missed sales.
• Conduct in-depth analysis of market trends, consumer preferences, and competitor landscapes to inform range building.
• Manage the full sell-in calendar, including preline timeline and showrooms.
•  Manage partners seasonal buying consolidation.
• Lead planning for store assortment, capacity, and number of options to support business and space efficiency.
• Provide structured feedback to the product team and Hub on the range, including exclusives, common assortment gaps, and business-driven requests.
• Share buy reviews with partners ahead of final submission to ensure alignment and accuracy.
• Deliver local sell-in summaries to all partners, capturing key metrics and highlights from the final buy.

In-Season Management:

• Continuously monitor sales performance to identify growth opportunities and proactively address underperforming areas, unlocking untapped potential.
• Collaborate closely with retail, marketing, and operations teams to ensure product presentation in stores aligns with overall brand strategies.
• Analyze and act on key performance reports, including sales forecasts, seasonal buy performance, campaign results, slow movers, best sellers, and monthly business recaps.
• Lead merchandising execution for store openings, remodels, and closures to ensure smooth and brand-consistent implementation.
• Maintain a structured schedule of regular store visits to stay connected to in-store operations and gather actionable insights from the field.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strategic and Analytical Acumen: Demonstrated ability to analyze data, identify trends, and drive data-informed decisions.
• Organized and Process-Oriented: Structured approach to managing complex workflows and multitasking in a fast-paced environment.
• Team Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively across teams and under pressure while fostering a positive, results-driven environment.
• Technical Expertise: Advanced proficiency in MS Office (particularly Excel and PowerPoint) and familiarity with Retail Management Systems.
• Customer-Centric Mindset: Deep understanding of consumer behaviors and preferences to guide product and merchandising strategies.

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

• Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, or a related field. Equivalent professional experience will also be considered.
• Professional Experience: A minimum of 3-5 years of experience in merchandising or closely related functions within retail or franchise operations.
• Language Proficiency: Fluency in English is essential for effective communication across global and regional stakeholders.