Head – Merchandising

Job Summary

The Head of Merchandising will be responsible for developing and executing the merchandising strategy across all retail formats and channels. This role involves optimising assortment planning, inventory allocation, and sell-through performance to drive profitable sales. The position requires close collaboration with cross-functional teams such as Retail, Brand, Planning, Buying, Supply Chain, Finance, and Technology to build a data-driven, automated, and consumer insights-powered merchandising engine. The ideal candidate will leverage technology and analytics to enhance decision-making processes and establish scalable, innovative merchandising practices in a fast-growing retail environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive merchandising strategies across multiple brands, retail formats, and channels.
• Drive profitable sales through optimized product assortment, inventory allocation, and replenishment strategies.
• Create localized merchandising plans based on customer behavior, demographics, and store performance metrics.
• Continuously evolve merchandising practices by integrating global best practices and emerging technologies.
• Own inventory allocation across stores to maximize productivity and sell-through, ensuring the right products reach the right stores at the right time.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain teams to improve inventory flow and maintain healthy stock levels.
• Leverage merchandising systems, AI, analytics, and business intelligence tools to enhance decision-making, build dashboards, and track key KPIs in real time.
• Use predictive analytics and consumer insights to refine assortment planning and allocation.
• Lead digital transformation initiatives within the merchandising function.
• Work closely with Retail Operations to understand store-level performance and customer trends, supporting store openings, seasonal launches, and promotional activities.
• Partner with Brand and Product teams to translate seasonal strategies into effective merchandising plans aligned with campaigns and product launches.
• Monitor and improve key performance metrics such as sell-through, stock turn, full-price sales, inventory productivity, gross margins, markdowns, and store productivity.
• Build and lead a high-performing merchandising team, fostering a culture of ownership, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making.

Qualifications

• 8–10 years of merchandising experience in retail-led businesses.
• Proven leadership experience in merchandising, planning, or allocation roles.
• Experience in sportswear, fashion, footwear, apparel, or lifestyle retail is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-store, multi-region merchandising operations.
• Experience in building or scaling retail businesses.
• Deep understanding of retail analytics and key merchandising KPIs.
• Proficiency with merchandising systems, planning tools, and business intelligence platforms.
• Educational qualification: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Retail Management, Marketing, or related fields; Master’s degree is a plus.
• Candidates from E-commerce, Quick Commerce, D2C, and Retail backgrounds will also be considered, provided they have strong merchandising experience relevant to the role.

Preferred Skills

• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills.
• Excellent leadership and team management capabilities.
• Ability to innovate and adapt to emerging retail technologies.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working in a fast-paced, dynamic retail environment.
• Knowledge of consumer behavior and regional market trends.

Experience

• 8–10 years of relevant merchandising experience with a focus on retail operations.
• Significant exposure to multi-store and multi-region management.
• Prior experience in sportswear, fashion, footwear, apparel, lifestyle retail, E-commerce, Quick Commerce, or D2C is desirable.
• Proven track record of building or scaling retail businesses.

Environment

This role is based in Bangalore, India, and involves collaboration across multiple teams. The position requires a proactive approach to managing retail operations, with occasional travel to stores and regional offices. The work environment is fast-paced, innovative, and data-driven, emphasizing digital transformation and customer-centric strategies.