GUCCI - Merchandising Director, South America

Summary

Job Description

Role Mission

The goal for the Merchandising Director South America is to take categories and stores within the market to full potential delivering a unique client experience through a 360-degree approach. This role shortens the distance between the regional corporate offices and the stores; it is responsible for providing market expertise and building assortments for the South America region in close collaboration with the Americas Merchandising team. Partnering closely with Retail Inventory Planning Visual Merchandising and the buying office this position will ensure that Retail KPIs Visual Merchandising standards and financial goals are met.

Key Accountabilities

Retail Support

• Ensure all South America stores are visited on a dedicated cadence (weekly monthly quarterly) based on geographical distance. Conduct monthly calls with Flagship locations to understand consumer purchasing patterns client demographics business needs and assortment opportunities/liabilities

• Continuous sharing of information inclusive of Buy investment strategy product knowledge and stock opportunities to Inventory Planning to best equip the store team for success across seasonal and carry over product
• Support:
  • Planned retail activities/retail tools roll outs
  • Special events
  • Product training
  • Major visual merchandising display rotations

• Leverage reporting before and during store visits to identify critical issues and opportunities for improvement; follow-up on actions implemented and monitor impact
• Participate in morning briefing meetings and give a general overview of the business performance and consequent points of partnership with Store Leadership
• Host in-store walk throughs of all departments with retail and visual merchandising teams
• Create team building activities to build strong relationships with client advisors
• Foster expertise of local market needs by eliciting feedback through constant communication with Retail teams; partner on in-season assortment changes and stock rebalancing and provide WW Merchandising product development needs
• Support key strategies made during Buying Campaign to ensure these are executed with Retail and Visual Merchandising on the selling floor
• Frequent communication of new product arrivals and business trends

Training Support

• Deliver in-store training on a specific product or set of products to enhance client advisors product knowledge
• Provide small training sessions during morning briefing at the end of day or on a one-to-one basis.

Visual Merchandising Support

• Lead collaboration with Retail and Visual Merchandising to optimize floor sets
• Partner with Visual to best serve the local/tourist demographic maximizing category potential respecting consistency of visual displays in line with WW guidelines and ensuring coherence with business strategy and stock availability
• Ensure new arrivals are on display and implement a dedicated plan to push slow movers
• Identify cross selling opportunities in visual displays to maximize Retail KPI

Stock Productivity and Proximity

• Review stock productivity with Inventory Planning to guarantee ideal stock levels at Regional and Store level to support overall store Newness sell throughs
• Review product category zoning and visual merchandising display space based on sales and current inventory
• Gather qualitative feedback on the new collections best sellers and slow movers
• Partner with Inventory Planning on deliveries and to address any stock out issues; own strategy of monthly rebalancing consolidations
• Based on launch planning and lead time to stores partner with Inventory Planning to ensure stock allocation is prioritized for Newness
• Liaise with Supply Chain to monitor and prioritize shipments for product launches and in store events

Clienteling and Customer Experience

• Fine-tune assortments based on the specific clientele profiles to maximize the potential of the categories and increase acquisition and retention
• Obtain in-depth knowledge of the stores VIGs and their purchasing habits; communicate preferences and sizing needs during Buying Campaign
• Support Retail team in ensuring an elevated client experience and enhance retention through clienteling activities (OTOs Caravans Special Events etc.)
• Work closely with Client Engagement and Events teams to ensure seamless execution of client facing events or brand initiatives

Competitive Landscape

• Dedicate time to visit the stores of key competitors in the area/mall to analyze their assortment clientele traffic and profile in store activities to identify potential areas of improvement for Gucci
• Study and report on competitors pricing product and merchandising presentation strategies
• Report local market trends to regional buyers

Reporting / Results Tracking and Monitoring

• Deliver both qualitative and quantitative feedback on a weekly basis to all cross functional South America teams
• Set cross-functional monthly meetings with all functions represented (ex. VM Training Store Planning Inventory Planning Operations etc.) to strategize on local actions and WW needs

Buying Support

• Align with Merchandising team prior to market on the specific assortment needs by store/by category
• Host roundtable with Merchandising team to present a recap of the key insights by market and store on client profile and assortment/sizing opportunities
• During Buying Campaign actively participate in all categories in-depth presentations walk-throughs reviews and store assortment definition to ensure differentiation by door to support each business to achieve sales plan and VIG considerations are taken into account
• Discuss at the end of season across all categories what worked/what did not the main reasoning and alignment on next season buying strategy
• Assess and implement Price changes annually refining local currency adaptations

Key Requirements

• Bachelors degree in Fashion Business Finance or related discipline desired
• A minimum of 8 years of relevant buying experience gained within a fashion and/or luxury environment
• Experience in managing and developing a team
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office software including Word Excel PowerPoint Outlook
• Flexibility to travel with short notice and to work a demanding schedule which can include on an adhoc basis: evenings weekends and holidays.

Key Pillars for Ways of Working

• Execute the mission of the role with a Radically Client-Centric mindset
• Approach activities and relationships with a methodology that promotes Flat Connected and Fast ways of collaborative working
• Be Relentlessly Creative and approach challenges with an innovative mindset
• Demonstrate that Everyone is an Owner through thoughts actions and behaviors.

Key Behaviors to Amplify What We Do

Explore

Considerate Thinker

• Sees the big picture and understands how own actions and decisions impact others and the organization as a whole

Solutions Developer

• Actively scans the environment for new approaches blending different ideas to come with creative yet effective solutions

Deliver

Accountable Achiever

• Actively gets things done raising the bar for performance and taking accountability for own actions

Agile Advocate

• Driven by the sense of urgency promotes change and takes smart risks in pursuit of goals

Connect

Connection Builder

• Builds trust-based relationships across boundaries and encourages collaboration
• Adapts own style to communicate impactfully

People Enabler

• Empowers others by providing autonomy and encouraging self-expression valuing and amplifying each persons uniqueness

Build

Continuous Learner

• Is self-aware curious to learn and seeks feedback from others to continuously grow always putting improvement over comfort

Talent Builder

• Provides constructive and on-going feedback coaches and helps others to achieve their full potential

Work Authorization

• Qualified candidates must have the proper work authorization to work in South America

Job Type

Start Date

Schedule

Organization