Head Buying & Merchandising

Job Title: Head of Merchandising & Buying

Experience: 15 Years
Location: Insert Location
Reports To: CEO / Business Head / Director – Retail

Role Overview:

The Head of Merchandising & Buying will lead the overall merchandising and buying function driving assortment strategy product planning vendor management and category profitability. The incumbent will ensure the right product mix pricing and inventory levels to maximize sales margins and customer satisfaction across all channels (retail e-commerce and institutional).

Key Responsibilities:

1. Merchandising Strategy & Planning

• Develop and implement the seasonal and annual merchandising strategy aligned with the brand and business objectives.

• Drive range planning assortment mix and product lifecycle management to achieve sales and margin goals.

• Partner with marketing and retail operations teams to plan effective product launches promotions and visual merchandising initiatives.

2. Buying & Vendor Management

• Lead the buying strategy — identify trends source products and negotiate with suppliers to secure best quality cost and delivery timelines.

• Build and maintain strategic vendor relationships to ensure innovation exclusivity and consistent product supply.

• Oversee vendor evaluation contracts and performance reviews to ensure compliance with company standards.

3. Financial & Business Performance

• Own category P&L including sales margins inventory turns and OTB (Open-to-Buy) planning.

• Analyze performance metrics market trends and consumer insights to drive data-based decisions.

• Manage markdowns stock liquidation and in-season trading to optimize profitability.

4. Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and mentor a team of category managers buyers and merchandisers.

• Foster a high-performance culture focused on collaboration innovation and accountability.

• Build capabilities across product sourcing and data analytics within the merchandising function.

5. Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with design sourcing supply chain retail operations and marketing teams to ensure product readiness and timely execution.

• Collaborate with e-commerce teams to ensure digital-first product visibility and online assortment planning.

• Align merchandising strategies with brand positioning and customer experience objectives.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Graduate/Postgraduate in Business Administration Retail Management or Fashion Merchandising.

• 15 years of experience in merchandising and buying with at least 5 years in a leadership role.

• Proven track record of managing large product portfolios and multi-channel business environments.

• Strong commercial acumen with expertise in pricing planning and category management.

• Experience in vendor sourcing negotiation and supply chain coordination (domestic and international).

• Excellent analytical communication and leadership skills.

Key Competencies:

• Strategic thinking with strong execution focus

• Commercial and financial acumen

• Trend forecasting and product intuition

• Data-driven decision making

• Strong stakeholder and vendor management

• Leadership and team-building ability

Preferred Industry Background:

• Retail (Fashion Lifestyle Apparel Footwear Home Décor Consumer Goods)

• E-commerce or Omni-channel retail experience preferred