Head of Merchandising (Softline)

Essential roles:Responsible for defining and spearheading the strategic direction of the Soft line and its departments in alignment to overall organizational goals and objectives.Ensures that the merchandising function’s Soft Line serve to support Big C’s growth by meeting sales targets, minimizing shrinkage and losses, increasing profit margins, optimizing inventory and ensuring optimal working capital for Big C.Ensure the efficient management of relationships with key vendors, and to manage the scope of work for agencies engaged by Big C.Responsible for driving the strategic goals of the Department, in alignment to overall organizational goals and objectives and is also responsible for ensuring that the organization’s Product initiatives support the growth of the business in the mid to long term.Key responsibilities:Oversees activities and operations of the Softline within Big C with an emphasis on Assortment mix, Price mix, Terms of Payment mix and Vendor mixEnsures the overall profitability of products in the Soft line categories by setting the financial targets and sets the margins for each product line after evaluating sales performance in storeLeads the weekly Trade Plan by communicating promotional deals negotiated with soft line product suppliers for Operations and Marketing and Communications teams to plan and execute promotional strategiesConduct store/competitor visit on a regular basis to better understand market trends; augment with qualitative and quantitative research findings for the purpose of improving Soft line division’s overall go-to-market strategyEnsures that the overall product offering of Soft line items sold within Big C is priced competitively, and is made available in the right outlets at the right time by developing a plan for inventory targets to support in overall Soft line division replenishment strategy taking into consideration slow moving items and DOH (Day on Hand) inventory.Ensures availability of all Soft line products for consumers in-store by leading the team of buyers to work closely with Operations and Supply Chain ManagementWork with SRD division to ensure that products are correctly displayed, packaged and tagged in storeWork with MIS and Supply Chain Management functions to ensure that there is accurate end to end processing of products into the systemOversee the building of long-term, sustainable and strategic relationships with key suppliers, and to provide advice to department heads when reviewing their performanceOperates new initiatives conceptualized by Business Development pertaining to Soft line products upon successful initial rolloutOversee key process improvement projects identified (e.g. with suppliers or within the Division) and monitor key milestonesOverall responsibilities for the management of the online shopping site and its relevant contents