Category Lead

As a Collection & Category Management Specialist, your primary responsibilities include: - Building a collection tailored to meet the preferences of customers and continuously updating the shoeline. - Introducing new concepts within the category. - Determining the selling period for new concepts. - Developing a collection for identified concepts post approval from the Chief Buyer. - Creating backup collections to replace underperforming articles. - Pricing articles based on concepts, distribution, and margin while considering minimum required cushions or reductions. - Seeking approval from the Merchandising Head for all the above tasks, with pricing to be counter-approved by the Managing Director. For Category Management, you will be expected to: - Establish category norms for the assigned category and design product lines accordingly. - Conduct regular visits to stores to evaluate the category's performance. In terms of Open To Buy responsibilities, you will be required to: - Plan the budget for the upcoming season based on company guidelines. - Select concepts to emphasize in the approaching season. - Allocate the budget to the designated concepts as per company's control figures. - Strategize the quantity and types of articles within the concepts. - Create a month-wise buying plan aligned with sales patterns. - Continuously revise the plan based on sales trends. For Order Placements, your tasks will involve: - Placing orders with contract suppliers to supplement the collection. - Collaborating with import suppliers to enhance margins for each concept. - Ensuring smooth operations at factories based on estimates. In terms of Promotions, you will be responsible for: - Presenting promotion plans for collections, obtaining approvals, and collaborating with the Stores Merchandising team. - Highlighting volume projects such as Trend Posters and PWP. - Keeping store personnel informed about fashion trends, shoe collections, and selling features through merchandise catalogues or newsletters. Your duties related to Sales Monitoring will include: - Monitoring category sales across various regions and store classifications. - Regularly evaluating concepts and categories to optimize stock and sales. - Providing alternative substitutes for popular concepts to capture market share. - Reviewing the performance of new articles across stores. In Stock Management, your responsibilities will include: - Regularly assessing article availability in stores. - Adjusting store numbers based on sales potential. - Eliminating slow-moving and defective lines through promotions and price adjustments. - Maintaining an updated sample stock with sales records. - Continually evaluating article performance and adjusting procurement accordingly. As a New Stores Opening specialist, you will be expected to: - Participate in planning new stores to ensure appropriate category allocation. - Develop merchandise plans for new stores. - Provide specialized supplies to new stores for optimal business performance. - Monitor category performance in new stores for at least a year. - Ensure timely and correct product delivery to stores as requested. Your responsibilities in Market Research will involve: - Tracking market trends and prices. - Creating seasonal trend boards, storyboards, and paper collections. - Maintaining communication with District Managers, Store Managers, and Customer Service Department. - Analyzing evolving buying habits. - Visiting competitors and suppliers for insights. Regarding MIS, your tasks will include: - Developing systems for merchandise logistics from supply source to store using modern MIS techniques. - Contributing to ongoing MIS development for merchandising and distribution improvements. Additionally, you will be accountable for: - Harmonizing sales estimates and factories estimates. - Overseeing shoe line development, stock management, and distribution. - Managing people by hiring appropriate staff, providing training, motivating and retaining employees, planning careers for high-potential individuals, and implementing succession plans for key roles within the organization.,