Reporting to -VP- Merchandising & Buying Grade / Band- AGM / Mid-Senior Management Key Responsibilities Merchandise Strategy & Assortment Planning: Build seasonal and festivalled line plans aligned to the brand pyramid (mass-premium, bridge, luxury). Lead Open-To-Buy (OTB) and range architecture by region, store cluster and digital channel. Conduct trend, competitor and consumer insights analysis specific to Indian jewellery buying behaviours (wedding, everyday wear, investment pieces). Buying & Product Development: Partner with design studios and karigar/karatage workshops to translate concepts into commercially viable SKUs. Final sign-off on buys, ensuring adherence to precious metal standards (BIS hallmarking, 916 purity) and ethically sourced gemstones. Inventory & Replenishment: Own the end-to-end stock life-cycle: allocations, consolidations, RTV, stock ageing and liquidation. Maintain optimal stock turns Vendor & Supply-Chain Management: Negotiate with domestic and international suppliers on price, delivery schedules, and quality norms. Set SLAs for karigar clusters, casting houses and diamond assorters; monitor via monthly scorecards. Pricing & Margin Optimisation: Define pricing ladders considering daily bullion rates, making charges, and perceived design value. Run markdown simulations and manage promotion calendars around Akshaya Tritiya, Diwali, bridal season, etc. Visual Merchandising & Store Experience: Approve VM briefs for collections and hero products; ensure guideline compliance across 100 % stores. Omnichannel Integration: Synchronise assortment, inventory visibility and pricing between POS, website, and marketplaces. Leadership & People Development: Coach buyers & planners on category management and negotiation skills. Foster a culture of compliance, transparency and innovation. Success Metrics (KPIs) Category revenue growth vs. LY and budget Gross margin % and rupee value Stock turns & ageing profile Sell-through within 90 days of launch On-time in-full (OTIF) supply X % Visual merchandising audit score X % Team engagement & development scores Qualifications & Experience Education : MBA/PGDM in Retail/Marketing/Merchandising OR Graduate in Gemology/Jewellery Design with management diploma. Experience : 10-14 years in merchandise planning/buying within fine jewellery; Exposure to omnichannel retail and ERP preferred. Skills & Competencies Deep understanding of Indian jewellery motifs, karatage, making techniques and consumer purchase occasions. Commercial acumen with strong numerical and analytical skills (Excel, Power BI, Tableau). Negotiation and vendor-management prowess. Comfort with bullion price volatility and hedging concepts. Leadership, coaching and cross-functional influence. Excellent communication (English, Hindi; regional languages a plus).