🔝 Reports to: Apparel Merchandising Director Europe

📑 Permanent contract

📍 Location: EMEA HQ, Geneva, Switzerland

🏡👩‍💻 2 days home-office per week

📆 Start date: May 2024 at the latest

OUTGROWN YOUR OWN BACKYARD? COME PLAY IN OURS.

At Columbia, we’re as passionate about the outdoors as you are. And while our gear is available worldwide, we’re proud to be based in the Pacific Northwest, where natural wonders are our playground.  

Every product we make and every task we undertake is inspired by the famous words of our founder Gert Boyle: “It’s perfect. Now make it better.” As pioneers of relentless improvement, we are constantly evolving. 

We believe the outdoors is ours to protect and strive to keep our planet healthy. We believe in empowering people to experience the outdoors to the fullest.  

And we believe in you.  

ABOUT THE POSITION

This role is your opportunity to build and deliver an exciting merchandising formula targeted to the new generation of Outdoor inspired Men, while enhancing brand experience, awareness, and presence through our multiple channels of distribution.

As a Merchandiser, you will play an integral role in the continued development and growth of Columbia Sportswear Apparel Men’s business, and you will be responsible for developing and managing the Europe Merchandising go-to-market of this category in alignment with Brand vision and ambition.

This role requires experience and knowledge of the outdoor apparel industry, market and consumer trends, omni-channel merchandising, outdoor product passion, line management and business planning.

You must demonstrate the ability to partner with Sales and Marketing Regional Managers as well as Global Product Managers to effectively define and implement the right segmentation and customized line architecture strategies for various channels of distribution, while maximizing brand presence, optimizing line efficiency, and delivering revenue and profitability upon corporate targets.

Influencing skills and cross-functional leadership are essential for working within the region and with US-based corporate stakeholders on behalf of your region. Adopting best practices to foster positive communication, operational efficiency, collaboration, and problem-solving skills are critical to succeed in this role.

This position requires regular travel in Europe and to Portland (Global HQ).

HOW YOU’LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

• Define a unique perspective on the Men Apparel category, aligned with the nature and heritage of the Brand and relevant to the Outdoor inspired European Men consumer.

• Manage the Regional line plan, pricing, product flow, product segmentation, and product differentiation in alignment with Regional Long-Range Plan (LRP) and Global Merchandising seasonal guidance (Revenue, margin, SKU Productivity) .

• Analyze market data and trends to identify opportunities for growth. Detect and anticipate product needs based on consumer insights, retail pulse and trends, key & strategic accounts inputs.

• Understand the Brand relevant opportunities. Know the competitive landscape and ensure the right positioning of our product as well as marketability of all future development.

• Develop and implement seasonal merchandising strategies for the assigned categories (multi-countries and multi-channels) leveraging history, market knowledge, trend assessment, financial risk and reward.

• Develop close relationship with US Global Product Team and be the voice for Regional opportunities. Advocate product and business opportunities, including product briefs for in-line or SMU. Keep a constant flow of communication to update Global team on market and competitive landscape.

• Build and deliver the Ambition and category attacks strategy during Go-to-Market briefs to allow sales team to get the best understanding of the seasonal opportunities and stories they must go after.

• Align with Regional Sales, Planning and Marketing teams to develop operational and GTM plans that support the ambition, the strategy and product initiatives with regional relevance.

• Lead the Apparel Lifestyle Channel : act as the face of the brand for that channel during prelines with Strategic accounts like ASOS, JD Sports, Citadium, End Clothing…) and communicate your accounts’ needs to other merchandisers

• Educate Sales force on seasonal product innovation, assortment and segmentation strategy, Brand & Product initiatives, and marketing activation.

YOU ARE

• Adept at strategically influencing others, advocating for the region’s needs at the Global HQ

• Skilled in preparing and professionally delivering convincing presentations to groups of all sizes

• Commercially minded

• Proficient in conducting complex interpersonal/intercultural interactions with employees and customers.

• Equipped with a demonstrated capacity to solve problems, make decisions, and troubleshoot effectively

• Characterized by a high level of self-motivation, enthusiasm, and a result-driven attitude.

• Able to interact with strong written and verbal communication skills in English

• Adept at strategically influencing others, advocating for the region’s needs at the Global HQ

• Skilled in preparing and professionally delivering convincing presentations to groups of all sizes

• Commercially minded

• Proficient in conducting complex interpersonal/intercultural interactions with employees and customers.

• Equipped with a demonstrated capacity to solve problems, make decisions, and troubleshoot effectively

• Characterized by a high level of self-motivation, enthusiasm, and a result-driven attitude.

• Able to interact with strong written and verbal communication skills in English

YOU HAVE

• University Degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field OR work experience equivalent to a degree.

• Industry Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience in apparel merchandising and product development in the outdoor or sportswear industry.

• Merchandising Knowledge: Strong knowledge of apparel merchandising or buying, including materials, features, and technology needed in outdoor activities, with a focus on Men’s Outdoor consumer knowledge.

• Market Knowledge: Market knowledge to develop line constructs coherent with retail needs and market potential.

• Commercial experience: dealing with European Sport/Outdoor key accounts is considered an asset.

• Strategic Influence: Strong ability to strategically influence others.

• Language Skills: Fluency in English is required; knowledge of another European language is an advantage.

• Microsoft Office: Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including word processing and spreadsheets