Merchandising Assortment Planning Manager

You will report to the SEMEA Merchandising Director and will be based in Milan. You will become part of a dynamic and international Merchandising organization, collaborating with colleagues across SEMEA and Global functions. As Assortment Planning Manager, you will lead the development and execution of the regional assortment strategy across channels and markets, ensuring the right balance between global direction and local relevance. Working closely with Sales, Marketing, Ecommerce, Finance and Global Merchandising teams, you will shape commercial decisions that drive growth, profitability and customer engagement across the SEMEA cluster

What you'll do Drive Assortment Strategy Across SEMEA You will be responsible for defining and delivering a customer-centric assortment strategy that supports business ambitions across multiple markets and channels. You will translate global product direction into locally relevant plans, ensuring assortments reflect market needs while maximizing commercial performance.

Key responsibilities include:

Building and executing omni-channel assortment strategies across SEMEA markets Leading pre-season range planning, balancing newness, continuity and depth Using customer, product and commercial insights to optimize assortment decisions Conducting analyses to continuously improve future planning cycles Monitoring competitor assortments and pricing strategies across key markets, particularly Italy and Turkey

Lead Commercial Performance and In-Season Trading You will turn data into action, constantly monitoring performance and identifying opportunities to maximize sales, margin and inventory productivity.

This includes:

Monitoring sales, sell-through and stock performance at category and SKU level Leading in-season trading reviews and driving corrective actions where required Accelerating winning products while addressing slow-moving inventory Partnering with stakeholders to optimize stock allocation and availability Protecting full-price sales and minimizing markdown dependency through proactive assortment management

Influence Across Functions and Markets

Success in this role requires strong stakeholder management and the ability to influence decision-making across a complex international organization.

You will:

Act as the voice of SEMEA within global product and merchandising discussions Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Ecommerce and Finance teams Drive alignment around assortment priorities and commercial opportunities Present recommendations and insights to senior regional and global stakeholders with confidence and credibility

Lead and Develop a High-Performing Team As a people leader, you will inspire, coach and develop a team of Assortment Planning specialists while fostering a culture of accountability, curiosity and continuous improvement.

You will:

Set clear expectations and high performance standards Build capability through coaching, feedback and development opportunities Encourage commercial thinking, innovation and ownership Create an environment where people thrive and deliver their best work

What we’re looking for 5+ years of experience as People Manager in Merchandising, Assortment Planning, Buying or Product Management within retail, fashion or consumer goods Proven track record of building and executing assortment strategies across multiple categories, channels and markets Experience managing OTB, WSSI and inventory planning processes Demonstrated people leadership experience, with a passion for developing talent Strong commercial acumen with expertise in sell-through management, margin optimization and full-price trading Advanced analytical and Excel skills, with experience using planning, ERP and BI tools Experience operating within a matrix and international environment Fluent English; Italian is considered an advantage

Personal Attributes

We are looking for a commercially minded leader who combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution.

You are:

Passionate about product and customer experience A strong communicator who influences with confidence and credibility An inspiring leader who develops people and drives accountability Comfortable navigating ambiguity and leading through change Highly analytical, with the ability to transform data into clear business actions Driven, resilient and energized by a fast-paced retail environment

What we offer: Permanent employment contract (Quadro) under theItalian Commerce Collective Labour Agreement (CCNL Commercio) Competitive salary:between 55.000 and 64.000Eurogross per year, depending on previous experience and qualifications. Benefits:€11.50 meal vouchers annual performance bonus, and access to our welfare program, which includes benefits such as vouchers for marriage, birth, adoption and graduation milestones; an extra day of annual leave for your birthday; discounts on Pandora products; a wide range of partner offers and much more.

Why Pandora? At Pandora, you'll have the opportunity to shape assortment decisions across a diverse and fast-growing region while working with talented teams across the globe. You'll join a company where commercial ambition, customer obsession and continuous improvement are at the heart of everything we do.

If you're passionate about product, retail and using data-driven insights to drive business performance, we'd love to hear from you.

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