Merchandising Manager Footwear Lifestyle

About us:

For 70 years, Diadora has been writing some of the most exciting pages of sport history.

Headquartered in Caerano di San Marco (TV) Italy, it has made performance, quality, research and style the key values for its sporting and lifestyle goods. Diadora was established in 1948 to spark, inspire and give voice to consumer. We serve them everywhere and anytime in sport, in lifestyle as well as at work through brands founded on passion, authenticity, cutting-edge design and technological innovations.

Today, the brand is present in more than 60 countries across the world and is continuing its expansion thanks to a vast array of products, from footwear to apparel, that are centered on sport performance lines - with a special focus on running, tennis and soccer - and on fashion and style, with the high-end Heritage collection and the fresh and urban Sportswear line.

Mission of the Role

• Reporting directly to the Merchandising Director, the Footwear Merchandising Manager for Sportswear & Heritage will be responsible for leading the global product strategy. You will bridge the gap between creative vision and commercial viability, ensuring that the footwear range maximizes business opportunities across all distribution channels while achieving rigorous margin and growth targets.
• Key Responsibilities
• Strategic Range Architecture: Develop the global range architecture to maximize business opportunities across all distribution channels, ensuring targets and gross price margins are met for all categories.
• Line Planning: Build comprehensive line plans according to category strategic direction and business expectations, utilizing brand key stories and detailed sell-out analysis.
• Efficiency & Lifecycle: Drive line and SKU efficiency throughout the franchise lifecycle of various silhouettes.
• Market Execution: Execute merchandising strategies and assortment plans to best commercialize the product line based on effective go-to-market strategies by distribution channel and tier.
• Financial Accountability: Deliver profitability at the gross margin level through accurate pricing, product mix, and precise forecasting for the category.
• Cross-functional Partnership: Partner with Product Development during collection development to align with price positioning and target costs.
• Performance Monitoring: Monitor turnover and margins through specific dedicated KPIs and data analysis.
• Market Intelligence: Identify market size, business trends, and competitor activities per category, channel, and price point.Leadership:
• Lead, coach, and train direct reports to foster a high-performing merchandising team.

Key Requirements

• 5-8+ years of industry experience in footwear lifestyle, with a proven track record in product planning and sales forecasting.
• Bachelor’s degree in Economics or an equivalent field is required.
• Deep knowledge of account segmentation, range architecture, product assortments, concept drivers, and product flow.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, data analysis, and monitoring turnover/margins through specific KPIs.
• Soft Skills: Strong leadership, flexibility, and superior problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Exceptional presentation and storytelling skills.
• Fluent in English.

Why work with us?

This is an incredible opportunity to enter and be part of a dynamic Company that will be able to spark, inspire and offer an extraordinary experience in sports and lifestyle through passion, technological innovations and highest expression of craftsmanship.

You will have the possibility to learn, think and grow, expressing your own personality and talent.

We are strongly convinced that diversity in all its forms – gender, color, age, race, nationality, culture, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability – enriches the workplace. This is the reason why we are committed to building a diverse workforce.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer we welcome and consider applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of their background.