Buying and Merchandising Manager

We are seeking a commercially-driven, highly organised, meticulous and positive individual with a can-do attitude to join our team We put priority in giving our customers an enjoyable shopping experience and if you have a customer first mindset with a high level of work ethic and integrity we'd love for you to apply. He/ she will report to the CEO.

As the Buying and Merchandising Manager at our company, you will play a crucial role in driving the success of our products and brand through effective merchandising strategies. Your expertise will be pivotal in optimizing product visibility, sales, and customer engagement both in physical retail spaces and online platforms. You will lead a team of merchandising professionals while collaborating closely with cross-functional teams including operation, marketing, sales, and product development.

What you’ll do:
**Merchandising Strategy**:

- Develop and execute comprehensive merchandising strategies aligned with the company's overall goals
- Drive product assortment planning, pricing strategies, and promotional activities to maximize sales and profitability
- Plan and manage product assortment across retail, e-commerce, marketplaces (TikTok Shop, Shopee, etc.)

**Buying Strategy**:

- Lead the buying and forecasting processes for both jewellery and non-jewellery products, analysing market trends and customer preferences and make informed decisions
- Develop and manage merchandising budgets, ensuring efficient allocation of resources to drive sales, meet financial targets, and maximize ROI

**Inventory Management**:

- Collaborate closely with operations teams to manage stock levels across all jewellery, non-jewellery merchandise, and packaging materials
- Ensure optimal inventory turnover while minimizing overstock and stockouts to support sales performance and operational efficiency

**Shipping and Logistics Management**:

- Manage and streamline shipping and logistics operations to ensure timely, cost-effective movement of goods from suppliers to warehouses and customers
- Partner with logistics providers and operations teams to optimize delivery timelines and reduce overall shipping expenses

**Vendor Relations**:

- Liaise with vendors and suppliers to negotiate competitive terms, secure promotional materials, and align on timelines for successful product launches

**Product Presentation/Visual Merchandise**:

- Create visually compelling product displays and layouts that highlight key features, benefits, and brand aesthetics across both physical and digital platforms
- Ensure consistent branding and messaging throughout all merchandising touchpoints

**Offline and Online Merchandising**:

- Develop and implement in-store visual merchandising strategies to enhance the customer experience, while optimizing online product presentation for an improved digital shopping journey
- Maintain alignment across offline and online touchpoints to deliver a cohesive, omni-channel experience

**Market Analysis**:

- Conduct regular store visits and staying updated on industry trends, competitive landscape, and consumer preferences
- Utilize market insights to identify opportunities for new products or adaptations to existing ones

**Cross-Functional Collaboration**:

- Collaborate with marketing teams to ensure visual merchandising aligns with promotional campaigns and broader marketing initiatives
- Partner with sales teams to understand customer feedback and adjust strategies accordingly

**People/Team management**:

- Lead, motivate, and support the merchandising team within a time-sensitive and ever changing retail environment, including setup and implementation of career development plans for all direct reports including training, assigning tasks and goal setting/KPI setting, scheduling regular catch-ups and 1-on-1s, coaching, counselling, and discipline employees when necessary
- Work closely with HR to interview, recruit and hire new team members to join the company in the merchandising team
- Work closely with HR to create team bonding activities to ensure high morale of the merchandising team

What we’re looking for:

- Preferably Degree in Business, Marketing, Merchandising, or a related field, Master's degree is a plus
- At least 8 years of experience in a merchandising or similar role within the retail industry,
- Team management experience is a plus
- Understanding consumer behavior, market trends, and the dynamics of the retail industry is essential knowledge
- Strong proficiency in MS Office Suite and experience working with inventory management systems and merchandising software
- Excellent project management, organisational skills with keen attention to detail
- Effective communication and interpersonal abilities
- Proficiency in Mandarin (spoken and written) is a plus, as the role involves liaising with suppliers and teammates based in China
- Ability to work independently and collaborate with cross-functional teams
- Strong analytical skills to interpret