Merchandising Lead Adults (m/f/d)

The future looks like you

With over 1,300 stores in 17 European countries and more than 25,000 employees, C&A is one of Europe’s leading fashion retailers. Every day, C&A welcomes millions of visitors to its stores in Europe and to its online shop. C&A offers quality and long-lasting fashion at affordable prices for
the many. We are building on more than 180 years of experience in the fashion industry and continuously modernize the company to become an omnichannel fashion retailer.

At C&A we are driven by our values and we believe that affordable and high-quality fashion is not contradictory to caring for people & the planet, we are always forward thinking and acting to develop our business and innovate the industry. This is your chance to join the C&A team as a Merchandising Lead Adults (m/f/d)!

As the Merchandising Lead, you are responsible for building profitable product assortments that meet or exceed the financial goals and are aligned with the overall Brand Strategy. You are responsible for the strategy and the planning & building of a business unit assortment that meets or exceeds the seasonal financial plan.

Your responsibilities

• Be the key advocate of the target consumer, understand every element of this consumer, use insights and data, observe and understand the customer's behavior, preferences, and needs, and be the champion and voice of the consumer to ensure execution of collections in line with C&A’s Brand Strategy
• Lead the strategic vision and plan of a Business Unit and guide the team to understand how their role in the team contributes to the total company financial and strategic company mission, with a thorough understanding of the competitor landscape for both online and offline, constant awareness of changes, trends, and innovations, and an understanding of the importance of sustainability and quality
• Monitor and manage the complete lifecycle of the product collection by being the central hub for all cross‑functional teams related to executing and delivering on the C&A strategy
• Collaborate with Design, Developers, Technical & Planning teams to verify that the collections are in line with our target consumer needs and fit within our financial framework
• Own the critical path by managing all approvals and ensuring necessary changes are met to guarantee sales/omu/timing targets are achieved and collections meet quality, aesthetic, compliance, sustainability, and financial goals
• Provide support and guidance to Marketing, Visual Merchandising, and Digital teams, enabling the presentation and promotion of the products in line with our consumer strategy
• Comprehensively assess past performance, risks, and opportunities, leading the assigned business unit to deliver a commercially sound and customer‑oriented assortment
• Prioritize and continually weigh competing factors both internally and externally to verify that actions are taken to offer a collection that will maintain and grow the business
• Motivate, inspire, and develop a team to secure the steady improvement of talent, performance, and succession

What you bring

• Over 10 years of experience
• Degree in fashion design or a related field, or equivalent work experience, with a strong portfolio demonstrating expertise
• Experience in leading and managing teams of merchandisers and professionals, with a proven track record of effectively mentoring and motivating others
• Experience managing complex projects, with the ability to balance multiple tasks and priorities and ensure that projects are completed on time and within budget
• Good understanding of Adobe Creative Suite, PLM, and a basic understanding of 3D design and applications
• Extensive knowledge of planning, buying, and product lifecycle management systems like PLM, Dawaca, and BuyOS
• Ability to collect, organize, and analyze large amounts of data from a variety of sources to identify revenue growth and profit opportunities, using statistical analysis if necessary to identify key drivers of business performance and inform decision‑making
• Strong understanding of business principles, detail‑orientation, and the ability to carefully analyze and interpret data to ensure the accuracy of findings and apply this knowledge to make informed recommendations
• Ability to effectively present and communicate findings and recommendations to relevant stakeholders, including management, the Merchandising organization, and other CRSO business units, and to work closely with cross‑functional teams to incorporate analysis into decision‑making processes
• Motivated by challenges and providing solutions, with the ability to quickly adapt to ad‑hoc requirements and changes in the market/business environment, and update analyses as new data becomes available
• Very good understanding of the E2E calendar, including milestones and the development process, and a strong understanding of business strategy, including product development and production, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams to bring collections to life
• Passionate about the product, optimizing quality processes, with the ability to identify the commercial value of best‑selling products and how to maximize and capitalize on them while being energized by delivering the best product for the consumer
• Good knowledge of branding, and how to develop and maintain a strong brand identity while keeping up to date with the latest fashion trends and innovations, as well as analyzing these trends and incorporating them into the brand's aesthetic in an original and meaningful way
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, with the ability to lead empathetically, understand team members’ key motivations, strengths, and weaknesses, and create a positive and collaborative team environment

What we offer

This is an opportunity for you to join us on a truly exciting transformation journey, where you’ll be able to leave footprints that last and contribute significantly to our vision. As well as knowing that you played a key part in the evolution of one of Europe’s most recognizable retail brands, you will also enjoy:

• Countless learning and development opportunities via our C&A academy
• Access to a Partner Discount Scheme
• An employee discount of 20% in C&A stores
• 30 days' vacation
• Corporate pension scheme
• Mental health and wellness program
• An exciting job in an international and inspirational working environment
• A positive working atmosphere and a talented team with an open feedback culture