Deputy Manager - B&M (Category Management)

The Deputy Manager – Buying & Merchandising (Category Management) will support the seasonal range planning, assortment building, category performance management and commercial execution for the Footwear category.

The role will be responsible for translating category and business requirements into effective assortments, tracking seasonal deliveries, monitoring sell-through and category performance, supporting End of Season Sale (EOSS) planning, and providing actionable insights at store, region, gender, style and size levels.

The position will work closely with Buying, Merchandising, Retail Operations, Marketing, Planning, Product Development and Store teams to ensure successful execution of the seasonal category strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Season Range Planning & AssortmentSupport the development of seasonal range plans and assortment architecture for the Footwear category.Assist in building the right assortment based on category objectives, consumer preferences, store potential, historical performance and business requirements.Support assortment decisions across gender, category, style, size, price point and store grades.Participate in seasonal product conferences and contribute to product and assortment discussions.Identify assortment gaps and opportunities based on sales trends, market insights and category performance. Seasonal Product & Delivery ManagementTake ownership of tracking seasonal product deliveries for the respective category.Monitor delivery timelines against the agreed seasonal calendar and highlight potential delays or gaps.Coordinate with relevant internal stakeholders to ensure timely availability of products across channels and stores.Maintain and update seasonal product trackers and provide regular visibility on delivery status. Buying & Merchandise PlanningSupport the Buying Manager in developing seasonal buy plans aligned with category and business objectives.Prepare and maintain seasonal buy forms, catalogues and relevant merchandising documentation.Support merchandise planning to ensure the right product, quantity and assortment is available across stores and channels.Monitor inventory and sell-through trends and provide recommendations for corrective actions wherever required. Category Performance & Sell-Through ManagementMonitor and analyse category performance on a periodic basis across regions, stores and store grades.Conduct detailed analysis at category, gender, style and size levels to identify key performance drivers and gaps.Track sell-through and identify slow-moving, underperforming and high-performing products.Provide actionable recommendations to improve category productivity and inventory efficiency.Monitor performance against agreed GM% and category deliverables and highlight deviations. End of Season Sale (EOSS)Support the Buying Manager in EOSS planning and execution for the Footwear category.Analyze inventory ageing, sell-through and product performance to support markdown and liquidation decisions.Track EOSS performance and provide periodic updates on sales, inventory and sell-through.Support identification of products requiring specific interventions to optimize inventory liquidation. Marketing & Seasonal InitiativesSupport the development and execution of the seasonal marketing calendar and key marketing initiatives.Coordinate with Marketing and relevant stakeholders to ensure category priorities are incorporated into seasonal campaigns.Support the creation of merchandise display plans for new-season products during the season.Ensure merchandising initiatives are aligned with product launches and category priorities. Product Knowledge & Store TrainingConduct product training sessions for store teams to enhance product knowledge and selling effectiveness.Build awareness of key product features, technologies, benefits and selling propositions among store staff.Work with Retail Operations and store teams to ensure effective communication of seasonal product launches and priorities. Product Development & Channel SupportSupport new product development initiatives for key channels and business partners.Provide category and market inputs based on consumer trends, store-level performance and sales insights.Collaborate with relevant stakeholders to identify product opportunities and assortment requirements for specific channels/partners. Business Analytics & InsightsPerform periodic, in-depth analysis of category performance across:RegionStore and store gradeCategoryGenderStyleSizeSell-throughInventory/productivityIdentify trends, opportunities and risks and translate data into actionable business recommendations.Prepare and present category performance reports and insights to relevant stakeholders.Support data-driven decision-making for range, assortment, replenishment and EOSS planning.

Key Stakeholder Interfaces

The Role Will Work Closely With

Buying & MerchandisingRetail OperationsPlanning & AllocationMarketingProduct DevelopmentFinanceSupply ChainStore TeamsKey Channel / Business Partners

Role Specifications

Qualification

Graduate from FDDI preferred.Additional qualification in Fashion, Retail, Merchandising, Business Management or a related discipline will be an advantage.

Experience

Minimum 4 years of relevant experience in Buying & Merchandising / Category Management, preferably within the Footwear, Fashion, Sportswear or Lifestyle Retail industry.Experience in seasonal range planning, assortment building and category performance management will be preferred.

Key Competencies

Functional Competencies

Season range planning and assortment buildingCategory managementSell-through managementMerchandise planningEOSS planning and executionCategory and store-level performance analysisStyle and size-level analysisInventory and assortment productivityGM% managementProduct knowledge and merchandisingRetail and consumer understanding

Behavioral Competencies

Strong analytical and numerical abilityCommercial acumenAttention to detailProblem-solving and decision-making skillsStrong communication and stakeholder managementAbility to work collaboratively across functionsOwnership and accountabilityAbility to work in a fast-paced, target-driven retail environmentStrong presentation and data interpretation skills

Key Success Measures

Success In The Role Will Be Measured Through

Effectiveness of seasonal range and assortment planningCategory sell-through and productivityAchievement of agreed GM% deliverablesTimely tracking and availability of seasonal deliveriesEffectiveness of EOSS planning and inventory liquidationCategory performance across stores, regions, styles and sizesQuality of business insights and recommendationsEffectiveness of product knowledge and store training initiativesSuccessful execution of seasonal and category priorities

About Skechers

Skechers, a global Fortune 500® company, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel, and accessories. Serving over 180 countries and territories, Skechers connects customers to products through department and specialty stores, e-commerce and digital stores, and through our more than 5,300 Skechers retail locations.