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Merchandise Manager

Clarks, Needham Heights, MA, United States


The Merchandise Manager will drive product alignment and execution for the Clark Retail stores responsible for driving sales, margin, and inventory productivity through strategic assortment planning and lifecycle execution across men’s and women’s footwear. This role combines analytical rigor with strong product instincts, obsessing on consumer needs to ensure the right styles, brand stories, sizes, and price points are available at the right time and place.
What You’ll Do

Merchandise Manager will work closely with Director of Merchandising coordinating w/ merch planning to maximize revenues commercial performance, developing proper product offering for Full Price and Outlet stores.
Responsible style selection, work with planning with guidance on inventory need, & pricing. Analyze performance and adjusting strategies and assortments.
Build balanced assortments across categories (athletic, casual, dress, boots, sandals, comfort, performance) and price tiers.
Set initial pricing architecture aligned with margin targets and competitive landscape
Collaborate with marketing team to align trading plans and product with promotional strategies.
Track commercial performance partnering with Merch planning to review style count & sku productivity targets, to promptly identify mismatches between current trend and budget/plan and other opportunities for optimization.
Optimize size curves by gender and category to maximize sell‑through and minimize markdowns.
Collaborate with Planning, Allocation, Visual, Marketing, and Store Operations to ensure flawless execution for stores on product assortment.
Attend planner OTB meetings to better understand trending categories & inventory risks.
Review and analyze full price and promotional selling to capitalize on commercial and financial opportunities.
Driving internal review process and develop best practices, internal process as well as external communication flows with the broader organization.
Create Merchandising Line Plans for store assortments.
Present the merchandise strategy, supporting insights, assortment guidance and seasonal trading plans.
Maintain an understanding of local market and competitive dynamics, target consumer needs, and product trends.
Be a consumerist: obsess the consumer and understand quickly new competitive trends
Lead with the art and science of merchandising.
What You’ll Bring

Bachelor’s Degree and at least 3-5 years of related experience
Experience in the development and implementation of product strategy
Buying, Merchandising, Planning or Product Management experience at a manager level in the Footwear business.
Lead with the art and science of merchandising
Understanding of the footwear market - competitors, trends, distribution
Knowledge of different business operating models – Retail, Franchise, Factory, eCom, Product, Finance, Supply Chain
Ability to lead and influence others.
Have product acumen and footwear experience.
Negotiation skills to maximize the matrix resource of Clarks
Organizational and Communication skills
Comprehensive understanding of overall business operations
Equal Opportunity

Clarks is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. We do not discriminate on the basis of sex, age, disability, marital status, color, race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation or gender re-assignment. Actual compensation will be based on factors including but not limited to experience, qualifications, performance, business needs and statutory obligations.

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