Category Manager, Women's Wear

Company: Cranberry Panda

Salary:  £66,000 - £75,000

The Middle East's number one online fashion destination is looking for a Category Manager for women's wear. Style-obsessed, 20-something customers choose this destinatio for its aspirational yet accessible product selection, huge choice of brands and authentically urban aesthetic. Young, fun and original, that’s how this business would describe itself! 

About the Company...

This online fashion business offers a totally unique online retail experience for the Middle East. The business is still relatively young but has grown into a brand that champions digital innovation, has a fiercely independent spirit and inspires its fashion loving customer to experiment with their style. Its vast product mix includes exclusive in-house collections, sports & activewear and globally-recognised brands, carefully curated for a style-obsessed following. 

About the Role...

Maintain and communicate to team members as well as VP’s and MD‘s a clear strategy for department buying, supported by a well-articulated buying plan.

• Ad hoc and monthly reporting on progress against plan, adherence to budgets and the ability to adjust and revise buying strategy according to organisational objectives.
• Constantly analyse internal and external processes in order to drive improvement of processes
• Ensure that purchased products are competitively priced while margins are kept in line with budgets and business requirements
• Negotiate contracts, discounts and payment terms with suppliers to improve margins and cash flow across the department
• Manage inventory levels through ordering sufficient quantities of product while ensuring best performers are adequately stocked and poor performers are cleared (negotiate returns to supplier and mark down contribution)
• Work closely with the merchandising team to interrogate budgets, sales and inventory data to inform and monitor buying decisions as well as stock replenishments and liquidation
• Manage and develop Junior Buyers  and Assistants (Dubai and India) to ensure category buying is in line with departmental plans and budgets and admin processes are being adhered to 

About You…

• Results & customer orientated 
• Analytical Thinking
• Effective Communication
• Adaptable/Open to Change
• Accountability/Ownership
• Teamwork
• Employee Engagement/Creating a Performance Culture
• Strategic Orientation. 
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously that are deadline sensitive.  

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