Category Head- Hardgoods & Luggage

POSITION’S OBJECTIVE: (Brief on position’s objective) Manage and grow existing Category business in order to achieve targeted revenues and profitsKEY RESPONSIBILITIES:Category Planning and ManagementStrategizing on the Product range planning and buying by identifying existing and new business opportunitiesTo develop and implement the annual calendar for design, range launches, promotions, stock rationalisation and discountNew product developments, timely approvals & placement of orders to ensure timely deliveriesTo drive the pricing, shelving, marketing and promotions of the category's products in order to make them as visible, accessible, and appealing to customersTo ensure the targeted GP for the category is metTo provide support to BH in P & L Management of the categoryTo customise product mixes for regional preferencesTo create and maintain workflows, WIP, Time and Action plan for the category. Process to be reviewed and refined at regular intervalsTo provide communication briefs addressing category requirementGive briefs for category specific call outs at stores where requiredVendor ManagementTo maintain a productive relationship with vendors that is mutually beneficial to the company and artisans.Deploy orders to DP vendors judiciously and create an approved list of nominated vendors with PHsWorking closely with PH and QC on vendor rating and allocate PH and vendors for future order placementsTo develop a competent base of vendors & ensure balanced distribution of workTo identify & grow new vendors to achieve goals of product offer & priceProductionTo monitor production tracker of every style in the category and take early calls for opportunity maximizationTo ensure support to markets by providing on time delivery as per seasonal requirements & promotion calendar timelinesTo pre-empt delay & production failures & to come up with quick firefighting solutionsInventory ManagementResponsible for managing inventory at PH and Markets.Ensure effective planning and forecasting in order to optimise the inventory levels.Maintain the fine balance between perennial orders & push to optimize sales & manage stocksPricingDevelop effective pricing strategies; Buying and selling at right price to ensure targeted GPsQualityTo work with QA team to influence establishment of quality standards for the productsTo take timely and effective commercial decisionsDocumentation & Report AnalysisTo ensure that periodic reports related to category performance / Dashboards are made available as per the timeline and handle any query that may ariseMarket InteractionsRegularly interacting and visiting the stores to gather first hand customer response to the merchandise offering - style, quality, display & pricing.Observe customer's purchase behaviour and commission researches to understand future product development / styling needs and pricing decisionsInteract directly with store teams to handle queries and objections, training store teams on ProductTo interact with MRHs on specifics to help them achieve their target, faster growthTo present range to markets for categories future buysTeam Management / Team DevelopmentTo hire deploy and manage team to enhance team productivityTo provide support, motivation and encouragement to colleagues and team members & explore job rotations and career planningTo handle conflicts, team member's non performance through mentoring and coachingTo identify training needs for the team and ensure they are addressedDelegate & empower team for enhanced performance without abdicating responsibilityTo work collectively and in collaborating manner across departments for enhanced productivityCore Responsibilities:Sourcing & PurchasingIdentifying, selecting, and purchasing merchandise that aligns with the organizations brand and visionSales Reporting and AnalysisAnalysing sales data, identifying bestsellers, product gaps and optimising product assortments to maximise profit marginsTrend Analysis and Market ResearchStaying updated on current trends, mapping competition activity and consumer behaviour to make informed purchasing decisionsCommunication & Negotiation SkillsExcellent communication skills with strong negotiation skills to interact with suppliers, internal teams, and stake holdersProblem Solving SkillsAbility to address inventory issues, supplier & internal challengesTime Management & Organizational SkillsAbility to manage multiple tasks, prioritize deadlines, and stay organizedJOB SPECIFICATION: (QUALIFICATIONS/KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE)Years of Functional Experience: 10 - 15 years of work experience with at least 5-8 years of experience in Retail industry particularly Home Décor/Home Accessories/Giftware/ Luggage (Home & Lifestyle) Incumbent should have handled P&L of the Category and also understanding of Home Décor, Giftware, Luggage, Inventory, Margins , Web store / Online& Other channel sales of the Category. Min 4 - 5 years of Team management experienceDegree/Diploma: B F tech / M F tech / BE Textiles / BSc Home Science / MBA / MSc Wood / B Design / M designRole: Team ManagementKnowledge & Skills: Business ManagementProduct KnowledgeMerchandising, Sampling, CostingSourcing and Vendor ManagementRetail OperationsMarketing & CommunicationsConsumer ResearchCrafts and textilesUnderstanding of FabindiaFocus on ResultsAnalytical SkillsPlanning and OrganizingAbility to Train and LeadCommunication skillsInterpersonal SkillsInnovation and openness to learningCustomer focusTeamworkRisk taking capabilitiesIT skillsInterested candidates please share resume at anamika.kushwaha@fabindia.net