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Merchandising Manager – Shoes and Leather GCR

Job Details

Locations	China/Shanghai
Brand	Ermenegildo Zegna
Contract type	Full-time
Team	Sales Channels & Retail/Buying & Retail Planning

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Merchandising Manager – Shoes and Leather GCR

CompanyID (accounts for anonymous companies) 693,176

The Ermenegildo Zegna Group is a worldwide leader in luxury menswear with more than 6,500 employees and consolidated Group revenues that totaled €1.159 billion in 2019. It was founded in 1910 in Trivero (Italy) by the young entrepreneur Ermenegildo Zegna. Still today, the Group continues to be run as a family business that remains faithful to the vision of the founder: the ethical production of the finest and most exclusive fabrics in the world through innovation and the sourcing of noble fibers directly from their markets of origin. With exports accounting for over 90% of turnover, the completely vertically integrated Ermenegildo Zegna Group enjoys continued growth in Greater China, its most important market, and significant business in other markets as well.
Giving back has always been a part of the Ermenegildo Zegna Group’s mission. When Ermenegildo Zegna founded Lanificio Zegna in 1910, his dream was as much about the desire to make his hometown a better place as it was about fabrics, work and life. He dared to launch an extensive reforestation project in the hills surrounding the Lanificio, guided by a philanthropic vision and an unwavering attention to the community and the environment. The Group is now managed by the third generation of the Zegna family, led by Ermenegildo Zegna, CEO, and Paolo Zegna, Chairman. Its longstanding pledge of support for culture, the environment and the community – directly or through Fondazione Zegna, which celebrated its 20th Anniversary in 2020 under the leadership of Anna Zegna, President – is reaffirmed on a yearly basis with the donation of over 5% of the Group’s net profits
Ermenegildo Zegna Group has always adopted a pioneering spirit and ever-evolving mindset. Its entrance into the production of the high-end menswear market was led by Ermenegildo’s sons, Angelo and Aldo, in the 1960s. The Group solidified its position as a leading global luxury and lifestyle brand when it completed its process of vertical integration in the 1980s. Today, the purveyor of timelessly modern clothing continues to be driven by its commitment to the highest quality in fabrics, garments and accessories, the focus on direct retail operations, ongoing investments in innovation and the penetration of emerging markets. Under the guidance of Artistic Director Alessandro Sartori, Ermenegildo Zegna Group continues to evolve its progressive “crafted modernity” aesthetic, while building a seamless online and offline customer experience and integrated Omnichannel e-engagement strategy – powerful elements that define Zegna’s identity and its 110 years of excellence.
To further consolidate and diversify its luxury offer, Ermenegildo Zegna has also acquired the controlling share of Bonotto SpA, a textile manufacturing company, Pelle Tessuta, a company specialized in woven leather, and Cappellificio Cervo, a historic hat 3 producer from Biella. These were followed by a joint investment with Reliance Brands Limited in the Indian luxury menswear brand, Raghavendra Rathore Jodhpur.Ermenegildo Zegna Group self-financed the landmark acquisition of an 85% share in Thom Browne, Inc., a fashion company whose strong brand identity and well-balanced geographical reach among men and women provide great growth potential. These acquisitions demonstrate the pioneering strategic focus that has characterized the Group since the very beginning.
The Zegna Group strongly supports talent and human resource development through training and incentive programs, from which the Ermenegildo Zegna Founder’s Scholarship was launched in 2014. The program provides €1 million annually to enable talented Italian graduates to pursue postgraduate studies, while encouraging them to return to Italy upon completion of their programs abroad. It is expected to run for 25 years and is a tribute to the Group’s founder, Ermenegildo Zegna, who was well-known for his sense of social responsibility and commitment to Italy. To date, more than 200 students have benefited from these grants, which have enabled them to attend some of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Asia-Pacific: Greater China
The APAC region contributed over 50 % of the group’s total revenues in 2018. The significant contributor being the Greater China Region with business development opportunities in existing markets in Japan, Korea, South East Asia, India, Australia and New Zealand, wholesale, travel retail and other channels.
Ermenegildo Zegna entered the China market over 30 years ago and now is a business of over 440 million Euro’s and consists of 82 points of sale (including 10 outlets with newly launched Omnichannel and is a leader in luxury Italian menswear).
The key responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to the following:
Selection of items for the Shoes and Leather category, within the approved buying strategy, to reflect the needs of the local market as identified through qualitative sales analysis, data on competitors and market price positioning. To monitor sales results and inventory proposing assortment adjustment to support the achievement of the business goals.
Opportunity to continue to build on the existing brand equity of Ermenegildo Zegna with aggressive growth plans across all categories – Shoes and Leather category currently equates to 13% of overall revenue with a target to increase to 20% over the next 3-5 years.
Zegna has a traditional management structure in each market, like other luxury and mass retailers. The office consists of a headcount of 135 people covering the following functions: Sales, Business Development, Merchandising, Merchandising Planning, Visual Merchandising, Marketing and Customer Management reporting into the President with Human Resources and Finance reporting into the Asia Pacific functional Directors in Shanghai.
There is a unique, family culture that pervades the Company necessitates a manager who works very collaboratively. It necessitates a leader who takes the initiative to gain clarity in an often-ambiguous environment. Successful Merchandising Managers have a high level of accountability, initiative, and drive. They are as passionate about the business as the family behind it, at the same time exacting global management standards.
The Shoes and Leather Merchandising Manager reports into the GMM for Greater China and will be fully accountable for the development and execution of the Shoes and Leather category business from strategy to execution across the Retail network. The Shoes and Leather Merchandising Manager in conjunction with the GMM will be responsible for developing and strengthening the overall Shoes and Leather category and provide on the ground leadership needed to achieve market, financial and operational targets.
While the management objectives might evolve based on business growth, the main priorities will, in conjunction with the GMM include the following:

Develop Range Plan and define buying strategy at market/store level in accordance with line and category strategies
Monitor correct flow of buying process until the order finalization
Maintain highly developed understanding of customer through communications with retail, and CRM analysis
Ensure proactive communication and formal feedback mechanisms with store managers to capture best knowledge of customers and the market and create “buy in” at store level
Propose product selection for retail, partnering with the Retail Manager, by understanding customer, competitor, and market trends
Elaborate balanced assortment plan according to Market needs
Establish criteria for distribution plan
Manage, supported by Planners, the in-Season replenishment consolidation
Define product life cycles- product flow
Effectively manage the CQR program proving input to the planning department
Continuously optimize category management throughout the season ensuring maximum sales opportunities are realized
Work with VM to ensure merchandising strategies are effectively supported through in store visual display, in accordance with VM product guidelines and inventory is planned and managed according to the windows calendar
Ensure store associates have the knowledge to effectively present products to customers through development of product training materials and delivery of seasonal product training.
Produce regular Competitor reports on our competitor’s strategy, positioning, and pricing
Manage quality and deliveries issues with HQ
Communicate and influence HQ Merchandising and Brand teams on market needs and the development of the collection
Conduct regular Market visits in conjunction with the Retail and Visual Team

CANDIDATE PROFILE
Overall, the successful candidate will need to bring strong change management leadership skills. While management styles vary, the successful candidate will be highly self-motivated, with a contagious enthusiasm. The successful candidate must demonstrate breadth of commercial and merchandising knowledge in the luxury retail shoe sand leather sector, and the intellectual ability to grasp issues quickly. Therefore, this individual will be required to have in-depth category knowledge as well as a deep understanding of the Greater China shoes and leather retail competitive landscape to lead the operation in the current complex situation.
Core Attributes

Entrepreneurship
Sensibility and passion for Luxury, Accessible Luxury and Shoes and Leather Accessories
Strong communication, influencing and presentation skills
Strong strategic and analytical skills to analyse and understand product performance and market trends and ability to translate into precise needs for the Market (forecasting and statistical modelling knowledge)
A creative flair and product sensitivity for product selection to foresee future opportunities
Capability of understanding customer trends and strategically drive and formulate business strategy through collection portfolio management

Key Experiences

5+ years of managerial merchandising in Shoes and Leather category

Apparel/ Luxury lifestyle Brand
Working in a cross function or multi stakeholder working environment
Experience in developing and growing areas of business
Working experience with Retail and MD Planning on product offering strategy and movements across the POS

BACKGROUND AND PRINCIPAL SKILLS REQUIRED FOR THE POSITION
Languages Fluent in English and preferable Mandarin
Travel requirements Travel in China is required with bi-annual travel to Milan

Sales Channels & Retail

Sales Channels & Retail

Sales Channels & Retail

Retail is more than just the act of selling products. Our Sales Channels & Retail teams bring our customers into our global community, sharing with them our creativity and craft, as well as our story and the journey of each item. These relationships are nurtured by our in-store teams and fostered by our headquarters and regional offices, who, together, are responsible for the definition, implementation, and execution of our retail strategy. It is collaboration, one of shared passion and tenacity, which ensures a level of excellence and a consistent client experience whether visiting our stores in Milan or Beijing.

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© Ermenegildo Zegna Holditalia S.p.A. Sede legale via Roma 99/100 13835 Valdilana loc. Trivero (BI) Tel 0321 538409 - Fax 015 5820330 – registered with the Companies’ Registry of Biella, REA 00154990022, share capital of € 4,300,000 fully paid in – VAT n. 00154990022, certified e-mail address (PEC) Zegna.holditalia.spa@legalmail.it Siae n. 449/1/060576 (“Zegna”)

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