Under Armour:
Sr. Director, Global Merchandising - Apparel - COE Job in Baltimore, VT
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Baltimore, VT
Full-time | Merchandising
About the job
Under Armour is all about performance. Because what we make empowers athletes in every form to push themselves, to turn good into great, and to stay hungry for whatever comes next. And this is exactly what we expect from each other.
Working with us means one key thing: no matter what you do, you see every day and every project as a chance to push your field forward. In every store and every office, we build teams where everyone is an MVP. And together we tackle every challenge head on. Because we work to push the gear, the game, and ourselves farther.
We’re looking for people who do more than good work. We’re looking for the Best in Every Game.
Under Armour is the chosen brand of this generation of athletes... and the athletes of tomorrow. We're about performance - in training and on game day, in blistering heat and bitter cold. Whatever the conditions, whatever the sport, Under Armour delivers the advantage athletes have come to demand.That demand has created an environment of growth. An environment where building a great team is vital. An environment where doing whatever it takes is the baseline and going above and beyond to protect the Brand is commonplace.The world's hungriest athletes live by a code, a pledge to themselves and everyone else: Protect This House... I Will. Our goal is to Build A Great Team! Will YOU…Protect This House?!
COMPANY HISTORY AND VISIONIt started with a simple plan to make a superior T-shirt. A shirt that provided compression and wicked perspiration off your skin rather than absorb it. A shirt that worked with your body to regulate temperature and enhance performance. Founded in 1996 by former University of Maryland football player Kevin Plank, Under Armour is the originator of performance apparel - gear engineered to keep athletes cool, dry, and light throughout the course of a game, practice, or workout.
Under Armour is the chosen brand of this generation of athletes... and the athletes of tomorrow. We’re about performance - in training and on game day, in blistering heat and bitter cold. Whatever the conditions, whatever the sport, Under Armour delivers the advantage athletes have come to demand. That demand has created an environment of growth. Today, with millions of unique registered users across UA’s Connected Fitness community, the brand is resonating with more athletes than ever before, and we’re investing to change the way athletes live.
UA is an environment where building a great team is vital, and where doing whatever it takes is the baseline and going above and beyond to protect the Brand is commonplace. Our teammates and the world’s hungriest athletes alike, live by a code, a pledge to themselves and everyone else: Protect This House... I Will.
POSITION SUMMARY:Under Armour is building out Category Management’s Centers of Excellence (COE) function, responsible for developing the long-range global strategies for Apparel, Footwear, and Accessories in collaboration with Category teams and key cross-functional & Regional partners, to achieve UA revenue and profitability goals. This function will build & lead the implementation of the overarching UA targets and metrics for in-market performance through the Merchandising lens.
The Senior Director, Global Merchandising COE– Apparel, will lead the development and implementation of long range Brand Merchandising strategies resulting in line optimization, specific to Apparel, across the UA Category portfolio. This individual is also responsible for driving the most compelling seasonal Apparel assortment execution, balancing harmonized cross-category platform/technology assortments with exceptional Category expressions. Finally, this role will partner with the Global Merchandising Footwear role and Category Merchants to drive a consistent, efficient and sustainable approach to the Merchandising function and Go-To-Market activities.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:Lead and develop the Under Armour’s Global apparel merchandising strategy across the Brand portfolio through consistent approach and compelling story-telling season to season by Category and across Categories; drive apparel merchandising adoption and implementation globally across platforms in all markets.
Devise a long range Under Armour Category portfolio Apparel offense, informed by Consumer insights and data, built upon a product and story architecture that drives Apparel life-cycle plans and innovations.
Lead the development and execution of Apparel strategies that drive SKU productivity, channel segmentation, margin, pricing, sell-thru, scarcity modeling etc. across all Categories to drive in-market performance with significant and consistent focus on flow.
In partnership with the VP, Global Merchandising create an Apparel innovation platforms strategy and ensure cross-Categorical implementation results in optimized line architectures & seasonal assortments that unleash the revenue of the Category portfolio.
Understand the competitive landscape and seek white-space opportunities and our consumers. Analyze the market and translate that knowledge into tangible recommendations and solid plans around future investments and opportunities.
Key partner to Brand Marketing, Category & Regional Merchandising & Planning, DTC teams, etc. and ensures the merchandising vision comes to life for the consumer.
Facilitate and execute Apparel distribution and segmentation strategies in collaboration with Category and Regional Merchandising partners.
Partner with Regional Merchants to develop and map multi-year Apparel strategies that drive commercial opportunities at a regional level. Key player to ensure Category and Regional Merchandising integration.
Elevate Merchant competencies, capabilities, and commercial acumen
Lead the segmentation and differentiation strategy & approach for Apparel across Categories that optimizes potential for revenue and market share; garner buy-in on these assortments from Sales partners
Support and engage the pricing strategy
Ensure strong knowledge of the current business statistics such as sales history, market trends, key account requirements, competition, product mix and price points – apply this important information during the product management briefing phase
Maintain a strong understanding of product demand, forecast and inventory levels
Ensure approved calendars and timelines are met
QUALIFICATIONS:This role will need to work cross-functionally throughout UA to build a collaborative, supportive operating environment. We need an influential consensus-builder with high accountability to move the needle and drive results.
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 10-12 years of Apparel Merchandising and 2 years of Product or other Merchandising experience. The individual will likely have experience in a well-regarded consumer products company, and a professional/personal involvement and/or relationship with performance apparel. This candidate will be able to jump in as an athlete and brand expert at the end-use or category level.
Additionally the successful candidate will:
Track record and proven success in leading merchandising and growing a global business.
Proven ability and success in creating profitable merchandising strategies and working cross-functionally with internal partners.
Must have a point of view – ability to clearly articulate the Merchant vision and strategy and align the organization to deliver great results.
High taste level, knows great product and trend, on building great product.
Expert in all channels, specifically, the North America marketplace.
Strong vertical mindset and exceptional commercial acumen.
Must be a TEAM PLAYER and a superb partner to our teammates above, across and especially below – great leaders always have a herd.
Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of stakeholders; consultative
Working with us means one key thing: no matter what you do, you see every day and every project as a chance to push your field forward. In every store and every office, we build teams where everyone is an MVP. And together we tackle every challenge head on. Because we work to push the gear, the game, and ourselves farther.
We’re looking for people who do more than good work. We’re looking for the Best in Every Game.
Under Armour is the chosen brand of this generation of athletes... and the athletes of tomorrow. We're about performance - in training and on game day, in blistering heat and bitter cold. Whatever the conditions, whatever the sport, Under Armour delivers the advantage athletes have come to demand.That demand has created an environment of growth. An environment where building a great team is vital. An environment where doing whatever it takes is the baseline and going above and beyond to protect the Brand is commonplace.The world's hungriest athletes live by a code, a pledge to themselves and everyone else: Protect This House... I Will. Our goal is to Build A Great Team! Will YOU…Protect This House?!
COMPANY HISTORY AND VISIONIt started with a simple plan to make a superior T-shirt. A shirt that provided compression and wicked perspiration off your skin rather than absorb it. A shirt that worked with your body to regulate temperature and enhance performance. Founded in 1996 by former University of Maryland football player Kevin Plank, Under Armour is the originator of performance apparel - gear engineered to keep athletes cool, dry, and light throughout the course of a game, practice, or workout.
Under Armour is the chosen brand of this generation of athletes... and the athletes of tomorrow. We’re about performance - in training and on game day, in blistering heat and bitter cold. Whatever the conditions, whatever the sport, Under Armour delivers the advantage athletes have come to demand. That demand has created an environment of growth. Today, with millions of unique registered users across UA’s Connected Fitness community, the brand is resonating with more athletes than ever before, and we’re investing to change the way athletes live.
UA is an environment where building a great team is vital, and where doing whatever it takes is the baseline and going above and beyond to protect the Brand is commonplace. Our teammates and the world’s hungriest athletes alike, live by a code, a pledge to themselves and everyone else: Protect This House... I Will.
POSITION SUMMARY:Under Armour is building out Category Management’s Centers of Excellence (COE) function, responsible for developing the long-range global strategies for Apparel, Footwear, and Accessories in collaboration with Category teams and key cross-functional & Regional partners, to achieve UA revenue and profitability goals. This function will build & lead the implementation of the overarching UA targets and metrics for in-market performance through the Merchandising lens.
The Senior Director, Global Merchandising COE– Apparel, will lead the development and implementation of long range Brand Merchandising strategies resulting in line optimization, specific to Apparel, across the UA Category portfolio. This individual is also responsible for driving the most compelling seasonal Apparel assortment execution, balancing harmonized cross-category platform/technology assortments with exceptional Category expressions. Finally, this role will partner with the Global Merchandising Footwear role and Category Merchants to drive a consistent, efficient and sustainable approach to the Merchandising function and Go-To-Market activities.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:Lead and develop the Under Armour’s Global apparel merchandising strategy across the Brand portfolio through consistent approach and compelling story-telling season to season by Category and across Categories; drive apparel merchandising adoption and implementation globally across platforms in all markets.
Devise a long range Under Armour Category portfolio Apparel offense, informed by Consumer insights and data, built upon a product and story architecture that drives Apparel life-cycle plans and innovations.
Lead the development and execution of Apparel strategies that drive SKU productivity, channel segmentation, margin, pricing, sell-thru, scarcity modeling etc. across all Categories to drive in-market performance with significant and consistent focus on flow.
In partnership with the VP, Global Merchandising create an Apparel innovation platforms strategy and ensure cross-Categorical implementation results in optimized line architectures & seasonal assortments that unleash the revenue of the Category portfolio.
Understand the competitive landscape and seek white-space opportunities and our consumers. Analyze the market and translate that knowledge into tangible recommendations and solid plans around future investments and opportunities.
Key partner to Brand Marketing, Category & Regional Merchandising & Planning, DTC teams, etc. and ensures the merchandising vision comes to life for the consumer.
Facilitate and execute Apparel distribution and segmentation strategies in collaboration with Category and Regional Merchandising partners.
Partner with Regional Merchants to develop and map multi-year Apparel strategies that drive commercial opportunities at a regional level. Key player to ensure Category and Regional Merchandising integration.
Elevate Merchant competencies, capabilities, and commercial acumen
Lead the segmentation and differentiation strategy & approach for Apparel across Categories that optimizes potential for revenue and market share; garner buy-in on these assortments from Sales partners
Support and engage the pricing strategy
Ensure strong knowledge of the current business statistics such as sales history, market trends, key account requirements, competition, product mix and price points – apply this important information during the product management briefing phase
Maintain a strong understanding of product demand, forecast and inventory levels
Ensure approved calendars and timelines are met
QUALIFICATIONS:This role will need to work cross-functionally throughout UA to build a collaborative, supportive operating environment. We need an influential consensus-builder with high accountability to move the needle and drive results.
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 10-12 years of Apparel Merchandising and 2 years of Product or other Merchandising experience. The individual will likely have experience in a well-regarded consumer products company, and a professional/personal involvement and/or relationship with performance apparel. This candidate will be able to jump in as an athlete and brand expert at the end-use or category level.
Additionally the successful candidate will:
Track record and proven success in leading merchandising and growing a global business.
Proven ability and success in creating profitable merchandising strategies and working cross-functionally with internal partners.
Must have a point of view – ability to clearly articulate the Merchant vision and strategy and align the organization to deliver great results.
High taste level, knows great product and trend, on building great product.
Expert in all channels, specifically, the North America marketplace.
Strong vertical mindset and exceptional commercial acumen.
Must be a TEAM PLAYER and a superb partner to our teammates above, across and especially below – great leaders always have a herd.
Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of stakeholders; consultative