Production & Merchandise Manager (Footwear)

About the job

The Company: Our client is an iconic brand, with long standing history and significant ambitions to scale their presence across Asia Pacific.

Role & Responsibilities:

• Lead Merchandise Teams for Ladies, Men’s, and Children’s Footwear categories.
• Oversee factory sourcing for new footwear constructions in Vietnam and Cambodia.
• Establish and maintain connections for material and trim sourcing.
• Collaborate closely with merchandising and technical teams to ensure products meet buyers’ requirements and are delivered on time.
• Conduct price negotiations and provide in-depth understanding of price breakdowns during development.
• Conduct trend research and effectively interpret trends for the UK market.
• Serve as the key liaison between factories in Vietnam and UK Buying & Merchandising teams.
• Identify, source, and train new factories, ensuring they align with buyers’ requirements.

Requirements:

• At least 8 years of experience in the footwear industry, encompassing product development and merchandising, with proven ability to lead a team from development through to production.
• Comprehensive understanding of footwear constructions and lead times.
• Strong knowledge of the UK market for ladies, men’s, and children’s footwear; familiarity with the UK footwear market is an advantage.
• Expertise in ladies’ footwear, including leather and PU; knowledge of men’s and children’s footwear, from sports to formal, is beneficial.
• Capable of overseeing product teams to ensure timely development and production according to planned schedules, while meeting monthly buying budgets.
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and able to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to liaise effectively with European buyers and factories in Vietnam and Cambodia.
• Strong knowledge of key materials and shoe components, with expertise in price breakdowns.
• Proficient in Vietnamese and fluent in both written and spoken English; knowledge of spoken Chinese is preferred for communication with Taiwanese factories.

To apply, please send your updated CV to Hao Vi at hao.vi@cgptalent.com, quoting the job title or Click Apply Now.

Due to an anticipated high volume of applicants, we regret that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.