Head of Merchandising - Performance Footwear Verticals, EMEA

Drives product strategy, range architecture, and commercial performance for technical and athletic footwear portfolios across EMEA. It bridges high-performance innovation with market demand, balancing the continuous growth and refinement of established core verticals (Performance Run, Train, and Tennis) with the strategic development and market entry of expanding verticals (Football and Golf). The position acts as a key go-to-market leadership partner between Global Product Creation/Innovation and Regional Commercial Execution across Wholesale, Digital, and Retail.

• Define and execute the regional vision, range architecture, and line plans across performance footwear, balancing technical innovation, price-point tiering, volume drivers, and margin targets while sustaining established categories (Performance Run, Train
• Tennis) and commercialising new high-growth verticals (Football, Golf).
• Operate in a dynamic, high-growth environment, transitioning between long-term strategic visioning and hands-on execution, including SKU management, range building, and operational delivery.
• Serve as the strategic product lead across Wholesale, DtC-Ecom, and DtC-Retail, aligning category segmentation, distribution strategies, and launch calendars with commercial channel leaders and marketing.
• Own range productivity and lifecycle management, including SKU efficiency, option counts, hero franchise growth, and hit rates, adjusting plans dynamically using real-time sell-through data, athlete/consumer insights, and competitive intelligence.
• Drive the adoption of advanced analytics, consumer insight platforms, and AI-driven forecasting tools to support line planning, predictive segmentation, and inventory responsiveness across all verticals.
• Represent the EMEA consumer, athlete communities, and market realities to Global Product & Design teams, ensuring regional sport-specific needs shape global creation briefs.
• Recruit, build, and scale a high-performing team of Product Merchandisers from scratch, providing clear direction and mentorship and instilling a culture of product passion, athletic authenticity, and analytical rigour.
• Partner closely with cross-functional leadership across Wholesale Sales, DtC eCom, DtC Retail, Marketing, Regional and Global Merchandising Planning, Demand Planning, DtC Buying, Finance/Controlling, and Global Product Creation, Merchandising, Design
• And Operations teams to align category vision with operational execution.
• Lead a dedicated team of Product Merchandisers specialising in core established footwear verticals and expanding new categories across the region.

• Typically 10+ years of progressive experience in product merchandising, buying, category management, or line planning, with deep expertise in performance footwear, sportswear, or athletic gear, including 5+ years in leadership roles.
• Proven track record of building, leading, and developing high-performing merchandising teams.
• A clear leadership philosophy with the ability to motivate and develop diverse talent, build strong team cultures, and lead effectively through growth, change, and evolving business needs.
• Deep passion for athletic performance, with technical footwear knowledge across core verticals (Run, Train, Tennis) and category expansion experience (Football, Golf, multi-sport).
• Proven track record of building and executing category strategies, balancing mature, high-volume footwear lines with the launch and incubation of new commercial categories.
• Expertise in range architecture, line adoption, SKU productivity, and financial targeting, combining strong product storytelling with analytical rigour at a regional scale.
• Strong analytical and digital acumen, with hands-on experience leveraging market data, consumer analytics, and modern merchandising platforms to drive line productivity and lifecycle strategies.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and executive presence, capable of influencing Global Product Creation, Design, and Regional Commercial teams to drive consensus.
• An entrepreneurial mindset, equally comfortable steering long-range multi-vertical category strategies and diving into granular product, fit, and sell-through details.
• Embody the On Spirits.

• A supportive, team-oriented atmosphere.
• Access to personal self-care for both physical and mental well-being.
• An environment designed to give people the tools to develop holistically, including opportunities to stay active, learn, explore, and innovate.
• A purpose-led workplace centred around growth and progress.