Director, Direct Merchandising Global - Converse

The Director of Direct Merchandising is responsible for developing and executing merchandising and buy strategies that drive sales, margin, and consumer experience across stores and digital platforms. The role leads highly collaborative teams to deliver best-in-class product strategies, championing a culture of agility and continuous learning. This position partners closely with cross-functional leaders across Planning, Marketing, and Direct teams and serves as a key member of the Global Marketplace Merchandising leadership team.

• Develop and lead the overall direct merchandising and buying strategy to drive sales, margin, and consumer engagement.
• Define product assortment and pricing across direct channels.
• Partner with Planning and Marketing teams to ensure cohesive execution of merchandising strategies.
• Manage and mentor a team of merchants, fostering collaboration, accountability, and a consumer-first mindset; oversee hiring, training, and performance evaluations.
• Monitor KPIs such as traffic, conversion, AOV, revenue, margin, and sell-through; balance inventory levels and demand forecast in collaboration with Planning.
• Leverage tools to generate insights and shape future product and buy strategies; present findings and recommendations to cross-functional peers and leadership.
• Put the consumer at the heart of decision-making, using trend and market data and focus groups to shape seasonal product priorities.
• Define and oversee the merchandising strategy and execution aligned with the brand's strategy to achieve growth and profitability.
• Oversee in-season performance management, responding to consumer demand and identifying new growth opportunities guided by data.

• Bachelor's degree in business, merchandising, or related field; any suitable combination of education, experience, and training will be accepted.
• 8+ years of merchandising experience, including omnichannel retail.
• 3+ years of people leadership experience.
• Proven experience driving revenue growth and improving merchandising performance across digital and store businesses.
• Ability to think creatively, strategically, and technically, balancing operational and strategic levels.
• Strong analytical skills and retail acumen with proven ability to translate performance metrics into future insights.
• Deep understanding of retail trends, consumer behaviours, and digital commerce.
• Excellent leadership, facilitation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to work across functional lines and levels.
• Excellent organizational skills with demonstrated ability to prioritize workload, delegate work, and concurrently manage multiple projects.
• Ability to travel 25%.

• Footwear industry experience preferred.