Role Overview:
The Head of Merchandising will be responsible for defining and driving the overall merchandising strategy for the jewellery business across verticals Gold, Diamonds, Silver and Platinum. The person will be accountable for assortment planning, category performance, pricing architecture, inventory productivity, and product lifecycle management. This role will work closely with design, sourcing, manufacturing, retail, e-commerce, marketing, and supply chain teams to ensure the right product mix, right stock levels, and right market positioning across channels.
Roles & Responsibilities:
Strategic Planning & Assortment Development:
Develop merchandising strategies to drive sales growth, profitability, and brand positioning.
Lead assortment planning across categories (gold, diamond, bridal, fashion), collections, price points, and store clusters.
Analyze market trends, consumer behavior, and competitor assortments to inform product selection and identify white-space opportunities.
Inventory & Commercial Performance:
Manage Open-to-Buy (OTB) planning, demand forecasting, and stock allocation across retail and e-commerce channels.
Optimize inventory levels for availability, productivity, and working capital efficiency.
Review product performance metrics (sell-through, margins, aging) and execute data-driven actions on replenishment, markdowns, SKU rationalization, and discontinuations.
Team & Vendor Management:
Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing merchandising team with clear KPIs.
Manage vendor relationships, negotiate pricing/terms, and ensure quality/compliance standards.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
Partner with Design and Product Development to create commercially viable collections.
Coordinate with Marketing on campaign calendars, festive collections, bridal collections, launch sequencing, and promotional strategies.
Align with Sales, Retail Operations, and Visual Merchandising for optimal product presentation and execution.
Performance Monitoring & Reporting:
Prepare and present sales, inventory, and merchandising performance reports to senior leadership.
Continuously monitor KPIs and adjust strategies to maintain commercial excellence.
Category Focus:
Gold & Diamond: Evaluate purity/grading standards, forecast category demand, and manage exchanges/custom orders.
Bridal/Fashion: Identify emerging trends, rotate seasonal collections, and develop promotional bundles.
Daily/Occasion Wear: Balance price points across SKUs and monitor white-space opportunities through competitor analysis.
Education:
Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Fashion Merchandising, Retail Management, or related field.
MBA or advanced degree preferred.
Professional Experience:
15+ years in merchandising or category management; 5 years in leadership roles.
Proven track record in jewellery/premium fashion accessories.
Experience managing assortment, pricing, and inventory management.
Skills Required:
Merchandising Strategy: Strong capability in category planning, range building, and lifecycle management.
Commercial Acumen: Ability to interpret sales, margins, sell-through, stock turn, and profitability metrics.
Market Insight: Good understanding of jewellery trends, customer preferences, competition, and pricing benchmarks.
Inventory Planning: Expertise in demand forecasting, replenishment, aging control, and SKU productivity.
Leadership: Experience leading teams and driving alignment across design, production, marketing, retail, and supply chain.
Systems Proficiency: Comfort with merchandising systems, ERP tools, and analytical platforms such as SAP or Power BI in larger retail setups.
Desired Candidate:
Strong experience in jewelry or luxury merchandising leadership roles.
Deep understanding of product categories such as gold, diamond, silver, platinum, bridal, daily wear, occasion wear, and premium collections.
Excellent analytical, planning, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
High commercial orientation with the ability to balance creativity and profitability.