Director, International Merchandising - Asia JV

Skechers•Manhattan Beach, CA

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Oversees all aspects of merchandise selection and inventory procurement across retail, franchisee, and e-commerce channels. With a sharp focus on strategic assortment planning and inventory optimization, this role drives accountability for achieving Asia JV financial targets by leveraging country budgets, re-buy forecasting, localized market needs, seasonal trends, and SKU management — maximizing revenue while mitigating inventory risk. Partners with the Domestic Product Team to ensure brand message consistency, global store standards, and brand strength are reflected across all Asia JV points of sale.

Requirements

Seasoned merchandising intellect with strong planning and analytical capabilities that drive sales growth and expand retail presence.
Proven leadership experience with demonstrated ability to manage stakeholders, inspire teams, and foster a collaborative, high-performance culture.
Strong knowledge of the global footwear retail landscape with a keen understanding of regional market needs and consumer behavior.
Global mindset with the ability to balance overarching brand initiatives with localized market requirements across multiple countries and channels.
Assortment planning expertise managing a large volume of SKUs at an omnichannel level across retail, franchisee, and e-commerce platforms.
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present merchandising direction in a clear, compelling, and influential manner.
Detail-oriented and highly organized with the ability to multi-task, prioritize projects, and effectively delegate within the team.
Strong innovation and collaboration skills with the ability to work both independently and as a team leader.
Ability to build and foster strong cross-functional relationships, with specific emphasis on Asia JV partner engagement.
Excellent skills in Microsoft Excel including pivot tables and advanced applications; AI literacy preferred with flexibility to adapt to new operating systems and tools.
Fluent in English and Mandarin Chinese.
Bachelor's degree required, preferably with a business background.
15+ years of buying and merchandising experience, preferably in footwear.
4+ years of planning experience, preferably in footwear and/or apparel.

Nice To Haves

AI literacy preferred with flexibility to adapt to new operating systems and tools.

Responsibilities

Oversee and develop the merchandising team, serving as the primary liaison between Asia JV partners and the internal merchandising team to drive seasonal assortment strategies across all channels and store formats.
Partner with Merchandising and Planning teams — both internal and external — to develop elevated, trend-right assortments that balance global brand initiatives with the distinct needs of Asia JV markets.
Own weekly sales analysis, translating data into decisive tactical actions that protect and maximize revenue, with clear reporting delivered to the senior product team.
Partner with cross-functional leaders to set future direction, leveraging assortment planning, inventory management, and marketing needs to drive cohesive and strategic business growth.
Build channel-specific assortment plans across Concept, Outlet, Big Box, and E-Commerce formats, calibrated to store volume and SKU capacity — ensuring appropriate depth and breadth by store tier and size.
Develop and oversee E-Commerce assortment strategies across multiple Asia JV markets, balancing global initiative alignment with individual market relevance and opportunity.
Continuously analyze market trends, consumer preferences, and the competitive landscape to identify expansion opportunities and missed revenue potential while preserving brand integrity.
Contribute strategic perspective to seasonal budget planning in collaboration with the Planning department and JV partners, informing top-line sales targets with grounded market insight.
Integrate consumer insights across all aspects of the business to ensure assortment decisions are rooted in customer relevance and competitive awareness.
Own the merchandising calendar, driving accountability across the team to ensure all critical milestones and deadlines are met.