Product Manager – Children wear Knits - Gurugram, India - Next Sourcing Limited

Description

Job Title: Product Manager – Children wear Knits

Reports to: Sr. Product Manager

Location: Delhi NCR

Job Purpose:

To maximize the Next Sourcing Sales & Profit for your given area. This will be achieved by working closely with your in house design, UK buying and design teams, ensuring you have the most appropriate local manufacturers which will result in the best offer for Next.

Structure:

This is senior position in the company and reports in to the Sr. Product Manager. There is one direct report (designer) in this role. It is the requirement of this role to support, guide and manage the direct reports.

Responsibilities:

Strategy and Key Accountabilities

• Develop a product strategy that delivers cohesive and exciting, high quality seasonal product ranges in line with critical path deadlines.
• Achieve sales targets.

a.) Set sales budgets for each relevant product category / department.

b.) Establish a strategy to achieve the sales target

c.) Monitor status of sales against the budget on a continual basis and make adjustments as necessary.

Range Building

• Conduct research, gather data, analyze competition and capture customer requirements to identify gaps in the company's offer, address critical success factors, and key issues in determining which products to bring to market
• Work with the UK Buying and Design teams to understand the needs of the Customer. Use this information and your understanding of the Product Offer from the Country / Region to develop strategies to grow the business

Product Development

• Stay updated with UK fashion trends and product directions within Next. This will involve regular travel to the UK (and inspirational travel elsewhere) and constant communications with UK Buying and Design teams.
• Work with category teams to ensure that initial sample, final 'salesman' samples and production critical path deadlines are adhered to
• Manage the product offer from the Country / Region. This will require developing a good understanding of local mills and garment makers in terms of their product range, prices and lead times. Develop strategies with them to offer NEXT a competitive edge.
• Fabric being key, constantly look at moving fabrics on and ensure a great range of textured to basic fabric is put on the table at the beginning of every season.

Team Development

• Work with the Merchandising and Technical teams within the local office to ensure the Product Offer is backed-up by excellent service and quality. In particular, development samples and price quotes must always be fast and accurate.
• Work with fashion designers to develop their wider business vision, encouraging shared thinking and ideas regarding sourcing, range building and creative; help them to understand the importance of working with various business partners.
• Coach and motivate team members to work efficiently and maintain high levels of quality in their range development and everything they do
• Set expectations and standards for attitude, behavior and teamwork within the category teams
• Manage the functions and career development of team members by conducting Performance Reviews and recommending changes to team structure and roles if required

Relationships and Communications

• Ensure Customer visits to the Country / Region are well prepared and that visitors are always impressed. Plan to visit the customer in UK minimum 3 times a year to offer new products from the country / region.
• Develop strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders and suppliers, particularly working closely with the buyers and with Partners and customers
• Attend and conduct product overviews at Business Review Meetings as and when required

Essential Skills

• Strong design or product development background in Knits across children wear for UK market.
• Excellent project management and interpersonal skills to develop strategies to offer the brand a competitive edge.
• Excellent communication skills to work with the Merchandising and Technical teams to ensure the excellent Product Offer.
• Strong caliber to push the sales business and work on price.
• Resourceful, energetic, analytical and competent.
• Loads of energy, real self-starter and great problem solver.

There will be additional perks over and over the annual salary.