📊 Senior Manager Global Retail Category Planning bei PUMA in Herzogenaurach – Shape Global Assortments & DTC Growth

As Senior Manager Global Retail Category Planning, you drive the global merchandising strategy for assigned categories across Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) channels. You build commercially powerful, consumer-relevant, and differentiated product offerings for Full Price Stores, Factory Outlets, and E-commerce. Working closely with Global GTM and Regional Merchandising teams, you shape DTC-specific assortment strategies, retail exclusives, lifecycle management, and cross-channel marketing alignment.

Global DTC Assortment Strategy

• Define assortment principles across E-commerce, Full Price Stores, and Factory Outlets.
• Establish a clear, differentiated product strategy aligned with core brand goals.
• Develop assortment frameworks covering product flow, depth, option counts, business units, price tiers, and target demographics.
• Balance core, seasonal, and trend-focused product lines.
• Establish seasonal launch and drop calendars to maximize traffic and sales productivity.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Global GTM, Product Merchandising, Planning, and Retail Marketing teams.
• Integrate DTC requirements early into the product creation journey.
• Align merchandising strategies with seamless execution in-store and online.
• Drive compelling product presentations through powerful storytelling.

Regional Support & Alignment

• Provide frameworks, tools, and strategic direction to regional merchandising teams.
• Facilitate assortment localization while maintaining global brand consistency.
• Enable clear channel segmentation and execution excellence across global markets.

Performance & Insights

• Track key performance metrics including sell-through rates, margins, and inventory productivity.
• Identify growth opportunities and mitigate risks to refine future product assortments.
• Deliver actionable commercial insights to Global GTM and Product Creation teams.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Fashion Merchandising, or a related discipline.
• 5–8+ years of merchandising experience, ideally within sportswear or fashion retail.
• Proven expertise in DTC/Retail merchandising (Full Price and Outlet environments).
• Track record of driving commercial growth and business performance.
• Strong analytical mindset and deep understanding of retail KPIs and levers.
• Consumer-centric approach combined with sharp commercial acumen.
• Ability to thrive within a fast-paced, matrix-structured organization.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication capabilities.
• Strategic vision paired with hands-on execution skills.