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Senior Merchant, Direct - Converse

Nike

Hilversum
Full-time
5-10 years experience
On-site

Key Skills

Merchandising
Retail Math
Assortment Planning
Data Analysis
Inventory Management
Omni-channel Strategy
Buying
Financial Forecasting
Cross-functional Collaboration
Marketplace Analysis
Product Strategy
Communication Skills
Trend Analysis
Commercial Awareness
Stakeholder Influence

Job Description

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH

This role will sit within Converse Global Marketplace Merchandising and partner closely with Merchandising, Planning, Allocation, Marketing, Retail and Digital teams to deliver consumer-right assortments across stores and digital platforms. This role reports into the Merchandising Manager, WE and is an individual contributor role.

 

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR


We are looking for a consumer-obsessed merchant with strong retail acumen, omni-channel experience and the ability to build and execute our product strategy into profitable assortments for Western Europe Direct. This person is both analytical and product-led, comfortable using sell-through, traffic, conversion, AOV, margin, inventory and consumer insights to make clear recommendations. They bring strong cross-functional influence, collaboration and communication skills, with the confidence to manage competing priorities across seasonal planning and in-season trading. The ideal candidate understands how to build assortments that serve the consumer, elevate the brand and deliver business results across physical retail and digital channels.

  • Proven experience in merchandising, buying, planning, retail or e-commerce experience, preferably within footwear or apparel.
  • Proven experience building assortments, executing seasonal buys and managing in-season trading, using performance data to inform future product and assortment strategies.
  • Strong analytical skills and retail math fluency, including sales, margin, sell-through, inventory productivity and forecast inputs.
  • Ability to influence across functions, present recommendations clearly and operate with agility in a fast-paced marketplace environment.
  • Ability to influence across functions, present recommendations clearly and operate with agility in a fast-paced marketplace environment.;">Ability to influence across functions, present recommendations clearly and operate with agility in a fast-paced marketplace environment.
  • A collaborative, innovative thinker who proactively connects across teams, challenges existing ways of working, and turns new ideas into action.
  • Travel: Ability to travel up to 15%, including seasonal milestone meetings, marketplace visits and cross-functional business reviews as needed.

 

WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON

You will execute the WE Direct merchandising strategy from seasonal assortment creation and buy execution, as well as in-season management, helping ensure the right product shows up in the right channel, at the right time, with a clear consumer point of view.

  • Build and manage seasonal Direct assortments for Western Europe across stores and digital, balancing brand priorities, consumer demand, commercial opportunities and inventory health.
  • Own the execution of seasonal buys in close partnership with Planning and Allocation, including buy quantities, demand forecasts, depth, segmentation and replenishment recommendations.
  • Own product cuts throughout the seasonal buy process, making clear, data-informed decisions that protect assortment intent, inventory health and financial targets.
  • Analyze weekly business performance across key metrics such as revenue, margin, traffic, conversion, AOV, sell-through, weeks of supply and inventory productivity to identify risks and opportunities. Turn insights into action.
  • Use consumer, marketplace, trend and competitive insights to shape seasonal product priorities, pricing recommendations and future assortment decisions.
  • Collaborate with Marketing, Retail, Digital partners to connect product stories, launch plans and commercial moments across Direct touchpoints.
  • Prepare clear recaps, hindsight analysis and forward-looking recommendations for seasonal reviews, leadership meetings and cross-functional business conversations.

 

Please note, no relocation offered for this role.

Core Responsibilities

You will execute the Western Europe Direct merchandising strategy by building seasonal assortments and managing in-season trading across physical and digital channels. This involves partnering with planning and allocation teams to optimize inventory health, revenue, and margin performance.

Requirements

The ideal candidate possesses proven experience in merchandising, buying, or e-commerce, preferably within the footwear or apparel industry. You must demonstrate strong analytical skills, retail math fluency, and the ability to influence cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.

About Nike

Industry: Retail

Company size: 10,001+ employees

NIKE, Inc. is a purpose driven company fueled by a shared commitment to move the world forward through the power of sport. Guided by our mission to bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete* in the world, we champion sport’s values of inclusion and diversity while pushing boundaries to shape the future. At Nike, every teammate plays a role. We operate with an athlete’s mindset — working together, embracing our differences, and demanding more of ourselves and each other to drive collective success. Whether you’re building products, platforms, experiences or systems, your work contributes to something bigger: making athlete* dreams real. Explore opportunities at careers.nike.com and join our Talent Community at https://nikeats.avature.net/niketalentcommunity. *If you have a body, you are an athlete.

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