The COMO Group represents an integrated approach to living well, grounded in a celebration of diversity and a deep respect for authenticity. The Group's businesses extend across hospitality (COMO Hotels and Resorts), fashion (Club21, Kids21, Dover Street Market Singapore), wellness (COMO Shambhala), organic living and specialty foods (COMO Dempsey, Culina and SuperNature) and philanthropy (COMO Foundation).
Job Summary
The Senior Merchandising Manager – Japanese Brands Portfolio sits at the heart of Club21's buying and planning function, with full ownership of OTB strategy across the Japanese brand portfolio. Working at the intersection of creative brand vision, data-driven trading, and omnichannel retail execution, this role demands equal parts analytical rigour and relational warmth. You will collaborate closely with Retail Operations, Marketing, Finance, Logistics, Merchandise Planning, Customer Insights, and GM to maximise full-price sell-through performance across all channels.
Job Responsibilities
OTB Ownership & Strategic Merchandise Planning
- Own and manage the Open-to-Buy plan across the Japanese brand portfolio, ensuring alignment with COMO Group's commercial strategy, brand positioning, and seasonal financial targets.
- Lead pre‑season analysis and define buy quantities, newness ratios and reorders.
- Lead seasonal range planning and option counts, defining width/depth, size curves and colour flows that are appropriate for country's customer segment.
- Align OTB with topline revenue and margin objectives in partnership with senior leadership; manage intake pacing and stock replenishment for capital efficiency throughout the season.
Principal Negotiation & Relationship Management
- Serve as the primary commercial liaison for Japanese brand principals, cultivating trusted, long-term partnerships built on transparency and mutual ambition.
- Lead seasonal buying negotiations — price terms, exclusive edits, first-to-market access, collaborative marketing commitments, and return-to-vendor arrangements.
- Represent Club21 at trade appointments and buying weeks in Japan and globally; manage escalations with maturity, acting as a credible bridge between business and partners.
Performance Analysis & Sell-Through Optimisation
- Work with Merchandise Planning to build robust sell-through reporting, product-level analysis, and forward-looking demand forecasts.
- Identify underperforming lines early; deploy markdown, promotion, transfer, or liquidation strategies to protect margin and reduce residual stockholding.
- Drive full-price sell-through through agile reordering and in-season buys; contribute to post-season OTB reviews to continuously refine buying accuracy.
Omnichannel Merchandising & Cross-Functional Execution
- Develop channel-specific assortment strategies spanning flagship retail and e-commerce; apply online demand signals (browse, conversion, AOV data) to inform physical store buying and VM prioritisation.
- Partner with Retail Operations and Logistics on O2O inventory flows — ship-from-store, click-and-collect, and endless-aisle fulfilment — and with Marketing on product launches, editorial activations, and CRM-driven clienteling.
- Coordinate closely with Finance on OTB budgets, markdown provisions, and margin reporting.
Leadership & Team Management
- Lead and develop team members, set clear objectives, KPIs and development plans.
- Foster a high‑performance, data‑driven and customer‑centric culture within the merchandising team.
Job Requirements
Education & Language
- Degree in Fashion Merchandising, Business Administration, Retail Management, or a related field preferred. Working proficiency in Japanese (spoken or written) is a significant advantage given the nature of the principal relationships.
Skills & Experience
- A commercially sharp merchandiser with 5+ years in a leadership role, owning OTB, buying cycles, and brand P&L. Proven experience managing Japanese or Asian designer brand portfolios is essential, with direct familiarity with the Japanese market ecosystem and trade fair participation strongly preferred.
- Background in multi-brand specialty retail or luxury department store environments, across both physical and digital channels.
- Exposure to Southeast Asian markets (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia) is an advantage.
Technical Proficiency
- Data-driven decision-maker comfortable in BI dashboards, planning systems, and boardroom presentations; familiar with digital commerce metrics and their integration into omnichannel planning.
- Awareness of ERP/OMS environments (SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, or similar) and emerging AI-assisted forecasting tools.
Stakeholder & Relationship Skills
- A natural relationship builder who leads with warmth and earns trust over time. Culturally intelligent, with particular sensitivity to Japanese business culture — including communication style, hierarchy, and relationship tempo. Composed under pressure with strong negotiation skills.
Personal Attributes
- Mature, discreet, and dependable. A creative commercial thinker who takes ownership and thrives managing multiple brands and planning cycles simultaneously. Experience mentoring merchandisers are expected.
