Merchandising Manager
Burberry · Tokyo
Introduction:
At Burberry, we believe creativity opens spaces. Our purpose is to unlock the power of imagination to push boundaries and open new possibilities for our people, our customers and our communities. This is the core belief that has guided Burberry since it was founded in 1856 and is central to how we operate as a company today.
We aim to provide an environment for creative minds from different backgrounds to thrive, bringing a wide range of skills and experiences to everything we do. As a purposeful, values-driven brand, we are committed to being a force for good in the world as well, creating the next generation of sustainable luxury for customers, driving industry change and championing our communities.
Job Purpose:
Be responsible for developing, executing, and optimizing the menswear assortment strategy for Burberry Japan. This role ensures commercial performance while protecting brand integrity, delivering seasonal product strategies aligned with global direction and tailored to the Japanese market. The position partners closely with Global Merchandising, Retail, Planning, Marketing, VM, and Supply Chain teams to drive profitable growth and elevate the customer experience.
Key Responsibilities:
- Define and implement seasonal range plans: assortment, pricing, country of origin (COO), and competitor positioning, in collaboration with global and local stakeholders (Design, Product Development, Planning, VM, Marketing etc.)
- Oversee category performance: analyze weekly/monthly sales, sell-through, stock levels; recommend and execute in-season trading actions (e.g., reorders, markdowns)
- Manage sample budgets and ordering processes to support wholesale, retail, and e‑commerce launches
- Conduct regular market research: analyze competitor activity, customer trends, and local fashion movements; report insights to global HQ
- Collaborate on capsule and promotional buying, OTB planning, and inventory strategies, ensuring alignment with Finance budgets and margin targets
- Partner with Visual Merchandising and Retail teams to support product launches, store floor sets, and clienteling training
- Present buy proposals and performance insights to regional/global teams; support investor relation commentary if required
Qualifications & Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- 8+ years in fashion merchandising (luxury Retail preferred)
- Native-level Japanese and business-level English (both written and spoken)
- Strong analytical aptitude—advanced Excel and retail math capabilities
- Commercial acumen and margin-focused decision-making rooted in data
- Strategic thinker with an innovative and collaborative approach