MERCHANDISING DIRECTOR, RTW & SHOES (MAT LEAVE TEMP)

Position

CELINE is a fast-growing French and Leather-Goods Couture House that belongs to the LVMH Fashion group, which ambition is to become one of the most iconic luxury brands worldwide.

 

To make this vision a reality we are looking for enthusiastic, passionate and agile personalities who are eager to evolve in a demanding environment.

 

YOUR WORK ENVIRONMENT

As the Merchandising Director, and part of the Merchandising team, you will lead the merchandising strategies for the RTW & Shoes categories in CELINE North America for both Women’s and Men’s categories. This experience will enable you to work cross-functionally in a leader role across all functions of the organization and partner closely with the HQ office in Paris, France. This role will report to the VP, Retail Merchandising of CELINE North America.

This role will be based out of the New York City corporate office with occasional travel.

This will be a temporary role from January 2026-July 2026 to cover a maternity leave.

 

YOUR IMPACT

 

• Define and implement merchandising strategies for RTW & Shoes categories in line with brand vision and financial goals.
• Lead market analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and challenges within the RTW & Shoes sectors.
• Collaborate closely with design, production, marketing, and sales teams to develop cohesive product lines that resonate with our target customers.
• Supervise one direct reports: Merchandising Manager, RTW; provide leadership and guidance in their respective category management.
• Manage category performance by analyzing sales data, monitoring inventory levels, and adjusting plans as necessary to maximize revenue growth and profitability.
• Build strong relationships with key retail partners to optimize product placement and visibility aligned with brand strategy.
• Coordinate with Visual Merchandising teams to ensure consistent presentation of products across all retail channels.
• Work closely with the Vice President of Merchandising on range planning activities ensuring alignment across all categories within the department.
• Drive innovation within the product assortment by staying ahead of industry advancements and consumer preferences.
• Prepare all necessary sales reports by activity, line, colours and boutique.
• Propose a purchasing plan by activity, line, mix, value, qty, number of references and depth based on the retail core offer and the sales history.
• Proceed to complete the order process by sku, review the orders with merchandising and marketing team, enter data in the system and ensure completion of the orders according to the buying schedule.
• Follow up sales on daily/weekly basis, liaise with the boutiques and propose action plans if necessary; prepare weekly reports with comments on performances and identify growth opportunities.

Job responsibilities

• Work with the visual merchandiser in order to ensure proper display of the product based on the visual merchandising guidelines and the sales trend.
• Review delivery plan with SLC, control that the merchandise is replenished according to the stock level and the sales potential.
• Analyze competitors offer and prices.
• Liaise with the training and the CRM manager to ensure that all the activities to promote the collections are implemented within the plan agreed with headquarters.
• Liaise with Sales Planner and Finance to collaborate on sales plans, forecasts and general OTB.
• Collaborate with/manage direct report, Associate Buyer.
• Collaborate with Leather Goods/Accessories Director to understand overall business needs and opportunities in each location to form cohesive buys amongst categories and to formulate and execute action plans holistically.

 

KEYS FOR SUCCESS

 

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Fashion Merchandising or related field; Master's degree preferred.

 

Experience:

• At least 8 years of retail merchandising experience or buying experience in a luxury fashion environment with a focus on RTW and Shoes.
• Proven track record managing high-performing teams.
• Minimum 7-10 years of Fashion / Luxury buying experience.
• Direct report management experience (1+ persons), minimum 3 years.
• Minimum 4 years of North American market retail buying experience required
• Experience in luxury/fashion business

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Competencies:

• Strong analytical skills paired with a creative mindset along with synthesis skills.
• Excellent leadership abilities to inspire team members towards excellence.
• Ability to work with key global stakeholders
• In-depth knowledge of luxury fashion market dynamics including customer segmentation, competitive analysis, pricing strategies.
• Proficiency in retail math and inventory management principles.
• Exceptional communication skills both written and verbal; ability to present complex concepts clearly across different audiences within the organization.
• Strategic thinker who can also execute tactically.
• Detail-oriented individual who thrives under pressure.
• Strong coaching, motivational, feedback skills.
• Good knowledge of business and markets.
• High computer skills with Excel expertise, including pivot tables and v-look-up.
• Analytical and synthesis skills.
• Store travel and Paris travel for market (4-6 times a year) often required. Travel may be 40-60% of your schedule.

 

Languages: Fluent in English with proficiency of other language(s) will be an advantage

Workplace Address: New York, NY

 

OUR COMMITMENT

CELINE is an equal opportunity employer. We want to offer an inclusive environment of mutual respect where we welcome diversity and all our employees feel included, developed, and heard. We are committed to the prevention of all discrimination, providing equal opportunities to all applicants irrespective of gender, gender expression, disability, origin, background, religious beliefs or sexual orientation or any other basis protected by law. CELINE recruits and recognizes all types of talent and singularities.

Profile

The compensation for this position ranges from $125,000- $170,000 annually. The rate of pay offered will be dependent upon candidate’s relevant skills and experience. In addition, there is a bonus opportunity, and a comprehensive benefits package including: medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, various paid time off programs, employee discount/perks, and a retirement plan with employer contribution.