The Head of Product Merchandising Footwear Women’s & Kids leads the end-to-end merchandising and product management strategy for a defined global footwear portfolio at Lacoste. This role blends consumer-led product line management with merchandising excellence to create profitable, brand-right assortments across geographies and channels. You will set portfolio strategy, orchestrate seasonal line plans, partner tightly with Design/Development/Marketing/Commercial, and coach teammates to deliver against growth, margin, productivity, and brand-heat targets. 

MAIN REPONSIBILITIES  

1) Category Leadership & Strategic Planning 

• Own the 3-year portfolio strategy (icons, franchises, and new pillars) aligned to Lacoste brand vision, consumer truths, financial targets, and marketplace opportunities. 

• Build the seasonal product architecture (good/better/best, franchise evolution, price corridors, flow & drops, channel segmentation) to drive growth and differentiation. 

• Define portfolio KPIs and targets (revenue, gross margin %, sell-through, SKU efficiency/range size, inventory turns, adoption rate, productivity per door) and course-correct in-season.   

2) Product Lifecycle Management (Creation to In-Market) 

• Lead consumer-backed line planning and range curation from brief through proto/confirm to buy readiness, ensuring commercial viability and brand elevation. 

• Drive franchise roadmaps and seasonal product journeys (positioning, pricing, color/material/flow) in partnership with Design, Development, and Costing. 

• Optimize SKU productivity and assortment health (adds/cuts, carry-over, SMUs, exclusives) by channel and geo; enforce data-driven gates.   

3) Go-to-Market & Marketplace Readiness 

• Orchestrate key Process moments with crystal-clear product stories, pricing ladders, and margin guardrails. 

• Partner with Marketing to build consumer-facing stories and sell-in tools that land consistently across channels. 

• Ensure regional relevance through geo input loops and adapt lines where needed without fragmenting the global point of view.   

4) Cross-Functional & Global Collaboration 

• Act as the orchestrator across Design, Development, Merchandising, Marketing, Operations/Supply, Finance, and Marketplace to deliver on-time, on-margin, on-brief product. 

• Integrate geo merchandising and key partners/wholesale feedback to sharpen demand, depth, and flow by channel (own retail, digital, distributors, top IKAs). 

• Champion data + Art: combine consumer/market analytics with taste and brand judgment to make decisive calls.   

5) Team Leadership & Development 

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team. Set standards for craft, curiosity, accountability, and collaboration. 

• Build a high-performance operating rhythm (read & react, weekly business reviews, line health dashboards) and a culture that values clarity, speed, and creativity.   

• Previous leadership experience in product and/or merchandising management within Footwear. 

• Proven leadership experience managing teams and driving cross-functional alignment. 

• Strong background in product strategy, lifecycle management, and commercial planning. 

• Deep understanding of global consumer, retail, and competitive landscapes. 

• Exceptional strategic thinking, analytical ability, and business acumen. 

• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing skills at all organizational levels. 

• Fluency in English; French is a plus.