Missão
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.
Perfil
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.