Lead, Category Merchandising

Lead, Category Merchandising

Values & Innovation

At Under Armour, we are committed to empowering those who strive for more, and the company's values - Act Sustainably, Celebrate the Wins, Fight on Together, Love Athletes and Stand for Equality - serve as both a roadmap for our teams and the qualities expected of every teammate.

 

Our Values define and unite us, the beliefs that are the red thread that connects everyone at Under Armour. Our values are rallying cries, reminding us why we're here, and fueling everything we do.

 

Our pursuit of better begins with innovation and with our team's mission of being the best. With us, you get the freedom to go further - no matter your role. That means developing, delivering, and selling the state-of-the-art products and digital tools that make top performers even better.

 

If you are a current Under Armour teammate, apply to this position on the Internal Career Site Here. 

Purpose of Role

Department: Merchandising    Reports to: Sr. Manager, Category Merchandising - FTW

Your Impact

  • Develop seasonal business plans and footwear category and franchise assortment strategies within the global product portfolio, informed by prior-season performance, SKU productivity, consumer needs, market trends and brand direction.
  • Own seasonal line planning for the assigned footwear categories, including assortment architecture, price-point coverage, product flow, lifecycle management and SKU efficiency.
  • Partner with Planning to translate assortment strategies into seasonal forecasts and buys, and monitor order and in-season performance to identify risks and opportunities.
  • Deliver clear China market commercial input and consumer insights to Global Merchandising and Product teams, articulating regional product needs, priorities, assortment gaps and growth opportunities across both Performance and Sportstyle Footwear.
  • Partner with Channel Merchandising to build relevant channel segmentation and exclusive product plans across online and offline, DTC and franchise, and full-price and discount channels.
  • Collaborate with Visual Merchandising to develop store-format-specific assortment width and monthly product flow plans.
  • Align with Marketing, Sales, Planning, Channel Merchandising and other cross-functional partners to build integrated product launch and go-to-market plans.
  • Lead footwear content for seasonal sales meetings, including category presentations, sell-in tools, product storytelling and franchise assortment guidance.
  • Identify and lead new merchandising and product-related initiatives that address evolving business needs, improve ways of working and support business growth. Work independently or collaboratively as appropriate to move initiatives from idea to execution.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Retail Management, Marketing or a related discipline.
  • Fluency in English and Mandarin, with strong written and verbal communication skills in both languages.
  • Minimum 5-7 years of relevant merchandising, product or retail experience, preferably within a sports, footwear or fashion brand.
  • Footwear merchandising experience is strongly preferred. Sportstyle Footwear experience is an advantage, while exposure to Performance Footwear is also valued.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experience working with merchandising, planning or reporting systems is preferred.
  • Strong understanding of footwear merchandising, assortment planning and the key commercial drivers of a sports or fashion retail business.
  • Preference will be given to candidates with Sportstyle Footwear merchandising experience. Candidates should also demonstrate genuine passion for footwear and a solid understanding of and interest in both Performance and Sportstyle Footwear.
  • Solid understanding of the end-to-end footwear product lifecycle, from product creation and development through seasonal planning, commercialization, market launch and in-season management.
  • Strong analytical capability and commercial judgment, with the ability to translate consumer, market and business insights into clear merchandising recommendations.
  • Excellent communication, presentation and product storytelling skills, with the ability to tailor messages for different audiences.
  • Ability to influence and align cross-functional and global stakeholders in a matrix organization.
  • Demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively, take ownership of new merchandising and product-related tasks, and move unfamiliar or evolving initiatives forward to support business growth.
  • Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple seasons, categories and priorities simultaneously.

Our Commitment to Equal Opportunity

At Under Armour, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), military and veteran status, family or paternal status and any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Under Armour seeks to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people representing a wide variety of backgrounds and perspectives. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact our Human Resources team via candidateaccommodations@underarmour.com.

Requisition ID:  167142
Location: 

Shanghai, SH, CN, 200023

Business Unit:  Corporate
Region:  APAC
Employee Class:  Full Time
Employment Type:  Salaried