Category & Merchandising Head – Sarees & Ethnic Wear

Role Overview

We are looking for a visionary and analytically driven expert to lead the Saree and Ethnic Wear categories for the Taneira brand. This leadership role involves defining product and merchandising strategies to expand our presence across retail and e-commerce channels throughout India. The position includes managing a team of category leads, managers, and merchandisers, focusing on end-to-end collection lifecycle management—ensuring market fit through consumer insight, inventory optimization, and maximizing product margins.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing team fostering innovation and a strong customer-centric approach.
• Formulate both short- and long-term growth plans for Saree and Non-Saree segments tailored to diverse clusters and occasions, ensuring regional market relevance.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Design, Marketing, Sourcing, and Sales to execute the category roadmap effectively to drive business growth nationwide.
• Oversee assortment planning with keen attention to regional tastes, seasonal trends, and key festivals to deliver a compelling product mix.
• Champion innovation by introducing contemporary styles, fusion textiles, and fresh silhouettes appealing to varied demographics.
• Manage product life cycle from launch through markdowns, focusing on high-performing items and mitigating slow stock.
• Hold responsibility for category P&L, ensuring revenue targets, gross margins, and inventory turnover goals are met.
• Lead Open-to-Buy planning, stock allocation, and replenishment strategies to balance stock availability and reduce excess.
• Make data-informed merchandising decisions based on sales analytics, consumer trends, and inventory metrics.
• Strengthen vendor and weaver partnerships within India’s textile hubs to support sourcing efficiencies.
• Optimize cost of goods sold and lead times while upholding quality and ethical sourcing practices.

Qualifications & Experience

• MBA or Bachelor’s degree in Apparel Marketing & Merchandising.
• Over 15 years of experience in fashion retail or e-commerce merchandising, including a minimum of 3 years in a leadership capacity.
• Proficiency in advanced Excel, retail ERP systems, merchandising tools, Open-to-Buy planning, and data analytics.