Position Overview:
We are hiring a Merchandising & New Product Development (NPD) professional for a premium jewellery brand. This role calls for someone with 6–8 years of experience in merchandise planning, range creation, and end-to-end product development, with a strong eye for detail and deep understanding of materials, design, and market trends.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Merchandise Planning & Analysis
- Develop seasonal merchandise plans based on sales data, category performance, and market trends.
- Monitor weekly sell-through, stock levels, reorder needs, and assortment gaps.
- Analyse sales KPIs (AUR, margins, category mix, channel performance) to optimize product offering.
- Prepare buying budgets and assortment strategies for different channels (retail, online, wholesale).
- Work with demand planning and supply chain to ensure accurate forecasts and inventory availability.
2. New Product Development (NPD)
- Lead the full NPD cycle: concept brainstorming, design brief creation, sampling, cost negotiation, and production approval.
- Collaborate with designers to build commercially relevant and trend-right jewellery collections.
- Conduct market research on materials, consumer preferences, pricing strategies, and competitor offerings.
- Manage sample development with vendors, ensuring quality, timely delivery, and alignment with brand standards.
- Approve final designs, specifications, and BOMs for production.
3. Vendor & Production Coordination
- Maintain strong relationships with manufacturers, artisans, and suppliers.
- Review cost sheets, negotiate pricing, and ensure target margins are met.
- Track production timelines and resolve issues related to quality, materials, or delays.
- Ensure compliance with brand quality standards for metals, stones, plating, and finishes.
4. Range Building & Launch Management
- Develop seasonal range plans, category structures, and SKU rationalization.
- Coordinate with marketing for launch strategies, product descriptions, and visual merchandising.
- Ensure each collection meets commercial targets and supports brand storytelling.
- Prepare product decks, training materials, and collection overviews for internal teams.
5. Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with sales teams to understand customer preferences and regional needs.
- Partner with e-commerce teams to optimize online assortment, pricing, and product attributes.
- Support retail teams with merchandising guidelines and product knowledge.
- Liaise with finance on pricing, margins, and profitability analysis.
Working Days : Mon - Sat
If you bring a balance of analytical thinking and refined aesthetic sensibility, and have experience building commercially successful collections, we would love to connect.
Please share profiles on shweta.matta @vrindaglobal.com
