Manager, Direct Merch - Converse

Position Type Full Time Career area Merchandising Location Colosseum 1, Hilversum, North Holland 1213 NL, Netherlands Job ID R-87889* Become part of the Converse Team

Converse is a place where passionate individuals come together to create the future of sport. We are unapologetic about who we are and what we’re after — bringing innovation and inspiration to every athlete* in the world. We look for athletes who can push boundaries, elevate our potential and continue leading us to greatness. The next tastemakers, playmakers, risk takers and glue players. Are you game?

WHO YOU'LL WORK WITH

This role will sit within Converse Global Marketplace Merchandising and partner closely with Merchandising, Planning, Allocation, Marketing, Retail and Digital teams to deliver consumer-right assortments across stores and digital platforms. This role reports into Director of Global Direct Merchandising and manages a team of merchants.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are looking for a consumer-obsessed merchant with strong retail acumen, omni-channel experience and the ability to translate product strategy into profitable assortments for Western Europe Direct. This person is both analytical and product-led, comfortable using sell-through, traffic, conversion, AOV, margin, inventory and consumer insights to make clear recommendations. They bring strong cross-functional influence, collaboration and communication skills, with the confidence to manage competing priorities across seasonal planning and in-season trading. The ideal candidate understands how to build assortments that serve the consumer, elevate the brand and deliver business results across physical retail and digital channels.

• Well-rounded experience in merchandising, buying, planning, retail or e-commerce experience, preferably within footwear, apparel or lifestyle consumer products.
• Proven experience building assortments, managing seasonal buys and using performance data to inform future product and pricing decisions.
• Strong analytical skills and retail math fluency, including sales, margin, sell-through, inventory productivity and forecast inputs.
• Ability to influence across functions, present recommendations clearly and operate with agility in a fast-paced marketplace environment.
• Ability to travel up to 25%, including seasonal milestone meetings, marketplace visits and cross-functional business reviews as needed.

WHAT YOU'LL WORK ON

You will lead and support the WE Direct merchandising strategy from seasonal assortment creation through in-season management, helping ensure the right product shows up in the right channel, at the right time, with a clear consumer and commercial point of view.

• Build and manage seasonal Direct assortments for Western Europe across stores and digital, balancing brand priorities, consumer demand, commercial opportunities and inventory health.
• Partner with Planning and Allocation to inform buy quantities, demand forecasts, depth, channel flow and replenishment recommendations.
• Analyze weekly business performance across key metrics such as revenue, margin, traffic, conversion, AOV, sell-through, weeks of supply and inventory productivity to identify risks and opportunities.
• Use consumer, marketplace, trend and competitive insights to shape seasonal product priorities, pricing recommendations and future assortment decisions.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Retail, Digital partners to connect product stories, launch plans and commercial moments across Direct touchpoints.
• Prepare clear recaps, hindsight analysis and forward-looking recommendations for seasonal reviews, leadership meetings and cross-functional business conversations.
• Manage a team of merchants by building merchandising capability, accountability and a consumer-first mindset.

Please note, no relocation offered for this role

Converse is more than a company; it’s a worldwide advocate for self-expression. This belief motivates our employees, permeates our working environment and inspires our products. No two of us look or think exactly alike. We are each one-of-a-kind. Individually and as a culture, we have the freedom to create and grow professionally. Generous benefits packages only sweeten the experience. From Boston to Shanghai, from Brand Design to Finance, Converse is a brand that celebrates the unique and creative people of the world. Together, we’re different.

What You Can Expect OUR HIRING GAME PLAN

01 Apply

Our teams are made up of diverse skillsets, knowledge bases, inputs, ideas and backgrounds. We want you to find your fit – review job descriptions, departments and teams to discover the role for you.

02 Meet a Recruiter or Take an Assessment

If selected for a corporate role, a recruiter will reach out to start your interview process and be your main contact throughout the process. For retail roles, you’ll complete an interactive assessment that includes a chat and quizzes and takes about 10-20 minutes to complete. No matter the role, we want to learn about you – the whole you – so don’t shy away from how you approach world-class service and what makes you unique.

03 Interview

Go into this stage confident by doing your research, understanding what we are looking for and being prepared for questions that are set up to learn more about you, and your background.