This role will lead seasonal line planning and assortment development across the APAC & MEAI region, translating consumer insights, market trends, and global brand direction into clear, actionable merchandising plans. He/She will ensure a balanced and compelling product line offer across categories, channels, and diverse markets, while maintaining strong alignment with brand positioning and business targets.

Job Responsibilities:

Product Management

Develop an APAC & MEAI assortment that aligns with Global brand ambition, incorporates regional nuances to drive commercial success, and is aligned to our brand value of being consumer obsessed.
Manage categories franchises to meet APAC & MEAI volume target
Develop a relevant APAC & MEAI product line assortment
Drive style and SKU efficiency; eliminate style overlap, reduce non-strategic models, to align with our merchandising principal of “fewer, bigger, better”.
Collaborate with all APAC & MEAI market merchants to understand and implement the APAC & MEAI strategy and direction, ensuring business priorities are clear for all milestones. Ensure they have the tools to achieve the desired outcome.
Initiate, manage, and oversee SMU programs, ensuring alignment with brand strategy, commercial objectives, and seasonal timelines.

Planning and Analysis

Analyze merchandise data for incremental product opportunities.
Managing and initiate SMU and Re-order programs.
Prepare for and lead forecast reviews and buy sign off milestone meetings in collaboration with regional merchants and DTC channel leaders.
Partner with planning to prepare for and lead end-of-season reviews that identify opportunities and risks for the next season, and in turn, prepare insights and findings from this process to share with Global teams.
Prepare pre-season planning inputs to global.

Collaboration and Communication

Represent APAC & MEAI business needs to the Global merchandising organization. Attend key global milestone meeting and serve as the region’s voice, such as preparing and presenting seasonal reconciliation, or attending and presenting at GTM milestones
Lead and deliver seasonal product line presentations, clearly articulating line strategy, key franchises, and commercial priorities to internal stakeholders.
Partner with cross‑functional teams on seasonal photoshoot planning, where required, ensuring product story, line priorities, and GTM objectives are accurately represented.
Maintain strong working relationships with GBU and GKA merchandising counterparts across APAC & MEAI.

Skills and Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree required, with a minimum of 8-10 years’ experience in product merchandising/planning, forecasting, and budgeting.
Experience in the sports and casual, multi-sports buyer industry is preferred.
Strong understanding of global consumer trends, industry dynamics, and key competitors.
Strong communication and presentation skills, with proficiency in advanced Excel and PowerPoint.
Fluent English speaking is essential.
Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to influence at all levels, both internally and externally.
Strong collaborative skills, problem-solving capabilities, and decision-making abilities.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

New Balance is committed to equality of opportunity for all current and prospective associates regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership and gender reassignment. We are an equal opportunity employer and support a culture of diversity and inclusion.

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