Director, Category & Merchandising

Director, Category & Merchandising

Category Management is the financial and strategic backbone of the organization. The Director leads the Americas Category Management team, shaping category strategy, developing business plans, and driving performance across owned retail, IBD, ecommerce, and retail services. This role ensures financial targets are met, supply and demand plans align with market opportunities, and merchandising strategies communicate a cohesive product story.

How You’ll Make a Difference

• Lead the existing Category Management team and set the category strategy for the Americas, aligned to global direction and local market opportunity across NorAm and LatAm.
• Build category business plans tying range decisions to margin targets, inventory positions, and sell-through expectations.
• Ensure category managers and demand planners operate in a shared rhythm – same data, same priorities, same planning cadence.
• Present category performance reviews and forward plans to the Head of Americas Region and key retail accounts.

Own the Merchandising Architecture

• Develop and manage seasonal merchandising plans aligned to global brand direction and local market realities.
• Define range architecture – what products go where, in what quantities, with what adjacencies, across physical and digital shelves.
• Ensure owned retail, IBD, and ecommerce tell the same product story at the same time, every season.
• Translate global category strategies into locally relevant plans for both NorAm and LatAm markets.
• Connect merchandising decisions directly to financial outcomes – margin, sell-through, and inventory efficiency.

Lead Planning Function

• Own demand forecasting for both regions using commercial data, sell-through trends, and real market signals.
• Lead supply planning to align inventory availability with seasonal sell-through targets and retailer needs.
• Identify supply risks early and resolve before they become revenue problems.
• Deliver real-time visibility into stock health, forecast accuracy, and fulfillment performance across both regions.

Digital Merchandising Leadership

• Set the Americas digital merchandising strategy for Specialized.com – aligned with seasonal plans, inventory position, and category priorities.
• Direct the E‑commerce Merchandising Manager on product sequencing, promotional placement, and digital shelf priorities.
• Ensure physical and digital merchandising tell the same story at the same time across all channels.
• Use sell‑through and traffic data to drive ongoing optimization of the digital shelf.

Retail Services Oversight

• Lead the Retail Services Manager who owns in‑store activation across IBD and owned retail in both NorAm and LatAm.
• Set the in‑store execution standard for Specialized across all physical Americas retail touchpoints – consistent regardless of market.
• Own the retail activation calendar tied to seasonal merchandising plans, product launches, and key commercial moments.
• Drive creation of point‑of‑purchase materials – signage, displays, fixtures, and assets – that translate the merchandising strategy into conversion.

What You Need To Win

• 10+ years across category management, merchandising, or commercial roles – with real experience in both financial planning and go‑to‑market strategy.
• Proven track record building and leading cross‑functional, geographically distributed teams.
• Category management experience – you know how to build plans that connect range strategy to margin outcomes.
• Deep understanding of omnichannel retail – you think in owned retail, IBD, and ecommerce simultaneously.
• Strong grasp of demand and supply planning – you understand how forecasting decisions affect the floor and the digital shelf.
• Experience working in or with Latin American markets. Cultural fluency is not optional here.
• Bilingual strongly preferred: English and Spanish or Portuguese.
• Comfortable building structure and clarity where it does not yet exist.
• Strong communicator – as effective in presenting to senior leadership as sitting with a retailer on their floor.
• Data‑literate – decisions come from numbers, not instinct alone.
• Willing and able to travel 50–60% across NorAm and LatAm.

Benefits

As a full‑time, regular teammate, you are eligible for the following benefits, beginning the first of the month following your start date.

• Competitive pay with annual performance‑based reviews for continued growth and recognition.
• Comprehensive healthcare plan options, including PPO, EPO, HDHP, and HMO (acupuncture and physical therapy included).
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer contributions when enrolled in the High‑Deductible Healthcare Plan (HDHP).
• Dental and Vision plans.
• 401(k) Company Matching up to $5,000 annually with immediate 100% vesting and administrative fees paid for by the company.
• Company‑paid Life, AD&D, Short‑Term Disability, and Long‑Term Disability Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program that provides access to individualized mental well‑being care.
• Generous Vacation, Sick, Paid Holidays, and Volunteer Time Off.
• 14 weeks of 100% paid leave for birthing parents and 8 weeks of 100% paid leave for non‑birthing parents, plus a Specialized bike for your new baby.
• Up to $9,000 annually in Career Development & Degree Assistance.
• Up to $250 annually in Fitness & Wellness Reimbursement.
• Industry Pro‑Deal Discounts and Perks.
• Compensation: Based in CA, $129,326 to $225,026 annually plus bonus.

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