Chief Operating Officer (COO) - Fashion/Apparel (PSS07631)

About the Client: PSS has been mandated to hire a Chief Operating Officer (COO) - Fashion/Apparel for a well-known group within the retail space, with multiple brands and international operations.

Overview of the Position

Our client is looking for a strategic Chief Operating Officer (COO) who has built/transformed a business/category and grown the brand multifold. We are looking at someone who has expertise in product development, merchandising, sourcing, marketing, and design, with a focused approach to transform a brand.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & P&L Management

• Own the end-to-end P&L for the brand across offline and online channels.
• Translate business strategy into actionable plans, budgets, and KPIs.
• Partner with the CEO and Board to drive long-term growth, profitability, and operational excellence.

Merchandising & Category Management

• Lead the merchandising strategy across all product categories to ensure product-market fit, margin optimization, and inventory health.
• Define seasonal calendars, pricing, and assortment plans based on trend forecasts

Sourcing & Supply Chain

• Drive efficient sourcing strategies across geographies (domestic and international) to ensure quality, cost efficiency, and timely delivery.
• Develop strong vendor relationships and streamline procurement processes to reduce lead times and increase flexibility.

Product Development & Design

• Oversee the product lifecycle from concept to market, ensuring alignment with brand vision, trend forecasts, and customer needs.
• Collaborate with design, merchandising, and sourcing teams to launch innovative, trend-right collections in line with consumer demand.

Marketing & Brand Building

• Drive the marketing team to define and execute integrated campaigns across digital, retail, and brand channels.
• Ensure alignment of product, pricing, positioning, and promotions to create a compelling consumer experience.
• Drive customer acquisition, engagement, and loyalty initiatives to build brand equity

Cross-functional Team Leadership

• Lead a diverse team across merchandising, design, sourcing, operations, and marketing.
• Foster a culture of performance, collaboration, creativity, and accountability.
• Build processes and systems to scale operations efficiently across channels and formats.

Key Requirements:

• 15+ years of experience in building a brand with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven expertise in merchandising, sourcing, product development, and marketing.
• Strong commercial acumen with a deep understanding of consumer behaviour, pricing strategies, and market dynamics.
• Experience managing P&L and delivering top-line growth and profitability.
• Exceptional leadership and people management skills.

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