Head of Product and Merchandising Management

We are Li-Ning International team. We are seeking a strategic, market-savvy, and dynamic Head of Product and Merchandising Management to lead our global merchandising strategy and drive commercial success across diverse regions. Key Responsibilities: 1. Global Merchandising Strategy & Assortment Planning · Formulate and execute a comprehensive global merchandising strategy that supports business growth, maximizes profitability, and maintains brand consistency across all touchpoints. · Develop regionalized product mix strategies, ensuring the right product tiers, technical innovations, and seasonal drops are delivered to the right markets at the right time. · Oversee lifecycle management, from initial range planning and seasonal line openings to markdown strategies and end-of-life clearance. 2. Regional Insights & Distributor Management · Conduct regular market visits and field research across various regions to assess on-the-ground sales performance, visual merchandising standards, and competitive landscapes. · Establish strong, collaborative partnerships with regional distributors; actively gather their feedback, analyze local consumer trends, and assess specific market demands. · Continuously refine and update the global merchandising strategy based on data-driven insights and distributor feedback to capture untapped market opportunities. 3. Commercial & Financial Acumen · Analyze global sales data, sell-through rates, inventory turnover, and gross margins to evaluate the commercial health of product lines. · Collaborate with the finance and sales teams to set regional sales targets, pricing architectures, and OTB (Open-to-Buy) budgets. · Identify underperforming categories and implement swift, corrective commercial actions. 4. Cross-Functional Collaboration & Product Synergy · Maintain close collaboration with e-commerce, wholesales & retail, and marketing teams to ensure a seamless omni-channel customer experience and balanced online/offline market positioning. · Work closely with the Headquarters based Product Design & Development teammates to guide future seasonal collections based on commercial data, performance trends, and market needs. 5. Lead the Winning Team · Lead a team of 8 merchants, designers and developers to deliver growth solutions · Represent the Li-Ning product and category divisions at key commercial moments, trade shows, key account meetings, athlete interactions. Required Qualifications: 1. Bachelor's degree or above, with minimum of 8–10 years of progressive experience in Merchandising Management, Buying, or Category Management, with at least 3–5 years in a regional or global leadership role. 2. Proven track record of managing multi-region merchandise strategies (e.g., APAC, Europe, North America) and a deep understanding of differing regional consumer behaviors and market dynamics. 3. Extensive experience working with third-party distributors and wholesale partners, with the willingness and ability to travel frequently for market visits. 4. Fluency in English is required; Mandarin proficiency is important as the Li-Ning product engine is based in Beijing. Required Personal Attributes: 1. Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder relationship management skills. 2. Ability to influence across cultures and departments. 3. Strong commercial acumen with a proficiency in retail math, financial forecasting, and data analysis. Welcome talents with: 1. Prior experience working with a sports, athletic, activewear, or outdoor brand is highly preferred and considered a strong advantage. 2. Experience working in startups or fast-paced environments. 3. Experience or knowledge in product design and development (ideally involving performance gear or technical sportswear) is preferred but considered a secondary priority to core merchandising expertise.