Hermès E-Commerce Merchandising Director

About Hermès

This prestigious fashion house, renowned for its timeless elegance and innovative designs, is a part of a leading global luxury conglomerate. The brand is committed to excellence and offers a dynamic environment where creativity and business acumen are equally valued.

Role & Responsibilities

• Build, recruit, and lead a growing e-merchandising team across four key functions: E-Retail Merchandising, E-Retail Planning, Traffic Acquisition (SEA) & Data Performance, and E-Visual Merchandising & Editorial Animation
• Drive a cohesive vision for the Middle East subsidiary's merchandising and data operations while establishing clear roles, responsibilities, and cross-functional collaboration
• Support professional development of team members through training, best practices dissemination, and individual career development
• Develop and deploy a robust product strategy aligned with revenue targets, competitive positioning, and sustainable growth objectives
• Construct product assortments and sizing strategies in consultation with central European teams and retail planners
• Define Open-to-Buy (OTB) budgets and category-level buying strategies ahead of Previews and Podiums, tailored to regional market dynamics
• Execute buying activities and oversee assortment execution across breadth and depth in alignment with business objectives
• Manage permanent stocked items in coordination with retail planners to ensure omnichannel consistency across physical stores and e-commerce
• Monitor and optimize stock coverage by category, end-of-season positioning, and inventory risk mitigation aligned with P&L targets
• Deliver budget targets for assigned categories while managing sell-through (ST) and months of stock (MOS) objectives across all five markets
• Generate accurate, regular performance reporting by category and country with actionable insights for strategic decision-making
• Monitor business evolution including category mix, product performance trends, and implement corrective action plans or buying strategy adjustments as needed
• Identify and develop new growth levers such as visual merchandising enhancements, traffic optimization, training initiatives, and omnichannel expansion
• Build and maintain strong relationships with the central European merchandising team to ensure alignment on subsidiary strategy and effective advocacy for regional business priorities
• Collaborate with retail and merchandising teams on omnichannel initiatives and strategic business planning
• Establish robust operational partnerships with E-Commerce Operations to ensure smooth execution, particularly during peak trading periods
• Train retail client relationship (CRC) teams ahead of collections and product launches; build sustained engagement to ensure clear understanding of product strategy and commercial moments
• Ensure visual merchandising, homepages, and newsletters are compelling, on-brand, and aligned with product strategy and Group launch calendars
• Implement website personalization reflecting local customer preferences and varying market maturity levels across the five markets
• Contribute to continuous improvement of the customer journey in partnership with Group Digital teams
• Manage the digital animation calendar and proactively propose editorial initiatives based on business needs and product news in collaboration with Communications
• Ensure all in-stock products have requisite assets (visuals, descriptions, photography) for online publication and coordinate with Group Digital teams as necessary
• Analyse visual merchandising performance using Contentsquare analytics and share insights with team and stakeholders
• Analyse email and cross-selling performance using Google Analytics dashboards and extract actionable optimization insights
• Define short- and long-term SEA (Search Engine Advertising) strategy aligned with product planning and business objectives in collaboration with the Traffic Manager
• Contribute to the subsidiary's merchandising strategy and key decisions from a strong business management perspective

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or Master's degree (Bac +5) from a recognised university or business school
• Minimum 8 years of progressive experience in Retail Merchandising, with demonstrated success in multi-country or regional environments
• Significant hands-on experience in e-commerce merchandising and digital retail operations
• Strong product sensitivity, aesthetic awareness, and luxury brand understanding
• Strong strategic vision and proven ability to manage a business unit holistically
• Advanced analytical and synthesis capabilities; comfort with data-driven decision-making
• Deep understanding of business dynamics and commercial mindset; demonstrated P&L accountability
• Coherent decision-making abilities combining analytical rigour with commercial creativity
• Proven strong management capabilities with demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and develop teams toward performance objectives
• Ability to translate corporate guidelines and global strategies into locally relevant market execution
• Problem-solver mindset with hands-on, results-oriented attitude
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with strong customer service orientation
• Team player mentality with capacity to build meaningful cross-functional relationships and work with autonomy
• Availability, flexibility, and dynamism to thrive in fast-paced, high-pressure environments
• Willingness to travel regularly as required
• Strong information technology skills and proficiency with standard office and business intelligence tools

Skills

Experience

Minimum 8 years of progressive experience in retail merchandising, with a strong background in e-commerce operations. Candidates should demonstrate substantial expertise in product assortment planning, buying strategy execution, and digital performance optimization. Prior experience leading teams in multi-country or regional environments, particularly in luxury or premium brands, is essential. Experience with omnichannel retail integration and cross-functional collaboration across merchandising, operations, and digital teams is highly valued.

Education

Bachelor's degree or Master's degree (Bac +5) from a recognised university or business school. Educational background in business administration, retail management, supply chain, or related field preferred.

Workplace

Culture

The company fosters a collaborative and innovative culture, encouraging employees to push the boundaries of creativity while maintaining a strong commitment to sustainability and ethical practices.

About Cerulean

Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.