Michael Kors VP, Footwear Merchandising
About Michael Kors
Michael Kors is a global luxury lifestyle brand known for accessible luxury in ready-to-wear, accessories and footwear. The brand operates internationally across retail, wholesale and outlet channels and is part of Capri Holdings, a global fashion group that includes multiple luxury labels. As an employer it emphasizes creativity, commercial rigor and cross-functional collaboration in a fast-paced, consumer-driven environment.
Michael Kors seeks a VP, Footwear Merchandising in the New York Metro Area to lead global footwear strategy across retail, outlet and wholesale channels.
Role & Responsibilities
- Define and lead the global footwear merchandising strategy for women's and men's across Retail, Outlet and Wholesale channels.
- Develop brand-right assortments tailored by region (North America, EMEA, Asia) and by channel while preserving brand DNA.
- Partner with Global Merchandising, Design, Production, Sales and Global Buying to align product strategy with customer demand and business goals.
- Drive channel differentiation to optimize sell-through, revenue and margin while maintaining a cohesive brand point of view.
- Own pricing strategy, product costing and lifecycle management to achieve gross margin targets and competitive positioning.
- Manage end-to-end merchandising processes including line planning, hindsight analysis, assortment building, showroom setup, merchandising directives and competitive analysis.
- Oversee long-lead-time and inventory liability management, fabric buys and other category-level procurement decisions.
- Lead, coach and develop a high-performing merchandising team, building bench strength and supporting career progression.
- Adjust assortments responsively to emerging trends, category shifts and performance insights; communicate business needs across cross-functional teams.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required.
- Minimum 10 years of merchandising experience, including 5+ years in a people leadership role.
- Deep footwear merchandising experience across women's and/or men's categories.
- Proven experience managing complex, multi-region and multi-channel assortments within a global fashion or lifestyle brand.
- Strong analytical, organizational and communication skills with the ability to influence at all levels.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
- Willingness to travel as required.
Skills
Experience
10+ years of merchandising experience with at least 5 years in leadership; demonstrable background in global, multi-channel footwear merchandising for a fashion or lifestyle brand.
Education
Bachelor's degree required.
Workplace
This position is based in New York, New York, USA.
Compensation
The base compensation for this position ranges from USD 250,000 to USD 300,000 per annum.
Benefits
Generous Paid Time Off & Holiday Schedule; Summer Fridays; Internal Mobility Across Brands; Cross-brand Discount; Exclusive Employee Sales; Fav 5 Cards (friends & family discount); 401(k) Match; Paid Parental Leave; Thrive Wellness Program; Commuter Benefits; Gym Discounts
Culture
Michael Kors fosters a creative, fast-paced culture that blends strong product design sensibility with commercial discipline. Teams operate collaboratively across regions and functions, valuing nimble decision-making and a customer-focused approach while supporting internal mobility and professional development.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The luxury industry is characterised by a diverse and nuanced nomenclature. Esteemed houses frequently employ proprietary terminology, and even within a single organisation like Michael Kors, titles may vary across global markets to reflect local conventions. To ensure absolute clarity, Cerulean assigns a standardised, industry-coherent canonical title to every listing. However, it is worth noting that this role is functionally synonymous with «Head of Footwear Merchandising», «Global Footwear Merchandising Director», «Director of Footwear Merchandising», «Head of Footwear Assortment & Planning», and other variations. Our sophisticated search architecture anticipates these variations, ensuring that inquiries using related terms will seamlessly yield the exact roles you desire.