Associate Merchandiser (Retail LGs)

Since its launch in 1993 with a collection of six essential handbags, Kate Spade New York has always been colorful, bold, and optimistic. Today, it is a global lifestyle brand that designs extraordinary things for the everyday, delivering seasonal collections of handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, home décor, and more. Known for its rich heritage and unique brand DNA, Kate Spade New York offers a distinctive point of view and celebrates communities of women around the globe who live their perfectly imperfect lifestyles. 

Kate Spade New York is part of the Tapestry portfolio – a global house of brands committed to stretching what’s possible.

A member of the Tapestry family, we are part of a global house of brands that has unwavering optimism and is committed to being innovative and wholly inclusive. Visit Our People page to learn more about Tapestry's commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity.

The successful individual will leverage their proficiency in merchandising to...

• adhere to seasonal development calendar, managing team meetings and deadlines
• analyze global sales, feedback, and historical data on weekly/monthly/seasonal basis to help better assort for future seasons; prepare weekly recaps with action-oriented points for the team
• maintain ownership of competitive landscape, identifying trends and staying on top of newness in market; utilize findings to identify holes in the current business and opportunities for future growth
• assist in creating global line architecture based on both market and business trends
• liaise with all cross-functional partners to execute seasonal assortments from concept to creation
• uphold brand filter and product integrity across categories and markets
• partner with assistant merchandiser to manage daily merchandising responsibilities and ensure timely execution of deliverables
• partner with team to prepare documents and presentations for all development milestone meetings, including seasonal product briefs, design sketch & product reviews, line pricing, costing reviews, and internal market presentations

The accomplished individual will possess...

• excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• proficient in windows-based software such as Microsoft Excel (pivot tables & V-lookups), PowerPoint and Word
• must be able to utilize and master internal software systems
• should demonstrate initiative/sense of urgency; can perform and prioritize tasks under pressure
• demonstrated problem solving skills  
• strong organizational and time-management skills; ability to multi-task independently
• knowledge of competitive landscape and experience preparing competitive decks
• ability to work closely with multiple departments and interact with employees at all levels
• sharp analytical skills and comprehensive understanding of “retail math”
• understanding of the kate spade brand and a passion for accessories
• 2+ years in positions offering relevant experience
• experience working in a merchandising environment

Our Competencies for All Employees

• Courage: Doesn’t hold back anything that needs to be said; provides current, direct, complete, and “actionable” positive and corrective feedback to others; lets people know where they stand; faces up to people problems on any person or situation (not including direct reports) quickly and directly; is not afraid to take negative action when necessary.
• Creativity: Comes up with a lot of new and unique ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; tends to be seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.
• Customer Focus: Is dedicated to meeting the expectations and requirements of internal and external customers; gets first-hand customer information and uses it for improvements in products and services; acts with customers in mind; establishes and maintains effective relationships with customers and gains their trust and respect.
• Dealing with Ambiguity: Can effectively cope with change; can shift gears comfortably; can decide and act without having the total picture; isn’t upset when things are up in the air; doesn’t have to finish things before moving on; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.
• Drive for Results: Can be counted on to exceed goals successfully; is constantly and consistently one of the top performers; very bottom-line oriented