Job Description
ABOUT THE ROLE:
The Regional Project Merchandiser is responsible for setting and driving the merchandising strategy for new and evolving retail formats. You will own assortment and allocation strategies and be responsible for the merchandising execution from concept through opening and post-launch evaluation. Working closely with cross-functional teams, you will ensure new formats are commercially viable, scalable, and aligned with customer and brand strategy.
New Store Format Strategy & Commercial Direction
- Develop and define merchandising and commercial strategies for new store formats and small-store concepts.
- Translate customer insights, business objectives, market dynamics, and retail trends into commercially viable assortment strategies.
- Establish merchandising principles that maximize sales productivity and profitability within limited retail space.
- Ensure new format concepts align with regional growth priorities, channel strategies, and long-term business objectives.
- Develop scalable merchandising solutions that support sustainable expansion.
Assortment Strategy & Format Optimization
- Own the end-to-end assortment strategy for new store formats.
- Define category mix, assortment breadth and depth, and product roles within space-constrained environments.
- Establish clear differentiation principles between new formats, full-format stores, and digital channels.
- Monitor customer response, sales performance, and market trends to continuously optimize assortments.
- Identify opportunities to improve productivity, customer experience, and commercial performance.
Allocation Strategy & Stock Frameworks
- Develop allocation and stock management frameworks tailored to new format requirements.
- Define initial allocation strategies, inventory levels, replenishment principles, and in-season adjustments.
- Partner closely with Inventory Management and Supply Chain teams to ensure appropriate stock availability.
- Balance inventory productivity, availability, and space limitations to support successful store launches.
- Minimize inventory risk while maximizing sales potential and operational efficiency.
Project Management & New Format Rollouts
- Serve as the merchandising project lead for pilot stores, new format openings, and regional rollouts.
- Manage project plans, timelines, milestones, and critical deliverables from concept through implementation.
- Coordinate with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure assortment readiness, inventory availability, systems preparedness, and operational execution.
- Identify risks, dependencies, and mitigation plans to support successful delivery.
- Drive alignment and accountability throughout the project lifecycle.
Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Management
- Act as the key merchandising partner for all new format initiatives.
- Influence stakeholders and facilitate decision-making across multiple business functions.
- Build strong partnerships with Retail, Expansion, Finance, Planning, Digital, Visual Merchandising, Marketing, and Operations teams.
- Present strategies, recommendations, and performance updates to senior leadership and regional forums.
- Foster collaboration to ensure commercial, operational, and customer objectives are consistently achieved.
Performance Evaluation & Continuous Improvement
- Establish performance metrics and success criteria for new format initiatives.
- Analyze post-opening performance including sales, productivity, margin, inventory efficiency, sell-through, and customer engagement.
- Lead pilot reviews and business evaluations to identify key learnings and opportunities.
- Translate insights into actionable recommendations for future format evolution and rollout strategies.
- Champion a culture of continuous improvement through data-driven decision-making.
Qualifications
Key Skills & Competencies
Analytical
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales, inventory, customer, and business performance data.
- Ability to identify trends, generate insights, and make data-driven recommendations.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel and business reporting tools.
Business Analysis
- Ability to evaluate business needs, identify opportunities for improvement, and recommend practical solutions.
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance customer, operational, and financial objectives.
- Experience using data and business insights to support strategic decision-making.
Merchandising
- Experience developing and managing assortments, product mix, and merchandising strategies.
- Knowledge of inventory management, product performance analysis, and retail sales drivers.
- Ability to optimize assortments and product placement to maximize sales and productivity.
Supply Chain Management
- Understanding of inventory planning, allocation, replenishment, and stock management principles.
- Ability to collaborate with Supply Chain and Inventory teams to ensure product availability and efficient stock flow.
- Experience balancing inventory investment, customer demand, and operational requirements.
Language Requirements
- Business-level English and Japanese communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively with local and regional stakeholders.
Additional Information
This is a full-time position based in Tokyo, Japan,
Company Description
H&M Group is a multi-brand organization comprised of H&M and our Portfolio Brands, including COS, Weekday, & Other Stories, and ARKET.
COS offers a wardrobe of ready-to-wear and accessories rooted in exceptional quality and lasting design. The brand has an elevated aesthetic that embodies luxury with an emphasis on craftsmanship, innovation and compelling fashion movements.
Benefits
We offer all our employees attractive benefits with extensive development opportunities around the globe. All our employees receive a 25% staff discount usable on all our H&M Group brands in stores and online. In addition to our staff discount, all our employees are included in our H&M Incentive Program – HIP. You can read more about our H&M Incentive Program here.
In addition to this colleagues also receive
- Commuting fee
- Celebration of Long Service Award
- HIP - H&M Incentive Program for Long service employee
- Childcare / Family Care Leave
- Health checkup
- Wellness benefit (Benefit one)
- Paid leave / Sick leave
- Volunteer benefit
- Opportunity to work with global environment
Inclusion & Diversity
At COS we’re determined to create and maintain inclusive, diverse and equitable workplaces throughout our organisation. Our teams should consist of a variety of people that share and combine their knowledge, experience and ideas. Having a diverse workforce leads to a positive impact on how we address challenges, on what we perceive possible and on how we choose to relate to our colleagues and customers all over the world. Hence all diversity dimensions are taken into consideration in our recruitment process.
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