Chief Merchandising Officer

As Chief Merchandising Officer of a US$100M apparel and textile manufacturing group, the primary mandate is responsible for driving sustainable year-on-year to drive topline growth of 15%, while maintaining or improving margins. The position will strengthen strategic, strengthening customer relationships, expand market share, develop new business opportunities, and build a high-performing Sales, Merchandising, Business Development and Design organization. Commercial Strategy and Revenue Growth · Develop and execute a 3 to 5-year commercial growth strategy to deliver 15% annual year-on-year revenue growth from the current US$100 million base. · Identify new markets, product categories, customer segments and business opportunities that support sustainable growth and margin improvement. · Build and manage a robust sales pipeline with clear conversion strategies. · Establish annual sales targets, budgets, revenue forecasts and commercial priorities. · Drive initiatives to improve customer retention, wallet share and profitability. · Lead contract negotiations and strategic customer partnerships. Leadership of Sales and Merchandising Function · Lead, mentor and develop the Sales and Merchandising organization across all operating locations. · Set clear KPIs and performance standards for customer acquisition, sales growth, order conversion, on-time delivery and profitability. · Strengthen customer relationship management and key account growth strategies. · Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, customer satisfaction and business results. · Develop succession plans and talent pipelines within the commercial organization. · Oversee capacity planning to ensure factories are evenly loaded and minimize production peaks and valleys. Business Development Leadership · Lead the Business Development team in identifying and securing new customers and strategic opportunities. · Expand the Group’s presence with global brands, retailers, sourcing offices and emerging customers. · Monitor industry trends, market shifts and competitor activities to identify growth opportunities. · Represent the Group at customer meetings, trade fairs, industry forums and international business events. · Develop strategic partnerships that enhance market competitiveness and commercial capability. Design and Product Development Leadership · Guide the Design and Product Development teams in developing commercially relevant products and collections, supported by AI and digitalization tools where appropriate. · Ensure product innovation is aligned with customer requirements, market trends and manufacturing capabilities. · Collaborate with customers to convert concepts into commercially viable products. · Promote speed-to-market initiatives and solution-based selling approaches. · Drive innovation in materials, sustainability and manufacturing processes. Customer Relationship Management · Maintain executive-level relationships with key customers and strategic accounts. · Act as the primary commercial representative for major customer negotiations and business reviews. · Lead customer engagement strategies to improve satisfaction, retention and long-term partnership outcomes. · Resolve critical customer issues in a timely and commercially balanced manner. Cross-Functional Collaboration · Partner with Operations, Manufacturing, Technical, Supply Chain and Finance teams to align commercial commitments with operational capabilities. · Ensure profitable order acceptance and optimal capacity utilization. · Support cost management initiatives and margin improvement programmes. · Participate in strategic planning, budgeting and business transformation initiatives. Quality and Compliance · Work with relevant teams to ensure customer requirements, quality standards and compliance expectations are clearly understood and properly executed. · Support commercial decisions that are aligned with quality, compliance, ethical sourcing and customer audit requirements. Industry and Market Intelligence · Monitor global apparel and textile market trends, sourcing dynamics and emerging opportunities. · Identify strategic investments or acquisitions that support business growth objectives. · Provide market intelligence and commercial insights to the Executive Leadership Team and Board.