Global Digital Merchandising Manager

The Bata Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers and retailers of quality footwear. A global company with more than 30,000 employees, over 5,000 stores in more than 70 countries worldwide, Bata has been providing the best shoes at the best value for money, backed by unparalleled service, for more than 120 years. Since its founding in 1894 by Thomas Bata, the Company has consistently demonstrated its commitment to responsible and innovative business models in the belief that capital is not just money, but, above all, people, knowledge and core values. Today, Bata's pioneering principles enable the company to adapt quickly to market changes. It also continues Bata's long tradition of being sensitive to cultural and national differences and enables it to function proudly as an inclusive company in every country in which it operates.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ROLE:

As Global Digital Merchandising Manager, you own the digital merchandising agenda for one of Bata's fastest-growing channels at a 130-year brand mid-transformation. You make sure the right products show up in the right place, at the right time, in the right quantity and at the right price across every online store (bata.com + new stores) - translating seasonal strategy into commercial outcomes, and partnering with Ecommerce Managers, Merchandising, Marketing and IT teams globally and in every major region to get there.

The Global Digital Merchandising Manager reports directly to the Head of Digital Commerce, within the Commercial organization led by the CCO and SVP Digital & CRM. You will join a team with a Global Digital Product Manager, Global Marketplaces Manager, and User Experience Manager that collectively owns the customer-facing experience across Bata.com, our mobile apps and the marketplaces we sell on.

You functionally lead a multicultural digital merchandising team and act as the global point of partnership and support for local merchandising managers across the regions - sharing playbooks, unblocking issues, and helping them succeed, rather than directing their day-to-day.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The responsibilities and skills of this role are:

1. Digital Merchandising & Ecommerce Expertise

• Hands-on experience running digital merchandising for an online store at scale: assortment planning, OTB, pricing and markdown, online catalogue management.
• Strong grounding in ecommerce operations: stock allocation and replenishment, content quality, site search and navigation, SEO for product and category pages.
• Working knowledge of the systems supporting digital merchandising: PIM, ecommerce platforms, analytics - enough to partner credibly with IT.
• Commercial acumen: comfortable owning category P&L drivers and making trade-offs that balance growth, margin and customer experience.

2.Strategic & Analytical Thinking

• Translates seasonal and annual strategy into a clear, prioritized online merchandising plan.

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• Strong analytical mindset uses data (GMV, conversion, AOV, bounce rate, sell-through) to size opportunities, monitor performance and diagnose issues.
• Comfortable working with online monitoring and analytics tools to surface insights and turn them into actions.

3.Leadership, Collaboration & Communication

• Proven ability to lead and develop a multicultural ecommerce / merchandising team.
• Aligns cross-functional stakeholders (Ecommerce Managers, Merchandising, Marketing, IT, Supply Chain) around a shared agenda.
• Partnering mindset: empowers local merchandisers and helps regions succeed rather than centralizing delivery from HQ.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business, Economics, Marketing, or a related field.
• Professional certifications in ecommerce, digital marketing or analytics are a plus.
• 5–8 years of digital merchandising / ecommerce experience in a senior, end-to-end capacity, with a measurable track record of growing online sales.
• Direct experience owning online assortment, OTB and inventory health for a multi-region ecommerce business.
• Track record running digital merchandising operations at scale - site search, content, SEO and on-site optimization.
• Hands-on experience with ecommerce platforms, product discovery engines and analytics / BI tools.
• Experience leading or developing a multicultural ecommerce / merchandising team.
• Experience in fashion, apparel or footwear retail is strongly preferred.

KEY COMPETENCIES:

• Strong problem-solving skills and attention to operational detail.
• Familiarity with our digital merchandising stack BlueKaktus (PLM), Akeneo (PIM), Constructor.io (Product Discovery Engine) - or comparable ecommerce, PIM and analytics / BI tools.
• Comfort working with analytics / BI tools (e.g. GA4, Looker, Power BI) and applying SEO best practices to product and category pages.
• Ability to thrive in a global, multicultural environment and manage ambiguity.

KEY CHALLENGES AND PROBLEM AREAS:

• Balancing global merchandising direction with strong local context - every market has its own customer behaviour and assortment needs.
• Driving outcomes across regions without direct authority - partnering with local merchandisers rather than directing them.
• Keeping the online catalogue commercially sharp while maintaining operational rigour on stock, content and pricing.
• Ensuring data and inventory accuracy across Bata systems and digital channels at scale.

LOCATION & LANGUAGE PROFICIENCY:

• Limena (Padova) - Italy. Relocation package available for candidates currently based in the EU.
• Smart working policy with flexibility (typically 3 days / week in the office) & Up to ~20% international travel to meet regional teams.
• Fluent in English. Additional languages (e.g. Spanish or Hindi) are a plus given our global footprint.