Who we are:
Samsonite is the worldwide leader in superior travel bags, luggage, and accessories combining notable style with the latest design technology and the utmost attention to quality and durability. For more than 100 years, Samsonite has leveraged its rich heritage to create unparalleled products that fulfill the travel lifestyle needs of conscious movers everywhere. With a portfolio of brands including Samsonite, Tumi, American Tourister, High Sierra, Gregory, Hartmann, and Lipault Paris, our products are sold in over 100 countries in North America, Asia, Europe and Latin America through our company-operated retail store, websites and a variety of retail partners.
Obsessed with travel? Love color, energy and adventure? Join our team and help us create aspirational travel and lifestyle products that inspire the next generation of travellers
As a Category Manager, you are responsible for developing and defining the American Tourister product assortment across multiple categories with the objective to drive sales growth, profitability and market share. You will report to the General Manager American Tourister.
Join the American Tourister Team based in the European Head Office, Oudenaarde (Belgium) and become part of an industry-leading luggage and bags brand.
Key Responsibilities
Team Responsibilities :
* The Category Manager has direct responsibility for supervising and developing a Junior Category Manager
* Accountable for assigning categories, projects and priorities to ensure effective workload distribution and timely delivery.
* Provides ongoing coaching, mentoring and performance feedback to support professional development
Holds disciplinary responsibility in line with company policies and procedures, ensuring compliance and appropriate conduct.
Category Management:
* Define and lead the product strategy for the American Tourister brand in Europe.
* Develop, formulate and implement a clear product strategy for the categories in charge with a strong focus on driving sales growth and profitability maximization.
* Build and maintain a cohesive, compelling and brand-aligned product assortment, ensuring consistency with brand DNA, while identifying opportunities for synergies and operational efficiencies.
* Manage the full SKU lifecycle from product initiation through phase out, ensuring optimal assortment performance at all stages.
* Maintain strict control over SKU count and performance, continuously evaluating productivity and rationalization opportunities.
* Monitor and analyze market trends, consumer behavior and preferences relevant to the assigned categories.
* Maintain a comprehensive understanding of the category dynamics and the competitive landscape.
* Maintain a good relationship with internal and external stakeholders, development, communication and design teams.
* Ensure seamless category development and adherence to product development timelines to support timely and successful market launches.
* Identify and evaluate new business opportunities to drive innovation and growth.
* Deliver high-quality, ad-hoc analysis and transparent reporting to support informed strategic decision-making.
Proactively communicate assortment strategies and plans to internal teams and regional markets to enable cross-merchandizing opportunities and maximizing commercial performance
General:
* Gather detailed and relevant information from local markets through permanent communication with the field.
* Deliver information to the forecasting and supply team on SKU level.
* Constantly Update SKU count / Visual Line Plan and other documents relevant to promote and manage the given categories.
* Promote the given categories to internal and external stakeholders.
* Prepare monthly highlights for the categories in charge.
* Be and act as an ambassador of the brand and the categories in charge.
Why you'll love working here:
* Our employees matter. As a people-focused business, we work hard to provide meaningful rewards and development opportunities for our employees, recognizing performance, and creating a supportive working environment for them, wherever they are based.
* Vibrant culture. We are committed to a diverse and rich culture, welcoming people from all walks of life. Our long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion empowers us to bring our authentic selves and unique differences to work every day.
* Socially responsible. We want to minimize our products' impact on the environment and help create positive journeys worldwide. We do this by creating the best products using the most sustainable and innovative materials, methods, and models.
What we value:
At Samsonite, we do more than create the bags that move with our consumer, we inspire and celebrate the moments that move them. We believe we have a responsibility to the world in how we operate, the products we sell, the communities where we live and work, and how we treat the people we employ. We're as diverse as travel itself, and like travel, your journey with Samsonite presents the opportunity to be a part of something bigger and explore your passions. This is why we offer various paths for professionals and celebrate the knowledge and skills they bring to our team. We are committed to a respectful workplace that allows our team members to bring their best selves to the workplace daily.
Samsonite is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to promoting and maintaining a work environment in which all applicants, associates, customers, and other individuals are treated with dignity and respect free from unlawful harassment, discrimination, or retaliation.