Director, Merchandising Wholesale & Factory Outlet Europe (12 Month FTC)

Director, Merchandising Wholesale & Factory Outlet Europe (12 Month FTC) | Brussels HQ

Calling all originals: At Levi Strauss & Co., you can be yourself - and be part of something bigger. We’re a company of people who like to forge our own path and leave the world better than we found it. Who believe that what makes us different makes us stronger. So add your voice. Make an impact. Find your fit - and your future.

About the Job

We're looking for an experienced and inspiring merchandising leader to shape and drive our European product strategy across Wholesale and Factory Outlet. This is a highly influential role at the heart of our European merchandising organisation. You'll define the product and assortment strategy for two important channels, bringing together consumer insight, product performance, market trends and commercial opportunities to build assortments that resonate with consumers, strengthen our brands and deliver profitable, sustainable growth. You'll lead and develop our Wholesale and Factory Outlet merchandising teams, while partnering closely with our European commercial teams, Planning & Trading, Marketing, Brand Experience and global and cluster merchandising teams. With a consumer-first mindset and a genuine love of product, you'll connect strategy with execution, ensuring we're making the right product choices for our consumers, customers and markets across Europe.

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the European merchandising strategy for Wholesale and Factory Outlet, creating a clear product vision that balances consumer needs, brand ambitions and commercial performance.
• Lead and develop the Wholesale and Factory Outlet merchandising teams, setting clear priorities, empowering decision-making and creating an inclusive environment where people can grow and perform at their best.
• Build consumer-right assortments and segmentation strategies, translating seasonal direction into relevant product stories, monthly flows and commercial opportunities across European markets.
• Be a strong voice for the consumer, using consumer insight, market trends, customer needs and product performance to identify opportunities to engage existing fans and attract new consumers.
• Own product performance, using sell-in, sell-out, rate of sale, margin, markdown and pricing insights to improve assortment productivity and inform both in-season decisions and future strategies.
• Drive our in-season product strategy, partnering with Planning & Trading to maximise sell-through, identify incremental opportunities and proactively manage inventory risk while protecting brand equity.
• Bring a strong European point of view to global product conversations, identifying market opportunities, assortment gaps and local needs that help shape our seasonal and Tier 3 product strategies.
• Drive impactful execution across channels, partnering with Commercial, Marketing, Brand Experience, Planning & Trading and global merchandising teams to bring our product strategies to life online and in stores.
• Lead an effective go-to-market approach, ensuring the right balance of category, style, colour, price and seasonal flow to maximise full-price selling and create a compelling consumer experience.
• Strengthen our lifestyle proposition, supporting growth across tops while continuing to build on our leadership in denim and identifying new opportunities to grow market share.
• Communicate our product vision with impact, creating clear and inspiring product stories for internal teams and senior stakeholders.
• Challenge the status quo and stay curious, bringing new ideas, external perspective and commercial thinking to how we build our assortments and connect our products with consumers.
• Create a high-performing and inclusive team culture, leading with courage, empathy and resilience, building trust and actively investing in the development of your team.

About You

You'll ideally bring:

• Significant merchandising experience within apparel, fashion or a closely related consumer business, with a strong understanding of product, consumers and European markets.
• At least 5 years' experience leading and developing teams, with a track record of creating clarity, building capability and empowering people.
• Strong experience in Wholesale merchandising, alongside a good understanding of Factory Outlet or value-led channels.
• Deep commercial understanding of merchandising KPIs, including sales, margin, pricing, markdown, sell-through, rate of sale and assortment productivity.
• A strong product instinct and genuine passion for fashion and apparel, with the ability to understand and anticipate the needs of different consumer groups.
• Experience building assortments, managing options and translating product strategy into compelling consumer and in-store experiences.
• Excellent numerical and analytical skills, with the ability to turn performance data and consumer insight into clear commercial actions.
• Strong communication, presentation, influencing and negotiation skills, with the confidence to operate across functions, markets and senior stakeholder groups.
• A collaborative leadership style and the ability to connect global direction with European market and consumer needs.
• Curiosity, initiative and the confidence to challenge established thinking and explore new opportunities.
• Comfort working with Microsoft Office, Power BI, Tableau or similar analytical tools, with an interest in how AI and emerging tools can support better and faster decision-making.
• Fluent English. Additional European languages would be an advantage.
• Willingness to travel approximately 20-30%.

Above all, you'll have a love of product, curiosity about consumers and the ambition to help shape one of the world's most iconic apparel brands.

This is a hybrid position and can be based in our Brussels office. Employees are expected to spend a minimum of three days per week working in person, whether from the office or in the market, with flexibility to work from home for up to two days per week.

The expected starting salary range for this role is €126,000 – €168,000 Gross per annum. The amount an employee will earn within the salary range will be based on factors such as relevant education, qualifications, performance, and our needs. Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) offers a total rewards package that includes base pay, paid leave, product discounts, and more designed to help you and your family stay healthy, meet your financial goals, and balance the demands of your work and personal life. Available benefits and incentive compensation vary depending upon the specifics of the role; details relating to a specific role will be made available upon request. Read more about our benefits here.

LS&Co. is an affirmative action and equal employment opportunity employer. We welcome and value people from diverse cultures, backgrounds, and experiences to make LS&Co. a collective success.

LOCATION

FULL TIME/PART TIME

Current LS&Co Employees, apply via your Workday account.

About Us

Our common thread: We're originals.

From day one, we've been doing it our way — creating our own drumbeat and building something that's different from the rest. That's why we're looking for people who are excited about finding their career fit and transforming the future. Because at Levi Strauss & Co., you can do what you love while staying true to who you are.