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Head of Product & Merchandising | Fashion & Lifestyle Retail

Kuala Lumpur Permanent MYR240,000 - MYR360,000 per year View Job Description
This newly created leadership role offers a unique opportunity to influence product strategy, portfolio development, and category growth across multiple markets. Working at the intersection of consumer insights, commercial strategy, and innovation, you will play a critical role in driving the next phase of business growth.
  • Direct ownership of product portfolio strategy and innovation priorities
  • Be part of a company that is going through product transformation

About Our Client

Our client is a recognised international retail brand with a rich heritage, strong market presence, and a reputation for delivering products that serve millions of consumers worldwide.

As the organisation continues to evolve its product offering and strengthen its market position, it is seeking an experienced product leader to drive portfolio strategy, consumer relevance, and category growth. This newly created position represents a significant investment in product excellence and innovation.

Partnering closely with local leadership and global product teams, the successful candidate will influence key assortment decisions, identify emerging consumer trends, and help shape future product directions that drive both customer engagement and commercial success.

Job Description

This newly established leadership position will be responsible for shaping product strategy, portfolio direction, and category growth. The role will leverage consumer insights, market intelligence, and commercial analysis to drive product decisions that create sustainable competitive advantage. Key responsibilities include:

  • Lead the development and execution of product and portfolio strategies that align with consumer demand, market opportunities, and business objectives.
  • Analyse consumer behaviour, purchasing habits, market trends, and competitive activity to identify emerging opportunities and future growth areas.
  • Evaluate category and product performance to optimise assortment productivity, profitability, market relevance, and customer appeal.
  • Identify gaps within the existing portfolio and develop recommendations for product innovation, category expansion, and strategic growth initiatives.
  • Assess global product offerings and determine which products, collections, and concepts should be introduced and localised for the Malaysia and Singapore markets.
  • Partner closely with global product teams to ensure local market requirements and customer insights are incorporated into future product decisions.
  • Drive product lifecycle management activities, including assortment planning, portfolio reviews, product introductions, and performance evaluations.
  • Support strategic initiatives involving new product launches, category development, market expansion opportunities, and brand evolution projects.
  • Collaborate closely with commercial, merchandising, retail operations, marketing, and supply chain teams to ensure successful execution of product strategies.
  • Utilise consumer data, business insights, and market intelligence to support informed product decisions and maximise commercial performance.
  • Provide thought leadership on industry trends, customer preferences, and emerging opportunities that may shape future portfolio direction.
  • Play a key role in building product management capabilities and establishing best practices that support long-term business growth.



The Successful Applicant

We are seeking an experienced product leader with deep expertise in fashion or consumer retail environments, strong commercial instincts, and the ability to translate customer and market insights into successful product strategies. Key requirements include:

  • Bachelor's Degree in Business, Retail Management, Fashion Merchandising, Marketing, or a related discipline.
  • At least 10 years of experience within Product Management, Buying, Merchandising, Category Management, Assortment Planning, or Portfolio Management functions.
  • Strong industry experience within fashion, footwear, apparel, accessories, lifestyle retail, sporting goods, or other consumer-driven retail sectors.
  • Direct footwear industry experience is highly preferred and will be viewed as a significant advantage.
  • Proven experience managing product portfolios, product roadmaps, category strategies, assortment optimisation, and commercial performance.
  • Strong understanding of consumer behaviour, retail trends, market dynamics, demand planning, and product performance analytics.
  • Demonstrated ability to leverage customer insights and business data to identify opportunities, influence product decisions, and drive commercial outcomes.
  • Experience working within multinational environments and collaborating with regional or global product teams.
  • Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance customer needs, brand positioning, business objectives, and financial performance.
  • Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively across product, commercial, marketing, and executive leadership teams.
  • Strategic thinker with an entrepreneurial mindset, capable of operating effectively in a dynamic and evolving business environment.
  • Willingness to travel periodically to engage with regional and global stakeholders, support market visits, and participate in strategic planning activities.


What's on Offer

  • A rare opportunity to build and shape a newly created strategic function with significant influence on future business direction.
  • Direct ownership of product portfolio strategy, innovation priorities, and category growth initiatives.
  • Extensive engagement with regional and global leaders, providing exceptional visibility and long-term career development opportunities.



Contact
Ee Lyn Soo
Quote job ref
JN-082026-7080151
Phone number
6012 375 7232

Job summary

Function
Retail
Specialisation
Merchandise & Supply Chain
What is your area of specialisation?
Retail
Location
Kuala Lumpur
Contract Type
Permanent
Consultant name
Ee Lyn Soo
Consultant contact
6012 375 7232
Job Reference
JN-082026-7080151

Diversity & Inclusion at Michael Page

We don't just accept difference - we celebrate it. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply for this role and are committed to building inclusive, diverse workplaces where everyone can thrive. If you require any support or reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.