Senior Category Planning Manager, EMEA

ppbWho We Are: /b /p pSince 1906, New Balance has empowered people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. We innovate fearlessly, guided by our core values and driven by the belief that conventions were meant to be challenged. We foster a culture in which every associate feels welcomed and respected, where leaders and creatives are inspired to shape the world of tomorrow by taking bold action today. /p pbJOB MISSION: /b /p pThe Senior Category Planning Manager, EMEA is the commercial planning lead for New Balance's consumer performance and lifestyle categories. You will own the full seasonal planning cycle - from pre-season strategy to in-season trading and post-season hindsight - ensuring category ambition translates into commercial results across all EMEA channels and markets. /p pSitting within the centralised EMEA Sales Planning function, you act as the bridge between Brand, Merchandising and the commercial organisation. You define how the category sells: building seasonal sales frameworks, investment logic, channel targets and in-season action plans that drive growth, healthy distribution and strong sell-through. /p pThis role is ideal for someone who is highly analytical, commercially sharp and deeply connected to product, consumer and market. /p pbMAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES: /b /p pbLead Pre-Season Category Sales Planning /b /p ullipBuild and own the seasonal category sales plan for all EMEA channels: wholesale, DTC and e-commerce. /p /lilipTranslate Brand and Merchandising priorities - key franchises, seasonal stories, range architecture - into clear commercial frameworks and revenue targets. /p /lilipDefine option counts, depth-by-channel and investment levels to drive strong sell-in and healthy sell-through. /p /lilipPresent and align plans with the Commercial Planning Director and senior commercial stakeholders, clearly articulating assumptions, risks and opportunities. /p /li /ul pbDrive Category Go-to-Market Execution /b /p ullipLead the Sales Planning contribution to the category GTM process from range sign-off to sell-in execution. /p /lilipBuild seasonal sell-in toolkits: channel targets, assortment guidance and story prioritisation by account tier. /p /lilipPartner with Marketing to align sell-in plans with seasonal activation calendars and key consumer moments. /p /lilipSupport market and account teams in sell-in preparation and coordinate allocation recommendations for constrained or launch product with Sales Planning and Supply Chain. /p /li /ul pbManage In-Season Category Trading /b /p ullipOwn the in-season performance view across EMEA: weekly sell-through, inventory levels, reorders, best/slow sellers and markdown exposure. /p /lilipIdentify risks and opportunities at category and franchise level and drive proactive commercial actions - reorders, stock rebalancing, exit strategies. /p /lilipLead regular in-season category reviews with the Sales Planning Director and cross-functional partners. /p /lilipWork closely with market and account planning teams to resolve distribution health issues. /p /li /ul pbBuild Category Intelligence Consumer Insight /b /p ullipDevelop deep expertise in category dynamics: consumer profiles, seasonal demand patterns, franchise lifecycle, competitive positioning and market trends. /p /lilipTranslate consumer insight and competitive intelligence into actionable commercial recommendations. /p /lilipProduce regular category market intelligence reports and contribute structured insight into global GTM and product creation processes. /p /li /ul pbIntegrate Category Planning Across EMEA /b /p ullipAct as the category planning authority within the central Sales Planning function. /p /lilipEnsure category dynamics are accurately reflected in the EMEA rolling forecast and annual commercial plan. /p /lilipPartner with Finance to align revenue and margin assumptions with EMEA financial targets. /p /lilipBuild strong cross-functional relationships with Merchandising, Marketing, Customer Service and Supply Chain. /p /li /ul pbSupport Market Key Account Execution /b /p ullipEnsure category plans translate effectively into market and account-level execution without compromising category strategy. /p /lilipProvide targeted support to key account teams on assortment recommendations, sell-through targets and in-season trading plans. /p /lilipLead post-season hindsight reviews and translate learnings into improved frameworks for future seasons. /p /li /ul pbTalent and Team Development /b /p ullipDevelop and manage a small high-performing category planning team. /p /lilipFoster a culture of accountability, innovation and collaboration and across cross-functional partners. /p /li /ul pbREQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS: /b /p ullipExperience in sales planning, category planning, assortment planning or commercial operations, ideally within sports, footwear or lifestyle. /p /lilipStrong understanding of category performance drivers: franchise lifecycle, assortment architecture, sell-through dynamics, inventory health and margin management. /p /lilipHighly analytical with advanced Excel skills; experience with BI tools (Tableau, Power BI, SAP, o9 or equivalent) preferred. /p /lilipDeep knowledge of seasonal GTM processes and experience partnering with Merchandising on assortment optimisation. /p /lilipConsumer-first mindset with strong product intuition and market awareness. /p /lilipProven ability to collaborate across Sales, Merchandising, Marketing, Finance and Supply Chain in a matrix organisation. /p /lilipExperience managing, developing and leading a team. /p /lilipConfident communicator able to influence senior stakeholders. /p /lilipSolid understanding of the sporting goods and lifestyle retail landscape in EMEA. /p /lilipDegree in Business, Economics, Merchandising or related field. /p /lilipFluent in English; additional European languages an advantage. /p /lilipWillingness to travel across EMEA for planning reviews, sales meetings and trade events. /p /li /ul pbBENEFITS: /b /p pbBenefits will differ based on the location of the associate /b /p ullipDiscretionary Bonus Opportunity /p /lilipDiscount on the health insurance /p /lilipFlexible Working Hours /p /lilipPension Scheme /p /lilip25 days Annual Leave per year /p /lilipHybrid working /p /lilipOn-site Gym /p /lilipEmployee Discount /p /lilipFlexibility to work 20 days from anywhere each year /p /lilipWellbeing and Mental Health Benefit (24/7 Employment Assistance Program Support) /p /li /ul pbEqual Opportunity Employer: /b /p pNew Balance is committed to equality of opportunity for all current and prospective associates regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership and gender reassignment. We are an equal opportunity employer and support a culture of diversity and inclusion. /p pIf you have not already done so, please let us know if you require any support so we can make the right adjustments and considerations should they be required. /p /p #J-18808-Ljbffr