Job Description

Job Title: Senior Manager / Associate Director of Merchandising
Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Team Size: 5-6 Members

About the Role

OUr client is seeking a highly experienced and commercially driven Merchandising leader to join their Vietnam team. This is a critical leadership role responsible for steering the merchandising strategy for key US brands.

In the role, you will lead a team of 5-6 professionals, managing the entire lifecycle from sourcing and product development to delivery, ensuring we exceed customer expectations while optimizing costs and quality.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing merchandising team to achieve business objectives and ensure superior customer satisfaction.
• Foster a collaborative environment that balances commercial goals with operational excellence.

End-to-End Merchandising & Sourcing

• Oversee all merchandising activities, including sourcing, costing, product development, order execution, and on-time delivery.
• Drive competitive sourcing strategies to optimize cost, ensure quality, and improve delivery performance.
• Monitor supplier performance, production capacity, and compliance with labor standards.

Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Build and maintain robust, long-term relationships with customers, garment factories, fabric mills, and suppliers.
• Partner effectively with cross-functional teams (Design, Production, Quality) to ensure seamless execution of customer requirements.

Business Development & Market Intelligence

• Support business growth by identifying new sourcing opportunities and developing customer accounts.
• Provide market intelligence on sourcing trends, capacity, pricing, and industry developments to inform strategic decisions.
• Coordinate with regional offices regarding sourcing and production allocation as required.

Compliance & Quality

• Ensure strict adherence to company policies, customer requirements, and international labor standards.

Qualifications & Requirements

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Textile Engineering, Supply Chain Management, Fashion, or a related field.
• 15+ years of progressive merchandising experience in the apparel industry.
• Minimum of 6 years in a senior management/leadership role.

Industry & Technical Skills

• Deep expertise in sourcing, costing, product development, production management, and vendor management within the garment sector.
• Proven track record of managing major US/International customer accounts (experience with Chicos, Talbots, or similar brands is highly preferred).
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.

Leadership & Communication

• Exceptional leadership and coaching skills with a proven ability to develop teams.
• Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Commercially minded with the ability to balance customer needs against business objectives.

Language & Location

• Fluent in English (written and spoken) is mandatory.
• Working from office in Ho Chi Minh City, with business travels when neccessary.