Marketing Lead - Sweater

Job Overview:

We are seeking a talented and dynamic Commercial and Marketing Lead to bridge the gap between our innovative design team, operations team in Bangladesh, and our customers. This role will focus on driving sales, fostering co-creation, ensuring timely product development, and aligning costing before production handover. The successful candidate will manage critical paths, oversee costing approvals, and ensure smooth execution from concept to delivery.

Key Responsibilities:

Commercial Responsibilities:

1. Customer Relationship Management:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key retailers.
• Act as the primary liaison between customers, the design team, and the operations team to ensure seamless co-creation and execution.
• Negotiate terms, pricing, and contracts to secure sales and long-term partnerships.

2. Business Development:

• Identify and target new business opportunities to expand our reach.
• Strategically align customer needs with internal design and production capabilities.
• Drive sales to meet or exceed operational capacity targets.

3. Revenue and Sales Management:

• Own and achieve revenue growth targets for the business.
• Monitor sales performance and analyze key metrics to ensure profitability.
• Collaborate with the operations team in Bangladesh to align production schedules with customer demands.

Marketing Responsibilities:

1. Brand Positioning and Promotion:

• Develop and execute marketing strategies that showcase the company's unique design and product development capabilities.
• Enhance brand visibility through campaigns, trade shows, and targeted communications.

2. Market Insights and Strategy:

• Conduct market research to understand customer preferences, competitor activities, and industry trends.
• Collaborate with the design team to align product development with market demands and retailer requirements.

3. Content and Storytelling:

• Create compelling marketing materials, including product portfolios, case studies, and promotional content, to engage and attract customers.
• Leverage digital platforms and channels to showcase co-created products and success stories.

Critical Path Management:

1. Timely Product Development:

• Oversee the product development critical path to ensure all timelines are met from concept to development handover.
• Manage costing approval to ensure alignment with customer expectations and profitability targets.
• Collaborate with the operations team in Bangladesh to manage production timelines and address potential delays.

2. Stakeholder Communication:

• Keep stakeholders informed about product progress and costing updates.
• Proactively resolve any bottlenecks in the development process and escalate issues where necessary.

3. Costing Sign-off:

• Ensure all costing points are aligned, approved, and handed over to the operations team before production starts.

Key Deliverables:

• Achieve budgeted revenue and earnings targets.
• Maintain a high conversion rate of new business opportunities.
• Improve development hit rate to align designs with customer requirements.
• Ensure customer satisfaction, measured through surveys and feedback.
• Increase the percentage of sustainable raw materials sourced and products produced.
• Successfully manage costing alignment and approvals before production handover.

Key Skills and Competencies:

Commercial Acumen:

• Strong negotiation and sales skills with a track record of closing deals.
• Ability to strategically manage customer relationships and grow accounts.
• Proficient in forecasting and managing budgets.

Marketing Expertise:

• Creativity and insight into effective marketing campaigns.
• Strong communication and storytelling skills to convey our value proposition.
• Experience with digital marketing tools, analytics

Interpersonal Skills:

• Excellent relationship-building abilities with customers and internal teams.
• Collaborative mindset to work closely with the design team and the Bangladesh operations team for co-creation success.
• Strong presentation and public speaking skills.

Analytical and Strategic Thinking:

• Ability to analyze market trends and customer data to inform decisions.
• Strategic mindset to align business objectives with marketing and sales activities.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelors degree in Business, Marketing, Fashion Management, or a related field (Masters degree preferred).

Experience:

• Minimum of 8+ years in a commercial or marketing role, preferably in the fashion or retail sector.
• Experience working with design or product development teams and coordinating with overseas operations teams is a significant advantage.

Skills:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, CRM platforms, and project management tools.
• Knowledge of Knitwear (Sweater) design and development is a plus.