Reporting to the Partner Brands & Marketplace Director, the Head of Category owns a segment of brands within the division and is responsible for managing the buying, merchandising and strategy of this subdivision. They are accountable for successful sales & profit performance with disciplined stock health and interfacing with several cross divisional and cross functional stakeholders. They are responsible for managing not only the business in this area, but the relationships with the brand partners and ensuring ASOS has the best in class curated assortments from the right brands.
Key Accountabilities
Strategy
Responsible for creating and delivering the brand/category strategy aligned to overarching Product & Brand global strategy
Leads direction of product strategy through brand relevancy – distribution, geo, customer segments
Responsible for creating & cascading range architecture framework across initial price, width and depth.
Responsible for the financial success and health of the division, trading and managing stock, partner terms, managing OTB and budgets.
Optimising data & insights to anticipate future needs of ASOS consumer and identifying future category growth opportunities
Working alongside leaders in the Global team to support global requirements and understand brand/category level global planning, pricing, trading and local brand opportunities
Shaping and driving lean, agile processes and ways of working for departments
Product
Responsible for leading teams in First to Market product execution across segments, trend, key items, seasonal big deals, brand identity and relevancy
Customer focused; anticipating the needs of the target consumer, using sales data, customer profile analytics and trend information
Keeping brand purpose and Fashion With Integrity at the forefront of decision making whilst commercially balancing profit targets against ethical and sustainable priorities
Instil in the departments a strong understanding of global competitors’ product offer, pricing strategy and trading activity leveraging insights to pivot team activity and manage risks.
Brand relevancy through distribution and GEO requirements (additional channel of DTC)
Brand Planning & Trading
Responsible for translating top down budgets into category/sub-category and brand plans
Accountable for brand sales & profit performance
Accountable for delivering on all range KPIs; ASP, Width & Depth and Intake Margin
Responsible for ensuring appropriate stock levels are met, aligned to customer demand, within the parameters set by the business
Maintaining an in-depth knowledge of brand KPIs throughout the season, continually challenging and redefining to ensure maximum profit
Consistently using data & analytics to trade risks & opportunities and proactively shape the future category strategy
Responsible for reviewing weekly brand sales, stock and intake gap analysis, directing category merchandisers as necessary
Strategically optimising intake margin and profit through identifying efficiencies & cost saving initiatives, including product engineering
Accountable for signing off sales, stock and OTB/intake plans with brand/subcategory teams
Working alongside cross-functional teams to define sales, stock & intake plans (OTB) for product groups.
Improve terms through using all levers available - Buying discount, intake margin, rebates & other commercial opportunities through AMG
Managing & Leading
Leads the Buying & Merchandising teams in creating the global assortment that meets ASOS’ mission
Leading and building a strong team with a focus on growing future talent
Providing clear direction and development to the team, identifying individual training needs and encouraging collaborative ways of working
Motivating and engaging the team through recognition and regular feedback
Leading and driving business wide initiatives and projects, positively influencing and championing change
Cross Functional Working
Building and leveraging relationships with a network of appropriate internal and external stakeholders to deliver and evolve strategy
/01 Company Description
We're ASOS, the online retailer for fashion lovers all around the world.
We exist to give our customers the confidence to be whoever they want to be, and that goes for our people too. At ASOS, you're free to be your true self without judgement, and channel your creativity into a platform used by millions.
Everyone needs some help showing up as their best self. We're Disability Confident Committed - let our Talent team know if you need any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.
/02 Job Qualifications
A confident, experienced leader in the multi-brand fashion retail space, who will take ownership of the category and lead the strategy
Collaborative, organised, and strategic with your finger on the pulse of fashion - always looking to push the range for our global markets forward
Leading and driving business wide initiatives and projects, positively influencing and championing change
Demonstrates the ability to drive the success of multiple departments through strategic, creative and commercial thinking
Has expert negotiation and influencing skills
Embraces and champions the benefits of change within the wider team
Presents performance and strategy to the team and management with an engaging and confident style
Shows a deep understanding of the ASOS customer and customer segmentation and reflects this in decision making
Has an effective and inclusive management style, role modelling positive behaviours and providing the team with clear direction and development
Identifies opportunities or challenges within the assortment and identifies new category opportunities
Makes quick and effective trading decisions between buying groups to pursue profitable growth
Commercial Acumen to manage OTB and make trade-offs between sub-category priorities
Creativity to drive category and brand offer and product opportunities based on insight
Technical knowledge to oversee, manage and challenge brand and category decisions
Expertise to agree the range width and depth
Strategic thinking and vision to set the category / product strategy
Leadership and ability to challenge & influence other stakeholders to optimise category performance
/03 Additional Info
BeneFITs:
Employee discount (hello ASOS discount!)
Employee sample sales
25 days paid annual leave + an extra celebration day for a special moment
Private medical care scheme
Discretionary bonus scheme
Opportunity for personalised learning and in-the-moment experiences that enable you to thrive and excel in your role
We believe being together in person helps us move faster, connect more deeply, and achieve more as a team. Thats why our approach to working together includes spending at least 3 days a week in the office. Its a rhythm that speeds up decision-making, helps ASOSers learn from each other more quickly, and builds the kind of culture where people can grow, create, and succeed.
Why take our word for it? Search #InsideASOS on our socials to see what life at ASOS is like.
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
what our people say
Meet The Team
Meet Geeta Gohil -
Commercial @ ASOS
Meet Ian Amer -
Commercial @ ASOS
Meet Mui Abdul -
Commercial @ ASOS
Working at ASOS has made me realise how much I feel like I belong here. It’s exciting and refreshing. The authenticity and inclusivity ASOS has makes it even better to work here. Everyday is a different day; I am learning new things, meeting new people and be involved in so many amazing buying projects.
I love ASOS for two main reasons – firstly because as a company it is never afraid to try something new or challenge the way we work; we really have the autonomy to push ourselves in new directions.
ASOS is incredibly inclusive which means so much to me as a queer Black woman. There are so many opportunities here beyond your role, so you can really boost and build your dream career here. And the people! I’m inspired everyday by my colleagues, the creativity here is unparalleled!
Geeta Gohil
Commercial @ ASOS
Working at ASOS has made me realise how much I feel like I belong here. It’s exciting and refreshing. The authenticity and inclusivity ASOS has makes it even better to work here. Everyday is a different day; I am learning new things, meeting new people and be involved in so many amazing buying projects.
Ian Amer
Commercial @ ASOS
I love ASOS for two main reasons – firstly because as a company it is never afraid to try something new or challenge the way we work; we really have the autonomy to push ourselves in new directions.
Mui Abdul
Commercial @ ASOS
ASOS is incredibly inclusive which means so much to me as a queer Black woman. There are so many opportunities here beyond your role, so you can really boost and build your dream career here. And the people! I’m inspired everyday by my colleagues, the creativity here is unparalleled!
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
our business values
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We are Customer First
We couldn’t be ASOS without our customers.
Across every behaviour, value, and all that we do, we see everything through our customers’ eyes. That means never taking anything for granted and always zeroing in on every single detail. So we can always bring our best as a team, and our customers can have an amazing experience, every time.
We are Authentic
We work together to be honest, transparent, and our full authentic selves.
This is our ASOS. Our culture, built on collaboration and togetherness, and supported by what’s real and honest. We know that we win bigger when we win as a diverse team. That means celebrating our differences and using them to help us stand out from the crowd, without losing our authenticity and individuality.
We are Brave
We challenge each other to aim high and reach our potential.
Doing nothing gets us nowhere. We may be proud of everything we’ve done so far, but there’s still so much more to explore. We believe we can always be wiser, faster, stronger, bigger, braver, kinder…so asking ‘why’ isn’t just a question, it’s a necessity. We use our voice to drive us forward, speaking up on the things our people and customers care about and using our curiosity to create possibility.
We are Creative
We know innovation leads to inspiration – it’s what makes us stronger
Change is in our DNA. By acting fast and staying one step ahead of the curve, we can be a leader, not a follower. But for our products and platform to be innovative, they have to be fuelled by creative passion and a deep understanding of our customers and our people.
We always Deliver
We couldn’t be excellent without evidence – so whatever we’re doing, we have proof of why we’re doing it.
It takes facts and data to tell our stories and help us make our decisions in the most effective way possible. This means we can do what we say and own what we do, no matter how long it takes us to do it. We aren’t about nonsense ifs, buts and maybes, we’re about creating an ASOS that’s built for future success on delivered success.
Our Benefits
Employee Discount
The most asked-about benefit! As an ASOSer, you’ll receive an exclusive employee discount. You can also nominate a family member or friend to share your discount with.
Pension
Retirement might not be on your mind right now, but it’s important to prep for it. We offer matched contributions up to 5% to help you save.
Private Medical Care scheme
If you join our Private Medical Care scheme, you’ll get fast and effective access to medical cover.
Bonus
What we achieve is always a team effort. That’s why we offer a discretionary bonus scheme which rewards you based on our group financial and strategic performance.
Celebratory Day!
Get an extra day off in addition to the 25 days of annual leave you get! Spend it celebrating the big days in life, whether it’s birthdays, cultural holidays, weddings and anything else.
Shuttlebus Service (if you're based in our Leavesden office)
It’s more of a work perk, but we offer a free shuttlebus between Watford station and our office in Leavesden.
Sample Sales
We’ve always got fun things happening in our offices, but the one ASOSers get most excited about is our sample sales. Plus, all proceeds from the sample sale get donated to the ASOS Foundation, which helps our charity partners abroad.
Career Development
You’ll have the opportunity for personalised learning and in-the-moment experiences to create a dynamic and agile learning environment that empowers you to thrive and excel in your role.
Summer Hours
We finish at 3pm on Fridays in June, July and August!! This perk doesn’t mean a dip in your salary – it just gives you extra freedom to enjoy those summer weekends however you want.
Location
Our HQ in London
Our HQ in Camden was once a cigarette factory – now, the iconic Art Deco building has been completely renovated with spacious office areas, ASOS Studios (where we shoot all our products), beauty rooms and a free gym. There’s also a subsidised canteen and café.