Summary:
The Product Merchandising Specialist supports the EMEA Product Merchandising function by coordinating seasonal merchandising activities, gathering marketplace insights, and ensuring the successful execution of product milestones throughout the product creation process. This role collaborates with teams across Local and Global Product, Sales, Marketing, Operations, distributors, and owned markets to translate fan, commercial, and marketplace insights into actionable recommendations, supporting seasonal assortments, go-to-market planning, product storytelling, and regional product feedback.
Responsibilities:
- Support the Director, Product Merchandising EMEA in executing seasonal merchandising activities, including assortment reviews, product positioning, pricing recommendations, line planning, and preparation for key global product milestones and seasonal business reviews.
- Coordinate EMEA go-to-market planning by managing seasonal milestone calendars, tracking cross-functional deliverables, preparing product meetings, and ensuring alignment across EMEA Product, Sales, Marketing, and Operations teams.
- Lead regional market intelligence by monitoring competitor assortments, pricing, consumer trends, retail developments, and product launches while gathering actionable insights from Germany and key distributor partners to inform future product decisions.
- Own the regional product sample process, including seasonal sample ordering, tracking, inventory management, and coordinating samples for sales meetings.
- Support seasonal milestone forecasting by consolidating market feedback, sales insights, and product performance data to help identify opportunities, risks, and regional assortment recommendations.
- Coordinate collaboration projects by managing timelines, product information, sample requests, internal approvals, contracts, and communication between regional teams, Product teams, and external partners to ensure successful launches.
- Prepare high-quality merchandising presentations, product storytelling materials, seasonal reports, and business updates that support internal decision-making, product reviews, customer meetings, and executive presentations.
- Build strong partnerships across Global Product, Planning, Sales, Marketing, and regional teams while acting as the operational hub for EMEA Product Merchandising, ensuring projects remain organized, deadlines are met, and regional priorities are effectively represented throughout the product creation process.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Merchandising, Product Management, Fashion, or related field.
- 2 to 5 years of experience in merchandising, product management, buying, category management, retail, or marketing.
- Experience within footwear, outdoor, sporting goods, or lifestyle brands preferred.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into recommendations.
- Excellent project management and organizational skills.
- Comfortable working across multiple deadlines and seasonal calendars.
- Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills.
- Excellent communication skills in English.
- Passion for outdoor culture, lifestyle footwear, and consumer trends.
- Highly organized and detail-oriented.
- Curious about consumer behavior and market trends.
- Comfortable working with data as well as creative product teams.
- Proactive and able to manage multiple priorities.
- Collaborative across functions and international teams.
- Passionate about footwear, outdoor culture, and product innovation.
Working Conditions & Requirements
• Occasionally, travel to visit customers or partners, and working in the evenings for conference calls with colleagues in Global Headquarters in a different time zone is part of the role.
• KEEN has a 4-day per week office attendance policy at its EMEA headquarters in Rotterdam, with a lot of flexibility. Full-time position, 40 hours per week.
We Offer
• Market relevant compensation package (salary and bonus).
• We love to do good and can spend working hours on volunteering for our community.
• A company Learning & Development program, offering courses to develop yourself and your career.
• 25 holidays annually, excluding public holidays.
• A very international environment.
• Joint activities and office events throughout the year.
Why KEEN
Driven by a passion for life outside, KEEN is a values-led, independently owned brand from Portland, Oregon, on a mission to create original and versatile products, improve lives, and inspire outside adventure. Since 2003, KEEN has been committed to responsible business practices and community impact, donating over $18 million to non-profit organizations worldwide and working to protect the places where we live and play. Learn more at: https://www.keenfootwear.com/our-purpose.html
Employee Conduct
All employees are expected to contribute to a positive work environment through teamwork, honest and effective communication, professional conduct, and alignment with KEEN’s core values.
