Lead Merchant, Skate Global - Converse

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Converse is a place where you can be at work AND be yourself. It's a place to be creative, to come up with cool new ideas and to work with a friendly and welcoming team. At Converse, it's about each person bringing skills and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving world to make things better as a team.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are seeking a Lead Merch, Skate Global who brings deep cultural and product knowledge of skate, a strong understanding of the skate consumer, and the ability to translate insights into compelling product direction.

You are passionate about skateboarding-its style, communities, trends, and functional needs. You excel at building strategy, storytelling, consumer‑right assortments, and fostering alignment across global and regional partners. You bring a balance of art and science, strategic thinking and detail execution, and the ability to inspire cross‑functional teams.

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

• Lead the global seasonal merchandising strategy for the Skate category, providing clear product line direction grounded in deep understanding of skate culture, performance needs, and marketplace dynamics.

• Own global line architecture, pricing strategy, franchise plans, and long‑term roadmap for Converse Skate.

• Partner closely with Footwear and Apparel Product Management, Development, Planning, and Brand to build trend‑relevant, culturally aligned, and performance‑driven assortments.

• In partnership with Product Management teams, identify cultural insights, athlete and community signals, consumer behaviors, and emerging style directions that inform seasonal briefs.

• Drive SKU efficiency, margin targets, and business health through data‑driven analysis and proactive decision-making.

• Present seasonal lineplan, category strategies, key insights, and franchise direction to Executive and Global leadership teams.

• Collaborate with Geo Merch teams across North America, EMEA, APLA, and Greater China to ensure global alignment while allowing for marketplace nuance.

• Build partnerships with athletes, communities, and cultural voices to ensure Skate remains authentic, credible, and influential.

• Provide leadership, mentorship, and strategic clarity across the product creation process.

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH

• Global Footwear & Apparel Product Management

• Product Design and Development

• Global Planning, Integrated Marketplace, and Retail teams

• Consumer Insights, Trend, and Brand Marketing

• Geography Merch partners across NA, EMEA, APLA, and Greater China

• Athletes, community partners, and cultural influencers

WHAT YOU BRING

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Merchandising, Marketing, or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience, and training.

• 6+ years of relevant experience in Merchandising, Product, Buying, or Marketplace or related field.

• Deep understanding of skate culture, performance needs, fashion aesthetic, and community‑driven product trends.

• Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to shape the future direction of the category.

• Ability to interpret consumer insights, marketplace data, and competitive trends into actionable product strategies.

• Effective communicator who can influence across functions and present with clarity and confidence.

• Collaborative, team‑oriented mindset with the ability to build trust across diverse groups.

• High cultural awareness and sensitivity to the global diversity of skate communities.

• Balances art and science in decision‑making - both analytical and intuitive.

• Self‑directed, curious, innovative, and dedicated to excellence.

• Ability to solve complex problems using limited information while anticipating long‑term implications.

• Strong organizational skills and the ability to lead multiple seasonal timelines simultaneously.

We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.

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