Assistant Manager, Collection Merchandising

About Love, Bonito

Established in 2010 in Singapore, Love, Bonito has grown to become Southeast Asia's premier womenswear brand, dedicated to empowering women through style and confidence. From an online startup, it expanded into a multi-channel retailer with over 20 physical stores across Asia and a strong online presence. The company aims to accelerate growth through expanding product categories, new markets, wholesale partnerships, and brand acquisitions, evolving into a forward-looking regional consumer group blending creativity, technology, and performance.

Love, Bonito values a vibrant culture defined by speed, curiosity, boldness, and inclusivity. The company fosters a workplace where employees are encouraged to grow, lead, and innovate with integrity, teamwork, and high standards. Joining their team means contributing to shaping Asian brands' future on a global scale.

Role Overview

The Assistant Manager in Collection Merchandising acts as a pivotal commercial and creative leader driving seasonal collections at Love, Bonito. Positioned at the crossroads of fashion insight, data analysis, and customer understanding, this role owns the collection strategy and buying execution within assigned categories, guaranteeing that launches align with commercial goals, brand identity, and customer needs.

This role entails range planning, leading buying decisions, and close collaboration with Design, Planning, and other cross-functional teams to bring each product season to fruition. The ideal candidate balances meticulous attention to detail with strategic perspective and supports decisions with data-driven insights.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the formulation of collection strategies and planning for apparel categories, emphasizing commercial highlights across business lines and launch schedules.
• Collaborate with Planning to establish range architecture, including style distribution, personas, pricing tiers, aligned with Open-To-Buy (OTB) budgets to maintain a well-balanced and commercially viable assortment.
• Take full ownership of non-apparel categories like lifestyle items, accessories, and bags, managing the process from trend research and sourcing to purchasing and launch execution.
• Perform thorough market, competitor, and trend analysis, converting insights into actionable product direction and seasonal priorities.
• Identify opportunities for category expansion and partnerships to enhance the brand's offerings.
• Maintain pricing strategies consistent with brand positioning and target margins.
• Partner with the Design team to direct collection development by adjusting assortments based on commercial requirements and customer insights.
• Evaluate and approve designs at critical stages to ensure alignment with commercial objectives and brand standards.
• Define and champion Key Looks representing commercial focus and aesthetic personas, ensuring they resonate with the Love, Bonito DNA.
• Provide feedback based on data analysis to enhance product relevance, commercial potential, and collection cohesion.
• Engage with country merchandising teams to integrate retail and market feedback into product planning.
• Develop and maintain weekly sales reporting to monitor collection performance and guide decision-making.
• Drive assortment productivity by managing commercial trade-offs and portfolio decisions within the category.
• Oversee no-stock replenishment, liaising with regional merchandisers on end-of-life product management and carry-over strategies.
• Spot whitespace opportunities, product cannibalization, and key performance drivers to refine future range planning.
• Manage comprehensive buying operations including preparation of buy files, seasonal readiness, and maintenance of buying tools and tracking systems.
• Lead buying sessions by presenting range strategies, commercial priorities, and investment allocations to stakeholders.
• Own category-wide revenue, margin, and productivity targets, directing OTB allocation and product lifecycle depth.
• Set and uphold pricing frameworks to align with margin objectives in collaboration with Product Development.
• Maintain precise product data management using platforms like Airtable and ensure updates to pricing frameworks, buying life cycle, suggested retail prices, and color swatches.
• Maintain detailed Collection Trackers reflecting all assortment updates, launch revisions, and cancellations.
• Coordinate cross-functional alignment among Design, Planning, Merchandising, Marketing, Creative, and Retail teams to drive cohesive decisions.
• Ensure post-buying communication and alignment, supporting downstream teams effectively.
• Create and manage seasonal assets such as collection decks, buyer linesheets, assortment bibles, and product training resources.
• Continuously improve processes to enhance workflow efficiency, data integrity, and timely updates across all merchandising tools.

Key Performance Indicators

• Achievement of revenue, margin, and assortment productivity goals.
• Growth in core range contribution and non-apparel category sales.
• Impact on customer acquisition and retention.
• Speed and efficiency in go-to-market execution.
• Quality of cross-functional alignment and effectiveness of buying sessions.

Qualifications and Skills

• 3-5 years of experience in buying or merchandising roles, demonstrating ownership and a proactive execution mindset.
• Strong analytical skills driven by data; ability to convert insights into impactful actions and maintain organized approaches.
• Expertise in Microsoft Excel is required; experience in AI coding is advantageous.
• Passion for fashion aligned with an understanding of Love, Bonito's brand DNA and customer profile; experience in accessories or bags is a plus.
• Capability to perform reliably under pressure and adapt in ambiguous, fast-paced environments.
• Commercial awareness coupled with a customer-centric approach and sound decision-making skills.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and influencing abilities.
• A collaborative team player who builds strong relationships internally and externally.
• Commitment to personal growth, learning, and continuous improvement.

Employee Benefits

• Flexible working arrangements including hybrid work and adjustable hours.
• Comprehensive corporate insurance covering clinic visits, dental care, and maternity reimbursements.
• Staff wellness initiatives including tailored mental wellness coaching.
• Opportunities for learning and professional development such as subscriptions to top resources, personal development funds, and leadership trainings.
• Friday afternoons off dedicated to learning activities.
• Generous employee discounts on Love, Bonito products.
• Corporate partnerships offering additional perks.
• Internal referral incentive programs.