About this role
Merchandise Manager Non-Footwear
The Non‑Footwear Merchandise Manager is responsible for leading the strategy, assortment planning, financial performance, and overall vision for all non‑footwear categories. This role focuses on trend-right product selection, strong financial management, and cross-functional leadership to deliver compelling assortments that meet customer expectations and drive business results.
What You'll Do:
- Develop and execute a merchandising strategy that aligns with company and seasonal objectives.
- Build and optimize assortments across non‑footwear categories (e.g., accessories, bags, socks, hats, seasonal items, apparel, jewelry).
- Analyze customer insights, market trends, competitor assortments, and emerging opportunities to inform category growth.
- Ensure a balanced mix of newness, core essentials, innovation, and seasonal offerings.
- Monitor category performance and KPIs, identifying risks and opportunities while making in‑season adjustments to drive results.
- Partner with Planning and Allocation teams to optimize inventory, improve sell‑through, and reduce markdown exposure.
- Manage annual and seasonal financial plans, including sales, margin, inventory levels, and open‑to‑buy (OTB).
- Collaborate with Marketing, E‑Commerce, Visual Merchandising, and Store Operations to support product launches, in‑store storytelling, and digital merchandising.
- Communicate category strategy, product insights, and business performance updates to leadership and cross-functional teams.
- Manage categories from assortment build through launch, in‑season management, and exit strategies.
- Maximize SKU productivity through thoughtful assortment rationalization.
- Ensure accuracy and readiness of all product details, delivery timelines, and website/store setup.
- Stay current on non‑footwear trends through competitive shopping, market research, and social/digital insights.
- Monitor customer purchasing behavior, regional patterns, and feedback to drive continuous improvement.
What You'll Bring:
- 5+ years of merchandising, buying, or category management experience (non‑footwear/Accessories or related categories helpful).
- Strong financial acumen with proven experience in OTB, margin management, and forecasting.
- Ability to analyze data and translate insights into actionable strategies.
- Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Experience in omni‑channel retail.
- Background in fast‑paced, seasonal, or high‑SKU businesses with monthly drops.
- Advanced Excel skills and assortment tool along with familiarity with merchandising systems.
Other facts
About Clarks
It began with a flash of inspiration. It was 1825 in the Somerset village of Street and James Clark was busy working at the tannery owned by his brother, Cyrus. Among the sheepskin rugs, the off-cuts and cast-offs were piling up when James had a brainwave: “Slippers!”. And the rest, as they say, is history. A few stitches and a few years later, the sheepskin slipper was born.
It was the very first Clarks shoe and the opening chapter in a remarkable story that continues to unfold to this day. In the decades that have passed since the young Mr. Clark’s eureka moment our shoes have seen social, political and economic revolution. They’ve seen fashions in footwear come and go, and come again – everything from court shoes and winklepickers to wedge heels, sandals and sneakers. They’ve tapped to the beat of crooners, rockers, Britpoppers and hip hoppers. They’ve walked, marched, strode and sashayed through an ever-changing world.
New technology, state-of the-art facilities and our love of shoes means we’re not only the number one shoe brand in the UK. With continuing growth in North America, Western and Eastern Europe, India and China, we’re also the world’s largest casual and smart shoe company and the fourth largest footwear company on the planet.
We’ve come a long way since Cyrus and James Clark and the ‘Brown Petersburg’. But their vision and passion live on in our shoes. You could say we’re following in their footsteps.
What you'll do
- The Non-Footwear Merchandise Manager leads the strategy and assortment planning for all non-footwear categories, focusing on product selection and financial performance. This role involves cross-functional leadership to deliver assortments that meet customer expectations and drive business results.
Ready to join Clarks?
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