Senior Manager, Assortment & Merchandise Planning (EMEA) - Netherlands

Global Enterprise Partners is supporting a leading international sports and consumer brand in the search for an experienced Senior Manager, Assortment & Merchandise Planning to join its EMEA Planning team.

This is an exciting opportunity for a planning leader to shape seasonal assortments, optimize inventory investments, and drive profitable growth across key EMEA marketplaces.

Role Overview

As the Senior Manager, Assortment & Merchandise Planning (EMEA), you will lead assortment planning for a key sport business, managing a team of planners while partnering closely with Merchandising, Marketplace, Sales, and Supply Planning teams. You will help translate consumer demand and business priorities into profitable seasonal plans that optimize sales, margin, inventory, and product productivity.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Assortment Planners.
• Own seasonal assortment plans across product families and marketplaces.
• Drive Open-to-Buy (OTB) and inventory planning decisions.
• Develop demand forecasts using business analytics and marketplace insights.
• Monitor franchise and product performance against business targets.
• Partner cross-functionally to align seasonal strategies and execution.
• Lead in-season planning, identifying risks and opportunities.
• Support process improvements and planning capability development.

Key Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in Assortment Planning, Merchandise Planning, Commercial Planning, Demand Planning, or related functions.
• Experience within sportswear, apparel, footwear, retail, or consumer goods.
• Proven people leadership experience.
• Strong knowledge of forecasting, inventory management, assortment planning, and financial planning.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Advanced Excel skills and experience working with planning tools.
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced international environment.

Assignment Details

Function Title: Senior Manager, Assortment & Merchandise Planning (EMEA)
Location: Hilversum, Netherlands
Work Model: Hybrid
Contract Type: Freelancer or Temporary Employee
Start Date: ASAP
Duration: Initial contract with extension potential

This opportunity is ideal for an experienced planning professional who combines strong commercial acumen, analytical expertise, and leadership skills to influence strategic assortment decisions within a global consumer brand