This position is part of the Global Products team based in London that stays in touch with the evolving luggage market to insure the Company is on the leading edge.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Track trends and evolutions in the luggage market and provide marketing consulting to the New Product Development teams. Acquire a solid knowledge to base the positioning of new collections. Ensure the category stays in touch with the market.
• Define the marketing mix of new collections, write marketing briefs and coordinate the design and development process. Initiate and lead new product development efforts to provide a smooth and continuous flow of new products. Insure that the development process is converted into innovative products that provide “answers” to the market needs with a rapid time to market.
• Define the optimum pricing for new products to obtain gross margin levels in line with Company goals that are competitive in the marketplace.
• Follow up the development of product communications and bring to market concepts that address the target group with a clear and consistent message.
• Present new collections to internal customers and provide sales training, tools and other support to the Regional and Retail teams.
• Actively manage the product life cycles of existing product lines (definition, fine tuning, update, repositioning and maintenance) to grow existing business and extend the life cycle.
• Stay ahead of the competition on a mid/long term basis by contributing to the strategic architecture of the future product portfolio by extrapolating present market information and trends.
• Organize and follow up on consumer market research to constantly build market knowledge of the category and anticipate/solve specific issues and problems.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum bachelor’s degree, broad marketing experience and two years specific marketing background in luggage or leather products in the travel category with good understanding/experience of the trade structure in the US. A sales profile is possible. Must be open minded, a team player, excellent interpersonal communications skills, strong presentation skills and ready to travel overseas.