Director, Category & Merchandising

Specialized Bicycle Components

Director of Category & Merchandising at Specialized leading strategic category management and e-commerce merchandising in NorAm and LatAm markets with a focus on financial outcomes.

Posted 7/1/2026full-timeMorgan Hill • California, Utah • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $129,326 - $225,026 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates expertise in category management and merchandising strategy, with a strong focus on financial planning, demand forecasting, and omnichannel retail execution across NorAm and LatAm markets. Bilingual proficiency in English and Spanish or Portuguese enhances communication and cultural fluency in diverse environments.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Category ManagementFinancial PlanningDemand ForecastingOmnichannel RetailBilingual Proficiency

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Category Strategy DevelopmentMerchandising ArchitectureBusiness PlanningInventory ManagementData Analysis

Soft Skills

Strong CommunicationLeadershipCross-Functional Team BuildingCultural FluencyProblem Solving

Industry Keywords

Retail ServicesEcommerceSell-ThroughMargin TargetsPoint-of-Purchase Materials

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead the existing Category Management team. The financial and strategic foundation of the role — every merchandising decision connects back here.
Set the category strategy for the Americas, aligned to global direction and local market opportunity across NorAm and LatAm.
Build category business plans tying range decisions to margin targets, inventory positions, and sell-through expectations.
Ensure category managers and demand planners operate in a shared rhythm — same data, same priorities, same planning cadence.
Present category performance reviews and forward plans to the Head of Americas Region and key retail accounts.
Own the merchandising architecture that drives category performance across owned retail, IBD, and ecommerce.
Develop and manage seasonal merchandising plans aligned to global brand direction and local market realities.
Define range architecture — what products go where, in what quantities, with what adjacencies, across physical and digital shelves.
Ensure owned retail, IBD, and ecommerce tell the same product story at the same time, every season.
Translate global category strategies into locally relevant plans for both NorAm and LatAm markets.
Connect merchandising decisions directly to financial outcomes — margin, sell-through, and inventory efficiency.
Lead a planning function of eight people across NorAm and LatAm.
Own demand forecasting for both regions using commercial data, sell-through trends, and real market signals.
Identify supply risks early and resolve before they become revenue problems.
Deliver real-time visibility into stock health, forecast accuracy, and fulfillment performance across both regions.
Own the commercial direction of how Specialized products are sequenced, featured, and merchandised on the digital shelf for the Americas.
Set the Americas digital merchandising strategy for Specialized.com — aligned to seasonal plans, inventory position, and category priorities.
Direct the Ecomm Merchandising Manager on product sequencing, promotional placement, and digital shelf priorities.
Ensure physical and digital merchandising tell the same story at the same time across all channels.
Lead the Americas-wide Retail Services function through a single Retail Services Manager who owns NorAm and LatAm in-store execution.
Lead the Retail Services Manager who owns in-store activation across IBD and owned retail in both NorAm and LatAm.
Drive creation of point-of-purchase materials — signage, displays, fixtures, and assets — that translate the merchandising strategy into conversion.

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years across category management, merchandising, or commercial roles — with real experience in both financial planning and go-to-market strategy.
Proven track record building and leading cross-functional, geographically distributed teams.
Category management experience — you know how to build plans that connect range strategy to margin outcomes.
Deep understanding of omnichannel retail — you think in owned retail, IBD, and ecommerce simultaneously.
Strong grasp of demand and supply planning — you understand how forecasting decisions affect the floor and the digital shelf.
Experience working in or with Latin American markets. Cultural fluency is not optional here.
Bilingual strongly preferred: English and Spanish or Portuguese.
Comfortable building structure and clarity where it does not yet exist.
Strong communicator — as effective in presenting to senior leadership as sitting with a retailer on their floor.
Data-literate — decisions come from numbers, not instinct alone.
Willing and able to travel 50–60% across NorAm and LatAm.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Competitive pay with annual performance-based reviews for continued growth and recognition
Comprehensive healthcare plan options, including PPO, EPO, HDHP, and HMO (acupuncture and physical therapy included)
Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer HSA contributions when enrolled in the High-Deductible Healthcare Plan (HDHP)
Dental and Vision plans
401(k) Company Matching up to $5,000 annually with immediate 100% vesting and administrative fees paid for by the company
Company-paid Life, AD&D, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability Insurance
Employee Assistance Program that provides access to individualized mental well-being care
Generous Vacation, Sick, Paid Holidays, and Volunteer Time Off
14 weeks of 100% paid leave for birthing parents and 8 weeks of 100% paid leave for non-birthing parents, plus a Specialized bike for your new baby
Up to $9,000 annually in Career Development & Degree Assistance
Up to $250 annually in Fitness & Wellness Reimbursement
Industry Pro-Deal Discounts and Perks