Senior Category Manager, Women's - Activewear UK/EU

Job description

**ABOUT QUINCE** Quince is a destination for builders, creators, innovators, and operators who want to come together and challenge the status quo. Our mission is simple: make really high quality essentials for really low prices, fairly and sustainably. We deliver on that mission through a unique manufacturer-to-consumer (M2C) model eliminating the layers of traditional retail that add cost and result in consumers paying more than they need to. We find, build relationships with, and work directly with the manufacturing partners behind some of the world’s finest products. From there, our teams design smart, efficient operational processes and build and deploy proprietary technology, AI, and analytics to help us scale fast. What began with a small assortment of elevated basics has quickly grown into a cross-category brand spanning apparel, accessories, home goods, and more. Today, tens of millions of people across a growing number of countries come – and return – to Quince because they trust us to deliver. **OUR CULTURE** Quince is a culture built for builders by builders. Our way of working starts with a blank sheet of paper. We question conventional thinking, use technology and data to uncover new opportunities, and move quickly to turn ideas into reality. We aren’t interested in replicating how others do retail. We’re building a better way – at a speed and scale unlike anything that’s been done before. - We dream big and chase the hard problems others shy away from. Rejecting long-held assumptions is part of our company's DNA. Where conventional wisdom says you have to choose – soft or durable, speed or rigor, quality or price – we ask why that trade-off has to exist in the first place. - Our pace is fast and the bar is high because our customers expect a lot from us and we refuse to let them down. We believe the best results come from challenging ourselves, learning from one another, and building on each other's strengths. - Here, responsibility is not determined by role, tenure, or seniority. Every team member - no matter their level - has the opportunity to drive our business and shape our trajectory. If you’re someone who likes to imagine new possibilities and build better systems rather than plug-in to outdated ones, Quince is the place for you. **THE ROLE** **Senior Category Manager, Women's Activewear UK/EU** We are seeking a **Senior Category Manager, Women's Activewear UK/EU** to join our growing team. This role is suited to a data-driven product obsessed all-rounder. It supports the execution of merchandising strategy across selected women's’ activewear category, with responsibility for driving regional performance through strong product execution, trading, and customer insight. In this role, you will play a key part in scaling Quince’s value proposition in the UK & EU by delivering a compelling regional assortment, optimizing the customer experience, and partnering cross-functionally to bring high-quality products to market. **Responsibilities** - Own end-to-end product strategy and assortment for women's activewear category in the UK & EU, including assortment execution, launches, and performance tracking - Category-expert, sets long-term strategy with support; may build department from the ground up, with oversight - Execute regional merchandising strategy in partnership with US Product Merchandising and international regional merchandising peers - Contribute to product ideation, helping shape new product opportunities and business cases - Work cross-functionally with Product and Regional Merchandising, Planning, Marketing, Technical Design, and Sourcing to deliver successful product launches—balancing inventory, go-to-market execution, and product quality (fit, sizing, and margin) - Analyse trading performance (sales, returns, margin) and take ownership of actions to improve results - Own pricing and assortment decisions for the region - Own product catalogue management and administration, including product setup, data accuracy, and system maintenance - Build site merchandising strategy, including PDP improvements roadmap and customer journey optimisations - Monitor ratings, reviews, and returns to identify and support product quality improvements - Manage regional product samples and merchandising assets - Maintain merchandising reports, tools, trackers, and pricing files - Take ownership of evaluating regional product compliance requirements and partner with Sourcing and Quality teams to execute **Qualifications required:** - Role is based in one of our UK/EU offices (London, Madrid, or Berlin), with 4 days per week in-office requirement - 8-10 years of retail merchandising or buying experience in womenswear category, (with specific women's activewear experience) and demonstrated ownership of category performance - E-commerce and/or DTC experience, with exposure to both startup and established (blue-chip) brands preferred - Proven track record of progressing within an organisation and demonstrating continuous growth in roles and responsibilities - Strong product awareness, with a commercial mindset and attention to detail - Product obsessed, with experience leveraging data tools and external sources to drive results - Critical eye to anticipate customer needs (both the “science” and “art” of retail merchandising) - Strong analytical skills, with experience using data to inform trading and merchandising decisions (e.g. sales, margin, return rates) - Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in both executional and strategic support roles - Experience working cross-functionally with teams such as Planning, Design, Sourcing, or Marketing - Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills with particular ability to influence through concise written narrative - Motivated by working in a fast-paced collaborative environment, where flexibility to stretch into or out of functional comfort zones is crucial for team success - Adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity and change - Bachelor’s Degree, preferred **WHY QUINCE?** Joining Quince means being part of a mission-driven team reshaping retail. You will work alongside talented colleagues, tackle meaningful challenges, and contribute to building a more sustainable, accessible future for customers and partners alike. **EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & HIRING INTEGRITY** Quince provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applications for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Quince is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete your application or to perform the essential functions of a role at Quince, please let us know by completing [this accommodation form](https://forms.gle/DpJ11jHa1WbqfUWB9). We review all requests individually and will work with you to determine appropriate accommodations on a case-by-case basis. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Quince will conduct background checks in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. *Security Advisory: Beware of Frauds* At Quince, we're dedicated to recruiting top talent who share our drive for innovation. To safeguard candidates, Quince emphasizes legitimate recruitment practices. Initial communication is primarily via official Quince email addresses and LinkedIn; beware of deviations. Personal data and sensitive information will not be solicited during the application phase. Interviews are conducted via phone, in person, or through the approved platforms Google Meets or Zoom—never via messaging apps or other calling services. Offers are merit-based, communicated verbally, and followed up in writing. If personal information is requested to initiate the hiring process, rest assured it will be through secure and protected means.