Apparel Operations Manager

Who We Are:

Since 1906, New Balance has empowered people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. We innovate fearlessly, guided by our core values and driven by the belief that conventions were meant to be challenged. We foster a culture in which every associate feels welcomed and respected, where leaders and creatives are inspired to shape the world of tomorrow by taking bold action today. At New Balance, We Got Now.

THIS ROLE WILL BE BASED IN BOSTON FOLLOWING OUR HYBRID MODEL.

New Balance Associates currently work in office three days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday).

JOB MISSION:

The Manager, North America Apparel Operations serves the region in a critical capacity - the operational leader for our regional apparel commercial efforts, overseeing the processes to deliver best-in-class experiences to our brand partners with our key growth category. The goal of this individual is a seamless, smooth execution for North American commercial plans each season for Apparel, Accessories and Equipment as well as operational support for all seasonal merchandising & marketing strategies for the category. This includes tackling the urgent challenges to timelines and operational deliveries while working with Regional & Global leadership to develop organizational tools, seasonal & event timelines and liaison with Global Operations and NA Planning & Operations to bring all plans to life.

This role is responsible for planning, developing, executing and auditing the various processes and procedures to ensure we execute our apparel commercial plans & aspirations. To be successful in this role requires agility, strategic planning, matrix leadership skills & best in class cross-functional collaboration across myriad organizations. This role would likely develop over time to lead a team of associates as Regional Brand efforts continue to grow and would serve in current state as a regional process manager/owner.

MAJOR ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Regional Apparel Operations Leadership & Oversight
• Serve as the primary lead for Apparel Operations for North America, including ownership of regional meetings for apparel planning & execution, coordination between Planning & Ops functions for best-in-class results and the primary point of escalation for issues from Global and Regional teams.
• Lead GTM process reviews and execution for the Apparel, Accessories and equipment business.
• Serve as the operational “right hand” contact for the Apparel Commercial team, especially for NALT leaders in the business.
• Regularly provide Apparel Operational Review share-outs to Regional & Global Leaders, highlighting business results, successes, roadmaps, opportunities & risks.
• Lead Seasonal Demand & Supply Picture overviews with the Commercial field teams, clearly & concisely communicating the state of the order book & any risks or opportunities to the product season.
• Apparel Initiative Ownership
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all Global & Regional Apparel Operations initiatives.
• Lead regional perspective on multi-year focus for New Balance Apparel growth & operational excellence – working with Global Product, Merchandising, Operations & Planning to install a competitive, margin accretive offense that is both sustainable & scalable.
• Be vocal with Regional Senior Leadership on needs, obstacles, risks and opportunities in relation to this effort.
• KPIs & Analytics Ownership
• Lead reporting and process improvement efforts to support strong, consistent growth in our regional Apparel business – driving quality of execution.
• Develop aligned business KPIs with the partnership of Commercial Planning, Commercial Teams, Apparel Global Ops and Finance to ensure we deliver the Apparel Business to and beyond our expectations.
• Provide clear, actionable insights to the team along with creative, consistent leadership to see ideas through to flawless execution.
• Business Escalation Ownership
• Serve as the primary point of contact & support within NA Commercial Operations for Apparel Product and Merchandising for North America.
• Provide matrix leadership & guidance to all Apparel focused operational associates – including in Customer Operations, GTM Operations, Compliance & Project Operations, Business Operations, Inventory Planning and Demand Planning.
• Develop and lead a team of 1-3 associates to support these goals.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS:

• Four-year college degree and a minimum of 7 years related experience in Operations, Product, Merchandising or Marketing roles.
• Must be knowledgeable of industry, sales channels, the sales process, customer service, booking programs, style life cycle management, and product pricing.
• Strong analytical mindset & skills, capable of translating complex business processes & data into powerful insights and digestible, actionable reporting.
• Strong written & verbal communication and interpersonal skills with an emphasis on problem solving, conflicting objectives, and dealing with multiple customers.
• Self-starter who takes initiative and delivers results on expected timelines.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities and manage time, multiple tasks, and deadlines effectively.

Regular Associate Benefits

Our products are only as good as the people we hire, so we make sure to hire the best and treat them accordingly. New Balance offers a comprehensive traditional benefits package including three options for medical insurance as well as dental, vision, life insurance and 401K. We also proudly offer a slate of more nontraditional perks – opportunities like online learning and development courses, tuition reimbursement, $100 monthly student loan support and various mentorship programs – that encourage our associates to grow personally as they develop professionally. You’ll also enjoy a yearly $1,000 lifestyle reimbursement, 4 weeks of vacations, 12 holidays and generous parental leave, because work-life balance is more than just a buzzword – it’s part of our culture.

Temporary associates are provided three options for medical insurance as well as dental and vision insurance and an associate discount.

Part time associates are provided 401k, short term disability, a yearly $300 lifestyle reimbursement and an associate discount.

Flexible Work Schedule

For decades we have fostered a unique culture founded on our values with a particular focus on in-person teamwork and collaboration. Our North American hybrid model encourages rich in-person experiences, showcasing our commitment to teamwork and connection, while maintaining flexibility for associates. New Balance Associates currently work in office three days per week (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). Our offices are fully open, and amenities are available across our North American office locations. To continue our focus on hybrid work we have introduced “Work from Anywhere” (WFA) for four weeks per calendar year. This model will help us enhance our culture while continuing to maintain elements of flexibility.

Equal Opportunity Employer

New Balance provides equal opportunities for all current and prospective associates and takes affirmative action to ensure that employment, training, compensation, transfer, promotion and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment are provided without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, handicap, genetic information and/or status as an Armed Forces service medal veteran, recently separated veteran, qualified disabled veteran or other protected veteran.