About the role
Valiram, one of Southeast Asia's leading luxury and lifestyle retail groups, is partnering with Lindt, the world's most valuable chocolate brand, to launch its direct retail presence in Malaysia. With a strong track record of building and scaling global brands across the region, Valiram is leading Lindt's retail expansion in Malaysia. This role will elevate how the brand comes to life in-market, starting with the launch of the first flagship store and scaling across future locations. You will own the end-to-end merchandising strategy from buying to in-season trading and inventory optimisation. Your decisions will directly determine sales, margins and cash flow. This role requires ownership, precision, discipline and commercial judgement.
Key Responsibilities:
Merchandising Strategy, OTB & Financial Ownership
- Own merchandise planning and buying strategy
- Take ownership of Open-to-Buy (OTB), stock commitments and inventory risk
- Develop seasonal and annual financial plans (sales, margin, OTB, markdown)
- Drive delivery of sales, profitability and inventory targets
- Define pricing, product mix and lifecycle strategy
Buying & Product Selection
- Lead assortment planning and buying decisions aligned with Lindt global strategy and local market needs
- Build commercially effective ranges across core, seasonal and gifting categories
- Ensure readiness and depth for key peak / festive periods
- Balance brand storytelling with commercial productivity
In-Season Trading & Performance Management
- Monitor and optimise trading performance through data-driven analysis
- Identify risks and opportunities early and take decisive action
- Track and manage key KPIs including sell-through, weeks of supply, stock ageing and product lifecycle performance
Inventory & Allocation
- Own inventory management across stores and channels
- Ensure the right stock is in the right place at the right time to maximise sell-through and minimise lost sales
- Partner closely with Logistics to ensure timely delivery and availability
Store & Market Optimisation
- Localise assortment by store based on customer profile, traffic patterns and trading performance
- Partner with retail teams to capture real-time customer and product feedback
- Monitor competitor activity, pricing, and innovation in the premium confectionery and gifting space
Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
- Partner closely with Marketing, Retail Operations and Logistics to translate plans into performance
- Act as key interface with Lindt global teams on product, planning, and range alignment
Requirements:
- 510 years of retail merchandising experience
- Strong commercial acumen with deep understanding of retail KPIs (sales, margin, stock, sell-through)
- Proven ownership of OTB, buying decisions and inventory risk
- Highly analytical with ability to translate data into clear commercial actions
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environment
- Fluency in English, both written and spoken. Knowledge of additional languages is a plus
Why This Role
- Join Valiram, a leading luxury and lifestyle retail group in Southeast Asia with a strong track record of scaling global brands across the region
- Opportunity to launch and build Lindt retail in Malaysia from the ground up
