Director, Global Merchandise Planning - Accessories

Department: SC CENTRAL OPERATIONS

City: London

Location: GB

INTRODUCTION

At Burberry, we believe creativity opens spaces. Our purpose is to unlock the power of imagination to push boundaries and open new possibilities for our people, our customers and our communities. This is the core belief that has guided Burberry since it was founded in 1856 and is central to how we operate as a company today.

We aim to provide an environment for creative minds from different backgrounds to thrive, bringing a wide range of skills and experiences to everything we do. As a purposeful, values-driven brand, we are committed to being a force for good in the world as well, creating the next generation of sustainable luxury for customers, driving industry change and championing our communities.

JOB PURPOSE

We are seeking a strategic, commercially driven Director of Global Merchandise Planning – Accessories to lead and inspire planning excellence across a key global division. This is a high-impact leadership role where you will shape the long-term product strategy, influence global assortments, and drive financial performance across regions.

As a senior leader within Global Merchandise Planning, you will champion innovation, collaboration, and simplicity, while delivering strong commercial outcomes and building a high-performing team.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning & Product Vision

Own and deliver the 3-year product and sales plan for Accessories in partnership with Finance and Product Strategy
Define category ambitions, including margin, pricing, and assortment architecture
Translate company strategy into clear planning frameworks and actionable insights

Collection Planning & Open to Buy

Lead Global Open to Buy strategy, setting clear guidance across divisions and regions
Partner with Merchandising throughout collection development to ensure alignment of creative vision and financial targets
Review and challenge regional plans to ensure consistency with global strategy

Commercial Performance & Analysis

Drive sales, margin, and productivity performance through insightful analysis and trading actions
Identify risks and opportunities, optimizing inventory and maximizing in-season trading
Deliver impactful insights to inform future collections and business direction

Option & Margin Planning

Set and manage option strategies aligned to “fewer, bigger ideas”
Own margin planning, driving ambitious targets while balancing risk
Embed margin considerations into all planning processes

Market & Supply Chain Collaboration

Analyse regional buys and ensure alignment with global assortment strategy
Partner with Supply Chain to support forecasting and vendor planning
Optimise inventory flow, including replenishment and end-of-life strategies

Leadership & Team Development

Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing global planning team
Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and accountability
Champion talent development and succession planning across the function

PERSONAL PROFILE

Proven experience leading divisional planning in a luxury or fast-paced retail environment
Strong track record in global merchandise planning, Open to Buy, and margin management
Strategic thinker with excellent analytical and decision-making capability
Influential communicator, confident engaging with senior stakeholders (SVP/C-suite)
Collaborative leader with a passion for developing teams and driving performance
Experience with SAP or similar systems is advantageous

Burberry is an Equal Opportunities Employer and as such, treats all applications equally and recruits purely on the basis of skills and experience.