Category Director Of Fish

Role: Category Director of Fish
Reports: Head of Technical Outdoor
Scope: Leader
Location: Ventura, CA
COVID-19 Vaccinations: Patagonia requires all employees to demonstrate proof of receiving a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of their employment.
General Summary
As the Category Director of Fish, you will be working within the context of the overall Patagonia product line, developing the Fish product assortment, storytelling direction and community engagement for the Fish category. With your strong understanding of the Patagonia Brand, the outdoor market, industry best fit/finish, fabric details, and specific category knowledge, you will build a category plan that delivers innovative products to grow market share and gross margin dollars while telling authentic and engaging stories and celebrating those living the Patagonia Fish philosophy. As the Category Director of Fish, you will also be responsible for drafting annually an international business plan working together with cross-functional teams for a holistic plan including: sales/distribution strategy, marketing support, staffing needs, regionally-specific opportunities and seasonal line plans to maximize the growth of the category. You will serve as the central figure in the knowledge of the fishing product line; collaborate with all segments of the Company, especially Patagonia’s Founder as well as the President of Patagonia, Inc., to articulate, deliver and sell a successful product line. This role will report directly into the Head of Technical Outdoor.
What You’ll Do:

• Plan product line and lead development to achieve product, market, business and organizational goals which also advance company-wide brand and environmental goals.
• Responsible for delivering product that helps achieve revenue, gross margin, inventory levels, and profit contribution.
• Develop a line that resonates with the global market and develop market specific product where appropriate.
• Build authentic storytelling assets, create impactful relationships with the fish community and manage fish brand ambassadors.
• Uphold the brand values and philosophy to outdoor recreation.
• In conjunction with the Design Group, lead product direction. Provide detailed product briefs to designers and developers and maintain all necessary data in the product line management system.
• Establish market strategy and direction; develop and implement a business plan that includes marketing strategies, staffing needs and seasonal line plans.
• Working with Sales Managers, partner to craft distribution and dealer strategies that link to product direction. Communicate with Sales Reps to identify sales opportunities and key product positions.

Product Development

• Work with the Material Development team to identify opportunities in performance, logistics, or cost of raw materials.
• Establish strong working relationship with the Company’s Production Department.
• Explore and develop environmental breakthroughs.
• Keep the Company’s quality standards in all products.
• Work with the Product Development team to take inspiration from vector styles and build them into complete product assortments.
• In partnership with the Product Design team, develop products that stay true to the Company’s design principles.
• Be willing to evaluate and propose strategies that include elements of risk.

Market Research

• Gain insight into proper line development by exposure to consumer and/or sport end user in the fishing business.
• Create a seasonal line plan for categories and contribute to the overall business plan for Company.
• Forge bonds with international channels to facilitate information flow.
• Define market research needs to the Marketing Department for execution.
• Take product into market during development to gauge response with key fishing dealers globally.
• Gather input from sales channels/buyers/market to help in line development.
• Articulate opportunities/concepts to the Company—flow information into Design team, production, sales channels and buying groups.

Marketing

• Working with the Marketing Department, craft tools and implement marketing messages to create a line point of view.
• Communicate line stories and positioning to the Marketing Department.
• Ensure strong community engagement via digital platforms such as social media as well as on the ground, in-person brand building and product validation.
• Advise on necessary tradeshows, media, and other aspects of marketing the Fish category.
• Manage and cultivate a group of fish ambassadors who work on behalf of the brand to impact the community through product and environmental advocacy, as well as overall brand values and philosophy.
• Represent the category internally, and to the media and the public as an advocate and ambassador for Patagonia.
• Participate in the planning and execution of global marketing materials including catalogs, advertisement, point of purchase and sales materials.

Merchandising

• Collaborate with buyers to ensure that the buy supports the product vision.
• Set direction for product merchandising in the sales channels.

Financial Responsibilities

• In partnership with the Head of Technical Outdoor, generate revenue and initial margin plan for each season.
• Ensure business results meet Company requirements for P&L, cash flow, and inventory management, asset utilization.
• Set strategies for growth of market share for the category.
• Develop and maintain team’s budget.
• Manage preliminary sales forecasting, allocation, and margin management.

Who You Are:

• Leader: act as a thought leader, build trusted relationships, influence decisions and drive urgency on critical priorities.
• Strong Communicator: excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Passionate: for fly fishing, building the very best product and saving the home planet.
• Influential: able to engage with others in complicated and emotional workplace issues to collaborate on solutions and action.
• Emotionally intelligent: high level of self-awareness, empathy, and interpersonal skills.
• Committed to Quality: A relentless commitment to putting quality at the center of all decision-making
• Creative: Lead, nurture and champion new, out-of-the-box thinking that results in breakthrough ideas to lead the brand forward.
• Inclusive: deeply experienced in collaborating with others across difference.
• Action Oriented: proactive and able to move projects forward without continuous motivation or direction, in a fast-paced work environment.
• Strategic: able to think big picture and drive work accordingly.

Experience You Bring:

• Experience leading a team of people across creative and analytical functions.
• 10+ years sports or other product leadership roles or related experience.
• Experience and understanding of how to use a diverse set of tools and channels, including physical stores, digital and social media, to inspire people to action in support of progressive social change.
• Strong strategic and influencing skills, comfortable working with senior stakeholders and able to manage ambiguity.
• Experience driving a culture of inclusion and wellbeing that unleashes the potential of all team members across the organization to create a real impact.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• 8+ years of experience leading diverse teams with proven record of inspiring, coaching and setting a framework for performance and growth.
• Experience maintaining brand integrity and building community strategies.
• Proven experience building a purpose-driven business. This role plays a critical role in our ability to deliver on our mission.

Pay range: $179,000 - $268,000
Hiring range: $180,000-$210,000
At Patagonia, pay ranges are assigned to a job based on the location specific market median of similar jobs according to 3rd party salary benchmark surveys. Individual pay within that range can vary for several reasons including skills/capabilities, experience, and available budget.
Employee Conduct
It is the responsibility of every employee to contribute to a positive, inclusive work environment through cooperative and professional interactions with co-workers, customers and vendors.
COVID-19 VACCINATIONS
Patagonia requires all employees who enter a Patagonia owned or operated facility or who physically interact with others as part of their job duties to demonstrate proof of receiving a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of their employment.
Equal Employment Opportunity
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.