Freed & Freed International Ltd. Looking for Merchandise & Marketing Coordinator at Winnipeg, MB Full Time

Merchandise & Marketing Coordinator – Freed & Freed International Ltd.
14-16 month contract with potential for permanent position

The Company:

Historic, Canadian garment manufacturers, Freed & Freed International Ltd. is a 100-year-old company, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Today, Freed & Freed stands as one of the few remaining Canadian, 4th generation, and family run businesses in the garment industry. Long known for creating Ladies’ & Men’s fine apparel, Freed & Freed uses its depth of experience and its unique understanding of design, construction and manufacturing to position itself as a high-quality maker both domestically and internationally across many categories. From outerwear to home goods, the result is always beautifully crafted, and of the highest quality.

The Position:

Freed & Freed is in search of a highly skilled, detail oriented, and organized Merchandise and Marketing Coordinator, reporting directly to the Senior Management team. The merchandiser will play a key role in achieving Freed’s objectives for quality products, on time delivery, competitive costing, along with sales and marketing initiatives. The ideal candidate will be responsible for managing the vertical execution of design concept, production timelines and marketing sales channels to the end consumer. This unique role will reward you with growth and development across all channels in fashion and apparel manufacturing and marketing.

Objectives & Responsibilities:

Merchandising/Product Development

• Works closely with the senior management team for daily business, merchandising and marketing operations
• Full cycle management of product development from design to production: fabric / trims / packaging / samples / finished goods
• Communicates actively with domestic and overseas suppliers
• Participates in developing high quality product that fulfills the design vision
• Performs sourcing/market research
• Identify successful product and style development opportunities based on past season performance
• Ensures all the sampling stages are conducted according to the plans
• Participating in product fittings and approvals, and working with our product development team to meet standards throughout the development process and approvals are completed on time
• Organize documents to assist the Costing Department with costing and sourcing special fabrics and trims
• Effectively negotiate with suppliers to maximize margins without compromising quality or lead-time
• Order raw materials and finished goods on time to meet customer orders
• Ensure the high quality, timely, and cost-effective delivery of all fabric, trims, and finished goods
• Secure and deliver on optimal production lead-times
• Ensure PO’s/Invoices are created & sent
• Assists in Supply Chain planning strategies and follow up for on time deliveries
• Manage project tracker to ensure all deadlines are achieved

Sales/Marketing

• Ownership of sample management including inventory management, shipping of samples and organization of samples
• Manage sales and inventory in alignment with previous sales and seasonal buying plan
• Manage customer relationship and communicate with buyers on product requirements, development, and orders
• Owner of wholesale platform NuORDER: maintaining product updates and buyer communication
• Analyze, validate, and input style information in global line sheets
• Partner with shipping department to ensure e-commerce and wholesale orders are fulfilled
• Support marketing teams with organizing creative assets, photoshoots, and product calendars
• Responsible to update creative imagery and line sheets in digital software programs
• Assist in website, e-commerce, and stockist platform updates
• Provide customer service for all e-comm platforms and communicate product knowledge to consumers
• Additional tasks as required

The Ideal Candidate:

• Post secondary education in business management or fashion marketing/merchandising
• 2+ years experience in similar role in apparel merchandising or manufacturing industry
• A deep understanding and commitment for the industry in which we operate with an acute eye for product
• Excellent organizational, quick learning, and collaboration skills with a keen eye for detail
• Strong communication skills – both written and verbal
• Able to collaborate fluently with cross-functional partners and departments
• Ability to multitask and operate in a fast-paced environment
• Positive attitude with a solution driven mind set
• Proficient in Microsoft Suite, Internet, and e-platform Applications
• Experience and current practice in Adobe Creative Suite software
• Some sales or relevant customer service experience is an asset
• Knowledge of NuORDER sales platform considered an asset
• Capacity to work both independently and in a team

Job Specifics:

• Full time 14–16-month contract – with potential for permanent position
• Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm
• This position is required to work from the office
• No remote work available

We offer:

• A family-like environment – we are a small but mighty team that works hard together!
• A business-casual dress code – our dress code matches our laid-back but professional work environment
• Benefits coverage including health and dental
• Continuous improvement and development – we always look to our employees for ideas to improve efficiency and grow with our team

Covid-19 Considerations:

We require our employees to obtain full vaccination of a COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada, prior to the start date, with exceptions granted only as required under the Manitoba Human Rights Code. This is in keeping with our duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards, and is based on strong evidence of vaccine effectiveness in preventing serious illness and death. All employees are required to wear a mask when working at the office, common surfaces will be sanitized regularly.

Application Process:

We value diversity and welcome all applications. Please advise us if an accommodation is required for reason of disability for the application and/or interview process.
We thank all applicants for their interest, however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted for an initial interview process.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent, Fixed term contract
Contract length: 14-16 months

Schedule:

Experience:

• Merchandising: 2 years (required)