About the Company
Our client is a growing South African fashion and footwear business representing leading international lifestyle brands in the local market.
The business has an ambitious growth strategy and works across wholesale, retail and digital channels, partnering with some of South Africa's leading fashion and retail businesses.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Brand Manager to take ownership of a high-profile international footwear brand and play a key role in its continued growth and development in South Africa.
New Brand Launch | Full-Time | Office-Based | Paarden Eiland, Cape Town
About the Role
We are looking for an ambitious, commercially minded and highly organised Brand Manager to lead the launch and growth of The Product in South Africa.
This is an exciting opportunity to take ownership of an internationally recognised fashion footwear brand and build its presence across wholesale, retail, e-commerce and digital channels.
The successful candidate will work closely with our Managing Director, international supplier, sales teams and marketing teams to develop MELISSA into a leading fashion and lifestyle brand in South Africa.
This is a hands-on role suited to someone who combines commercial thinking, brand management, strong fashion awareness and good execution skills.
Position
Brand Manager South Africa
Reports to: Managing Director
Direct Reports: Marketing and Social Media Teams
Location: Paarden Eiland, Cape Town
Working Arrangement: Full-time, office-based
- Supplier Relationship Management
- Act as the primary day-to-day liaison between The product South Africa and the team in Brazil.
- Build and maintain a strong working relationship with international supplier stakeholders.
- Ensure compliance with global brand guidelines, launch requirements and reporting standards.
- Prepare and present seasonal presentations, reports and business updates required by the supplier.
- Attend international supplier sales meetings and seasonal range presentations where required.
- Communicate local market feedback, product performance and commercial opportunities to the supplier.
- Product Selection & Seasonal Buying
- Attend seasonal sales meetings and range presentations.
- Analyse ranges and select commercially relevant products for the South African market.
- Develop seasonal buy plans and forecasts.
- Balance fashion trends, brand direction and commercial requirements when selecting product.
- Monitor product performance and use sell-through data to inform future buying decisions.
- Identify opportunities to expand beyond core styles while maintaining commercial discipline.
- Support the introduction of limited editions and exclusive collections where appropriate.
- Wholesale Client Development & Management
- Develop and grow a portfolio of wholesale customers.
- Prospect, pitch and secure new key wholesale accounts.
- Build strong, long-term relationships with key clients.
- Manage the end-to-end commercial relationship with major wholesale partners.
- Work closely with regional sales representatives to grow independent retail accounts.
- Conduct regular customer and store visits.
- Drive sell-through through product promotions, merchandising support and staff training.
- Identify in-season sales opportunities and proactively work with customers to maximise performance.
- Sales Meetings & Seasonal Preparation
- Prepare seasonal sales presentations for wholesale customers.
- Develop product catalogues and order forms.
- Coordinate sales materials required for seasonal selling.
- Support forecasting and monthly purchasing requirements.
- Ensure customers and sales teams are equipped with the information and tools required to successfully sell the range.
- Marketing & Brand Building
- Work closely with the Marketing Manager to deliver marketing campaigns aligned with The Product global brand standards.
- Support the development of locally relevant campaigns for the South African market.
- Coordinate seasonal launches, influencer collaborations, PR opportunities and promotional activity.
- Ensure consistent brand positioning across wholesale, retail, e-commerce and social media channels.
- Develop initiatives that build brand awareness and strengthen the products premium fashion positioning.
- Ensure marketing activity supports commercial priorities and sell-through across all channels.
- Sales Growth & Commercial Performance
- Monitor and report on wholesale sales, orders and sell-through performance.
- Identify opportunities to improve sales performance across key accounts.
- Work with marketing, online and retail teams to develop proactive sales strategies.
- Ensure marketing campaigns are aligned with key sales cycles and commercial opportunities.
- Maximise in-season sales opportunities with key customers.
- Track performance against budgets, forecasts and growth targets.
- Digital & E-commerce Growth
Work closely with the online and marketing teams to grow The product across digital channels.
Key focus areas include:
- Supporting the launch and growth of the local product online store.
- Developing relationships with leading South African online fashion retailers.
- Identifying opportunities for exclusive online collaborations.
- Supporting influencer-led campaigns targeting relevant consumer segments.
- Improving product storytelling, imagery and digital content.
- Ensuring wholesale and direct-to-consumer strategies complement rather than cannibalise one another.
- Using wholesale sell-through insights to guide online assortment and marketing priorities.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with the Managing Director, Marketing Manager, Social Media team, online sales team and retail operations.
- Align product, marketing and sales strategies across all channels.
- Share customer and wholesale insights to improve product selection and marketing activity.
- Ensure all teams are working towards common commercial and brand objectives.
- Administration & Reporting
- Manage and reconcile seasonal buys against approved buy plans.
- Reconcile monthly proforma invoices received from suppliers against buy plans.
- Maintain accurate shipping and stock reports.
- Prepare monthly files for stock management system input.
- Complete monthly management and administration tasks accurately and on time.
- Maintain detailed records relating to orders, deliveries and product information.
Growth Strategy
The Brand Manager will play a key role in developing and implementing the product's growth strategy in South Africa.
- Wholesale Expansion
- Develop and grow a strong portfolio of key wholesale customers.
- Identify and secure new strategic retail partners.
- Expand distribution across premium independents and selected national chains.
- Develop tailored product and sales strategies for different customer segments.
- Digital Growth
Online Fashion Retailers
Develop opportunities with leading online fashion platforms through:
- Exclusive online collaborations.
- Strong product storytelling.
- Influencer-led campaigns.
- Targeted digital marketing.
- Improved product photography and content.
Direct-to-Consumer
- Support the launch and development of the Product South Africa online store.
- Work with the digital and marketing teams to develop a strong direct-to-consumer proposition.
- Ensure online product selection complements wholesale distribution.
- Brand Awareness & Marketing
Develop the product into a recognisable and desirable fashion and lifestyle brand in South Africa through:
- Localised seasonal campaigns.
- South African summer lifestyle positioning.
- Collaborations with relevant celebrities and influencers.
- PR and media opportunities.
- Premium brand storytelling.
- Retail activations and events.
Retail Staff Engagement
Develop initiatives to improve product knowledge and sell-through, including:
- Staff training programmes.
- Product knowledge materials.
- Sales incentives.
- Store competitions.
- Upselling initiatives.
- Product Strategy
- Expand beyond core product styles where commercially viable.
- Identify new silhouettes and categories suited to the South African consumer.
- Introduce limited editions and exclusive collections to create excitement and demand.
- Maintain a premium positioning within independent retailers.
- Develop appropriate product offerings for larger retail chains without compromising brand positioning.
Experience & Qualifications
Essential
- A strong knowledge of and genuine passion for the leading global fashion, footwear and contemporary lifestyle brands, with an understanding of global fashion trends and how successful brands position themselves, communicate with consumers and maintain relevance in the contemporary fashion marketplace.
- Ability to identify emerging global fashion and consumer trends and assess their relevance to the South African market.
- Degree or Diploma in Fashion, Marketing, Sales, Brand Management, Communications or a related field.
- Approximately 56 years' relevant experience in brand management, fashion buying, marketing or a commercially focused role.
- Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of sales and product performance.
- Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Excellent organisational skills and attention to detail.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Comfortable working with multiple internal and external stakeholders.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint.
- A proactive, hands-on approach and willingness to take ownership.
Advantageous
- Experience in fashion buying or the footwear industry.
- Experience working with international fashion or lifestyle brands.
- Understanding of seasonal buying cycles, international fashion calendars and product selection.
- Experience preparing and presenting for seasonal sales meetings.
- Experience working alongside corporate or wholesale sales teams.
- Understanding of sell-in, sell-through, product assortment and retail distribution.
- Experience working with international suppliers and brand principals.
Personal Attributes & Values
Challenge Accepted
We are a small, growth-oriented business that pushes boundaries and looks for opportunities to make an impact.
Self-Starter
You set ambitious goals, take ownership and persist until the job is done.
Solve Smart
You approach challenges with confidence, creativity and commercial thinking.
Character Counts
We communicate honestly and ethically, building trust with customers, suppliers, partners and colleagues.
Product Obsessed
We deeply understand our products and customers, selecting styles and ranges that excite consumers and drive sales.
Seriously Unserious
We bring enthusiasm, energy and teamwork to the workplace while remaining focused on achieving results.
Key Performance Indicators
The Brand Manager's performance will be measured against clear commercial and brand objectives, including:
- Wholesale revenue growth.
- New customer acquisition.
- Growth in key account sales.
- Sell-through performance.
- Successful seasonal buying and inventory management.
- Brand awareness growth.
- Digital and e-commerce performance.
- Successful execution of marketing campaigns.
- Growth of the products South Africa distribution network.
- Accuracy and timeliness of buying and administration processes.
Long-Term Growth Opportunity
This is not simply a traditional Brand Manager position.
The successful candidate will have the opportunity to play a significant role in building the product into one of South Africa's most recognisable fashion footwear brands.
We are looking for someone who wants to take ownership, build relationships, grow sales and help shape the future of the brand.
Indicative Growth Ambition
- Build wholesale sales from launch towards R20 million+ annually within five years.
- Deliver sustainable annual sales growth.
- Expand distribution across premium independents, selected national retailers and leading online platforms.
- Build a strong direct-to-consumer business.
- Establish the product as a household fashion and lifestyle brand in South Africa.
If you are commercially minded, passionate about fashion and brands, highly organised and excited by the opportunity to build something meaningful, we'd love to hear from you
