Samples Operations Manager

The Timberland Company is a $1.6 billion global company which designs, engineers and markets premiums quality footwear, apparel and accessories.  Timberland-branded products for men, women and children include premium boots, casual shoes, hiking boots and boat shoes, as well as inspired apparel and accessories built to withstand the elements of nature.  The Timberland PRO series provides work boots engineered to meet the demands of the professional tradesperson.  Our Outdoor Performance offerings include footwear and gear for the outdoor athlete.  We deliver our products primarily through Timberland stores, other specialty stores, better-grade department stores, concept shops and independent shoe stores across the globe.

 

Responsibilities:

This position has full day to day management of the global Sales Sample operation (approximately 160,000 pairs and $4-$5million annually), which includes establishing seasonal requirements, running weekly buys and working with development teams in the US and overseas to deliver on time sales samples for sales meetings, go to market, trade shows and other key events in the footwear calendar.  Specific duties include, but are not limited to:  Troubleshoot issues associated with late or rushed samples.  Conduct root cause analysis of process or systems/tools breakdowns and quickly provide recommendations of and execute against improvements to avoid similar issues in the future. Monitor expenses associated with rushed orders, making recommendations about where to cut costs and manage orders more effectively in the future.  Work in conjunction with Samples Manager, Continuous Improvement and Business Process Improvement to establish requirements to improve samples operations and reporting, working with stakeholders such as country offices, Product Management, Product Development, Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Creative, and others as required. Develop, execute and analyze on-going and ad-hoc reporting of samples orders, status of samples delivery and distribution information.  Oversee and monitor work of team performing data entry and purchase order adjustments into PO maintenance and tracking system. In the absence of the Sr. Mgr, provide support where needed to Business Unit teams that have pending samples orders.  This requires a comfort level working with all levels of management, maintaining a positive demeanor in the midst of high pressure and understanding the urgency of a situation when called upon to act.  Other duties as assigned. 

 

Qualifications:

B.S./B.A degree or equivalent and 5+ years experience managing similar business process/operations required. Strong problem solving and analytical capabilities under pressure along with the ability to recommend and implement solutions.  Ability to recommend requirements, policies and procedures to provide continuous improvement to samples operations.  Comfortable working with all levels of management, maintaining professional oral and writtem communications on a regular and ad-hoc basis.  Strong sense of urgency and ability to work well under pressure.  Excellent communications and organizational skills. Proficient team building skills. Project management and supervisory experience preferred. Strong Microsoft Excel, Word and Access knowledge. Ability to work with overseas offices strongly desired and proficiency with at least one relevant language a plus. Familiarity with Cognos, RockBlocks and  PDM applications strongly desired.




Timberland has been recognized as a Fortune Magazine Best Company to Work For since the survey's inauguration. Compensation is competitive with annual bonus incentive, comprehensive benefits, 401k matching contribution, employee stock purchase program, employee discount, etc. among other benefits and on-site perks.




At Timberland, community is a way of life. We are passionate about fostering an inclusive community that respects individual differences and encourages our employees to make a difference in the communities where they work and live. Timberland is dedicating to providing equal opportunity for members of our community and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, age, national origin, disability, veteran status or any other category protected under federal, state or local law.