The role
We are looking to hire a Fashion Strategist, with proven experience and interest in the Sports and Outdoors sector, to join our Consultancy team in the US.
This is an office-based role out of our New York office.
Salary range - $80,000 - $90,000
Working at WGSN
Together, we create tomorrow
A career with WGSN is fast-paced, exciting and full of opportunities to grow and develop. We're a team of consumer and design trend forecasters, content creators, designers, data analysts, advisory consultants and much more, united by a common goal: to create tomorrow.
WGSN's trusted consumer and design forecasts power outstanding product design, enabling our customers to create a better future. Our services cover consumer insights, beauty, consumer tech, fashion, sports & outdoors, interiors, lifestyle, food and drink forecasting, data analytics and expert advisory. If you are an expert in your field, we want to hear from you.
Role overview
We are looking for a Fashion Strategist with a specialist focus on Sports and Outdoors to join our dynamic, ambitious and close-knit consultancy team. Working closely with our team of global consultants, you will be responsible for researching and building strategic qualitative and quantitative insights in line with our clients’ bespoke needs.
In order to succeed in this role, you will need to demonstrate:
- Confidence in translating Macro and Consumer Trends into thought-provoking insight and forecasts across the key industries of Fashion (Apparel & Footwear) and Sports (Apparel & Footwear).
- A strong understanding of Cultural trends, Consumer mindsets, new Product Development and the role data and analytics plays in commercial success.
- You will be an excellent collaborator, highly commercial, proactive in working across multi-disciplinary teams to build innovative forecasts, and willing to stretch and apply your research skill set across different Fashion verticals and client briefs.
- This role requires you to have a strong, commercial understanding of the Sports & Outdoors industry, but you will be expected to work across all Fashion verticals.
The team
You will be part of a dynamic and high-performing team, made up of 40+ consultants and trend researchers who bring together bespoke solutions for a wide range of clients across the globe. You will be working with industry experts and thought leaders with backgrounds in creative strategy, product innovation, design, marketing, buying and merchandising, data analytics and of course, trend forecasting.
Key accountabilities
- Work with the Senior Consultant and Director to deliver the defined Consultancy strategy to clients, ensuring appropriate methodologies and frameworks are employed across all project teams.
- Support commercial activity by contributing to client outreach and pitch meetings. Build credibility with clients by showing up as a subject matter expert with authority and thought leadership.
- Conduct primary and secondary research across a variety of methodologies (qualitative and quantitative) to deliver forecasts and insights that provide inspiration and commercial direction to benefit the client's future business. For this role, research will span fashion apparel & footwear, performance wear, technical apparel & footwear, and athleisure.
- Develop research plans and design project frameworks to individual project requirements, training and overseeing junior team members on methodologies where applicable.
- Own and manage research workstreams, developing innovative trend intelligence and forecasts that drive repeat business and deepen client relationships.
- Flex between multiple projects and clients while maintaining composure and delivering results in a fast-paced environment.
- Ensure accurate and up-to-date project management for designated projects.
- Present to key stakeholders both internally and externally, participating in Q&A and client workshops where appropriate.
- Travel nationally and internationally to deliver high-value consulting projects to clients. Work across time zones with a diverse set of clients.
This list is not exhaustive, and there may be other activities you are required to deliver.
Skills, experience & qualifications required
- Qualifications and proven experience within Fashion Design or Buying, and/or experience working agency side consulting to fashion retail clients. Candidates with agency or trend forecasting experience will be preferred.
- Exceptional knowledge of the global fashion market and a clear understanding of premium to commercial trends across product categories.
- Experience across Sports & Outdoor categories, including Performance Wear, Technical Apparel and Footwear, Sports & Outdoor innovation and Athleisure, is highly desirable.
- Strong understanding of trend forecasting methodologies, consumer behavior, and marketing/social media trends across the fashion industry.
- Has worked across multiple research methodologies (qualitative and quantitative) to develop market-relevant fashion trend solutions, forecasts, creative direction and/or assortment plans.
- Analytical problem-solving skills with experience in solving unstructured problems involving quantitative data, through a structured and hypothesis-driven approach.
- Good presentation skills with proven experience of presenting to internal stakeholders, external clients and/or at events.
- Confident and articulate in both written and visual communication, with a confident style of writing and reporting in English. Proficient in fashion terminology (range building, assortments, product attributes etc).
- Technical skills: Microsoft Office, Google Workspace. A basic knowledge and/or capabilities in data visualisation software such as Tableau is an advantage.
What we offer
Our benefits and wellbeing package offers flexible benefits you can tailor to your own personal needs, including:
- Paid Time Off – 15 days of vacation per year with an additional day for each year of service up to 20 days. WGSN also observes the 12 Federal holidays. We also offer 6 weeks of paid Parental Leave.
- 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan – allows employees to save and invest for their own retirement on a tax deferred basis. WGSN matches 50% of the first 6% contributed by employees.
- Dental and Vision plans with MetLife
- Health Care with Anthem & Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Life Insurance, AD&D, Short and Long-Term Disability - all eligible employees receive coverage at no cost through Metlife
- Mental Health – WGSN provides many ways for employees to access mental health care including an Employee Assistance Program and inpatient, outpatient and virtual care if enrolled in an Anthem medical plan. Our EAP is available to all permanent staff, regardless of if you elect benefits.
More about WGSN
WGSN is the global authority on consumer trend forecasting.
We help brands around the world create the right products at the right time for tomorrow’s consumer.
Our values
We Are Everywhere
The future is everything, it happens everywhere. WGSN is the world-leading forecaster because we track and analyse consumer behaviours, product innovation, design and creativity, everywhere.
We Are Future Focused
We utilise our global resources and intelligence to research, source and analyse quantitative and qualitative data to produce our forecasts. Everything we do is focused on working with our customers to create a successful and positive tomorrow.
We Are Rigorous
We source, review and assess quantitative and qualitative data to produce robust, actionable forecasts. To provide credible insights and design solutions for our clients, it is essential that rigour runs through everything we do.
Our culture
An inclusive culture is one of our key priorities. We want our people to truly be themselves and thrive. We love having a diverse team of people who bring new ideas, different strengths and perspectives & reflect the global audience we work with.
Inclusive workforce
We are committed to supporting the environment and sustainability, including ensuring our pension plan defaults to sustainable options and striving to be net zero by 2030.
Recognising great performance is a key part of our culture. Our Awards schemes recognise and reward the brilliant achievements of our people.
We offer a flexible working environment with a wide range of flexible, hybrid and agile working arrangements. Conversations about flexible working have always been—and will continue to be—actively encouraged here, but we do not offer full remote working.
We want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to perform their best when interviewing, so if you require any reasonable adjustments that would make you more comfortable during the process, please let us know so that we can do our best to support you.
