Job Description Summary:

Lead the end-to-end merchandising strategy for Japan Vending, evolving AI-driven assortment optimization, strengthening category strategy, and improving demand forecast accuracy to drive NSR, variety, and operational efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

1.

Assortment Optimization & AI Algorithm Evolution:

• Further evolve the AI assortment algorithm to optimize the balance between variety rate,consumer relevance, and complexity cost.

• Integrate demand drivers (location type, seasonality, machine performance, consumer preference patterns) to enhance model accuracy.

• Strengthen demand forecasting capabilities by incorporating advanced analytics, real-time performance data, and machine learning.

2.

Category Strategy & Portfolio Development:

• Design and execute end-to-end category strategy across CCTM, coffee, tea, and water categories.

• Start from consumer insights (“consumer-back”) to define target portfolio, coverage, assortment depth, and role of each category.

• Develop long-term category growth plans and innovation roadmap aligned with Vending strategy.

3. Merchandising Excellence

• Define merchandising principles and guidelines to achieve optimal product availability, consumer choice, and operational feasibility.

• Partner with Commercial, Operations, RGM, Equipment/Technology, Supply Chain, and bottlers to ensure seamless execution.

4.

Performance Management & Insight Generation:

• Build dashboards and tracking mechanisms to monitor SKU performance, category trends, and assortment efficiency.

• Identify underperforming SKUs and recommend rationalization, simplification, or portfolio refresh actions.

• Lead weekly and monthly routines to drive performance transparency and decision making.

5.

Stakeholder Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Provide thought leadership on category and merchandising strategy to OU and global stakeholders.

• Collaborate with Data Science to refine algorithms and demand forecasting.

• Manage bottler relationships to ensure aligned execution and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 10–15+ years in merchandising, category management, revenue management, or related analytics-driven roles.

• Experience in FMCG, retail, vending, or e-commerce preferred.

• Strong analytical capability with experience in advanced analytics, AI/ML-powered tools, or demand forecasting.

• Proven leadership in cross-functional environments and influencing without authority.

• Business-level English and native-level Japanese preferred.

Skills:

Location(s):

Japan

City/Cities:

Tokyo

Travel Required:

00% - 25%

Relocation Provided:

No

Job Posting End Date:

March 27, 2026

Shift:

Our Purpose and Growth Culture:

We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.