Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for an E-commerce Trading Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The E-commerce Trading Manager is the commercial engine of our digital storefront. You will be responsible for the end-to-end management of our online sales performance, from strategic planning and forecasting to daily execution of trading activities. This role requires a highly analytical and commercially astute individual who can masterfully blend data insights with creative merchandising to optimize the customer journey, maximize conversion rates, and achieve ambitious revenue targets. You will own the online P&L and collaborate extensively with marketing, operations, and product teams to ensure a seamless and profitable e-commerce experience.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

E-commerce Executive / Specialist
Digital Merchandiser / Online Visual Merchandiser
Assistant E-commerce Manager
Digital Marketing Executive with a strong commercial focus

Advancement To:

Head of E-commerce
Director of Digital Commerce
Senior E-commerce Strategy Manager
Head of Online Trading

Lateral Moves:

Digital Marketing Manager
Customer Experience (CX) Manager
Product Manager (E-commerce Features)
Marketplace Manager (e.g., Amazon, Tmall)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and execute the comprehensive e-commerce trading calendar, aligning promotional activities, product launches, and seasonal campaigns to maximize revenue and achieve sales targets.
Take full ownership of the e-commerce P&L, including detailed sales forecasting, managing promotional and markdown budgets, and reporting on key financial metrics and profitability.
Conduct continuous, in-depth analysis of website performance, traffic sources, customer behavior, and conversion funnels using tools like Google Analytics 4 to identify opportunities and actionable insights.
Manage the end-to-end online product lifecycle, from ensuring new products are set up correctly with enriched data and compelling copy to optimizing their visibility through search and categorization.
Strategically plan and implement all onsite merchandising to optimize product discovery, drive cross-sells/up-sells, and enhance the overall customer shopping experience.
Lead the A/B and multivariate testing roadmap for the website, focusing on improving key performance indicators such as conversion rate, average order value (AOV), and customer lifetime value (CLV).
Collaborate closely with the digital marketing team to ensure traffic-driving activities (SEO, PPC, Email, Social) are aligned with the trading plan and product focus.
Monitor and analyze competitor activity, market trends, and pricing strategies to ensure our offering remains competitive and identify new growth opportunities.
Manage website stock levels in partnership with the supply chain and merchandising teams, ensuring optimal availability, managing out-of-stocks, and planning for inventory intake.
Oversee the promotional setup and execution process, from creating promotional codes to ensuring accurate implementation and post-campaign performance analysis.
Drive the personalization strategy for the website, utilizing customer data and segmentation to deliver tailored content, product recommendations, and offers.
Generate and present regular trading reports to senior leadership, providing clear, concise summaries of performance against KPIs and outlining future plans and strategies.
Optimize the on-site search functionality and results to improve product findability and customer satisfaction, analyzing search term data to inform merchandising and content strategies.
Manage the visual merchandising of the site, ensuring category and landing pages are commercially effective and visually appealing.
Work with the UX/UI team to identify and prioritize website functional enhancements and bug fixes that will improve the customer journey and conversion rates.
Act as the key business stakeholder for the e-commerce platform, understanding its capabilities and limitations to drive the best possible commercial outcomes.
Define and monitor key e-commerce KPIs (e.g., sessions, conversion rate, bounce rate, AOV, revenue, margin) on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Partner with the customer service team to understand customer pain points and feedback related to the website experience, translating insights into actionable improvements.
Champion a data-driven, 'test and learn' culture within the e-commerce team and broader organization.
Ensure all website content, including product information and promotional messaging, is accurate, up-to-date, and optimized for SEO.
Develop strategies for key sales events such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and seasonal sales periods, coordinating all cross-functional efforts for maximum impact.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to answer key business questions.
Contribute to the organization's broader digital strategy and e-commerce technology roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into technical and platform requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the digital and development teams.
Stay abreast of industry best practices, competitor activities, and emerging e-commerce technologies to inform strategic decisions.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced proficiency in web analytics platforms, particularly Google Analytics 4 (GA4), and experience with Adobe Analytics is a plus.
Hands-on experience managing major e-commerce platforms such as Shopify Plus, Magento (Adobe Commerce), Salesforce Commerce Cloud, or BigCommerce.
Strong understanding of Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) principles, A/B testing methodologies, and experience with testing platforms (e.g., Optimizely, VWO, Google Optimize).
Demonstrable experience with P&L management, budget forecasting, and commercial modeling in a retail or e-commerce context.
Solid knowledge of digital marketing channels (SEO, PPC, Email, CRM, Affiliates, Social Media) and their direct impact on e-commerce trading performance.
Proficiency in data visualization tools like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker Studio to create insightful reports and dashboards.
Experience with Product Information Management (PIM) systems and Content Management Systems (CMS).
Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including pivot tables, v-lookups, and formula creation for data analysis and forecasting.

Soft Skills

Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills with a proven ability to turn complex data into actionable strategies.
Strong commercial acumen and a deep, intuitive understanding of online retail dynamics and customer behavior.
Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and lead cross-functional teams effectively.
Highly organized with superb project management capabilities and the ability to manage multiple, competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
A proactive, self-starting attitude with a relentless drive for results and continuous improvement.
Meticulous attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy in reporting and execution.
Customer-centric mindset, always championing the needs of the user to improve the online experience.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent practical experience.

Preferred Education:

Master's Degree in a relevant field or professional certifications in Digital Marketing, Google Analytics, or Project Management.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration or Management
Marketing or Digital Marketing
Economics or Finance
Data Science or Analytics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5-8 years of progressive experience in an e-commerce trading, online merchandising, or digital retail management role.

Preferred:

Direct experience in managing a high-traffic e-commerce website with full P&L responsibility.
Proven track record of driving significant year-over-year revenue growth and improving key e-commerce metrics.
Experience in a fast-paced, direct-to-consumer (DTC) environment, preferably within the fashion, beauty, consumer electronics, or CPG industries.