Associate Manager, Merchandising

ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT & SALES OPERATIONS (30%)

• Execution & Support: Support the Merchandising team in executing omnichannel strategies for multiple key accounts, ensuring seamless coordination from initial line development to seasonal sell-out.
• Stakeholder Coordination: Serve as a proactive point of contact for retail buying teams, managing daily requests and fostering long-term partnerships through exceptional service.
• Presentation Prep: Assist in the creation of visual tools, such as selling decks, digital catalogs, and digital planograms.
• Packaging & Copy: Support the team by drafting product copy and coordinating packaging details for private label and owned brand initiatives.
• Opportunity Mapping: Monitor market trends and store performance to identify "white space" opportunities, providing the team with actionable research to drive growth.

SAMPLE MANAGEMENT & SHOWROOM MANAGEMENT (30%)

• Product Flow Management: Own the end-to-end lifecycle of physical samples (Prototypes through TOP); develop a streamlined tracking system to ensure the team has what they need, when they need it.
• Showroom Readiness: Provide support for retailer presentations and internal line reviews; ensure product is organized, tagged, and displayed to brand standards.
• Digital & Physical Archiving: Maintain a meticulously organized sample library; manage the "seasonal transition" process to ensure historical data and products are easily accessible.
• Logistics Oversight: Coordinate time-sensitive sample shipments to retailers, navigating shipping deadlines with a high sense of urgency.

PRODUCT EXECUTION & PROJECT MILESTONES (30%)

• Calendar Management: Act as the "Quarterback" for the product development calendar; monitor critical milestones and proactively flag risks to ensure on-time delivery across all departments.
• Data & Line Sheet Integrity: Manage internal Master Data systems and update product trackers/line sheets with high precision; ensure every SKU has accurate attributes, pricing, and status throughout the lifecycle.
• Quality & TOP Confirmation: Oversee the approval of TOP (Top of Production) samples against confirmed standards to ensure mass production matches design specs—ensuring "what we sell is what we ship."
• Cross-Functional Synergy: Partner closely with Design and PD to facilitate the range-building process, serving as a bridge to ensure the "consumer voice" is reflected in every SKU.
• Agile Problem Solving: Navigate shifting priorities and urgent retailer "special requests" with a solutions-oriented mindset and the ability to re-prioritize tasks on the fly.

MARKET INTELLIGENCE & BUSINESS INSIGHTS (10%)

• Competitive Intelligence: Conduct regular "comp shopping" and market research to identify emerging hosiery trends and stay ahead of the competitive landscape.
• White Space Support: Assist managers in identifying product gaps and growth opportunities by organizing competitive samples and data for "hindsight" meetings.
• Business Intelligence: Support the team by pulling key performance metrics (sell-through, margins, inventory) to provide foundational insights on "what’s working" vs. "what’s not.

The Ideal Candidate:

• Experience: 1–3 years of experience in apparel/accessories merchandising, marketing, project management, or a related field is preferred.
• Organizational Mastery: You find peace in a perfectly labeled sample room and have a "measure twice, cut once" approach to your work.
• Product Obsessed: You have a commercial eye for fashion and a genuine interest in the details of construction, materials, and styling.
• The "Helper" Mentality: You thrive in a role where your success is measured by how well you enable your team to succeed.
• Communication: Clear, concise, and proactive; you aren't afraid to follow up to keep a project moving.

Technical Tools:

• Project Tools: Familiarity with PLM systems, ERPs, or project management software (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, or Smartsheet) is a plus.
• Excel & PowerPoint: Proficient in MS Office; you are a confident user of Excel (comfortable with VLOOKUPs and pivot tables to organize data) and PowerPoint (able to build clean, professional decks to support the team).