The Director of Merchandising is accountable for maximizing sales and profitability in alignment with the company strategies. This involves developing and executing a robust merchandising strategy, driving product development, creating, and analyzing merchandising architecture, leading the merchandising team to high performance, working cross-functionally on marketing and promotional strategies, and maintaining a focus on continuous learning and improvement. This role is responsible for leading a team of merchants to source and develop exclusive branded products that will continue to enhance the company’s brand, drive sales, and EBITDA.
Ideally, the Director of Merchandising is a self-starter who is detail-oriented, well organized, comfortable with product, trends, the customer, and data. The candidate is passionate about the digital space. The candidate will also have strong and demonstrable eCommerce experience in a high-turnover, SKU intensive apparel environment as well as possess strong analytical skills, exude creative problem solving, and be able to excel in an environment that is fast-paced and can change daily.
This position reports to the CEO.
Responsibilities
- Work with Planning to ensure inventory and product costing is in line with Company margin objectives.
- Build processes across the business to assist with scale as the Company continues its rapid growth.
- Review and analyze consumer demographic and psychographic characteristics, fashion trends, retail landscape and other relevant data to stylistically interpret, financially plan for and react to emerging market trends and conditions.
- Determine appropriate competitive strategies to drive product development, good/better/best quality merchandise assortment and quantity, purchase, pricing, margin, promotion, and clearance to complement the other product categories and maximize return of advertising investment.
- Partner with merchandise planning to develop and implement a balanced strategy by department.
- Research and shop competitors to ensure Pink Lily is a leader in product and value.
- Negotiate with manufacturers and others to maximize profitability and achieve financial objectives by securing the best opportunities in pricing, quantity, and delivery based on the plan.
- Create a culture within the team that empowers and motivates the team to achieve great results.
- Grow, mentor, retain, and develop Merchandising team. Develop and execute merchandising strategies aligned with the company's goals and brand vision.
- Consistently demonstrate an ability to turn consumer insight into actionable recommendations as it relates to assortment strategy.
- Monitor and analyze sales performance and key merchandising metrics, making data-driven recommendations for optimization and improvement. Lead product growth strategies to reach sell-thru targets and meet sales/margin goals.
Required Skills
- Bachelor’s degree
- Accomplished merchant with 10+ years of experience in women’s specialty apparel
- Strong business acumen and a deep understanding of merchandising principles, including assortment planning, product lifecycle management, and pricing strategies.
- Results-oriented mindset with a focus on achieving sales targets and driving business growth while always keeping the customer in mind.
- Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams.
- Demonstrated “player/coach” capabilities.
- Proactive and takes the initiative to drive business and think outside of the box.
- Strong skills in agility, along with the ability to pivot easily when directions and priorities change on short notice.
- Preferred experience using Shopify as an eCommerce platform.
Pink Lily offers a complete benefits package including medical, vision, and dental insurance, 401(k) with company match, paid time off, and clothing discounts.
Pink Lily is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action Employer – Minority / Disability / Gender / Identity / Sexual Orientation / Age / Veteran