Category Merchandising

Overview

We are seeking a trend-savvy, optimistic, and solution-oriented Merchant with experience managing large, complex businesses. An ideal candidate will have a strong consumer-centric mindset and a deep understanding of women’s fashion and trends. As a Lead Merchant, you will play a key role in shaping and executing the Women’s Sportswear Apparel strategy in North America. You will work cross-functionally with teams including Global Merchandising, Sales, Planning, Brand, and Consumer teams to curate seasonal assortments and drive business success.

Who You Will Work With

As a Lead Merchant, North America Women’s Sportswear Apparel, you will report directly to the Merchandising Director of Women’s Sportswear Apparel. You will be responsible for managing the Fleece & Tees business, including line planning, assortment curation, and day-to-day operations. Collaboration is essential, as you will work closely with merchandising and cross-functional teams to ensure integration and alignment across all initiatives.

This role requires strong coordination between Global Merchandising partners and North America Marketplace (MPUs) partners to deliver consumer-right assortments. Success in this position depends on building and maintaining effective relationships with key stakeholders, including Global Merchandising, Consumer Field of Play (CFOP) teams, MPUs, Sales, Planning, and Brand Marketing.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, experience, and training
• 5+ years of experience in Merchandising, Product Management, Marketplace, Buying, or related retail roles
• Strong merchandising acumen with a passion for women’s fashion and trends
• Self-starter with strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including presenting to cross-functional partners
• High attention to detail and organization
• Ability to influence, lead, and negotiate across multiple functions
• Strong capability to manage multiple deadlines and seasonal timelines
• Proficiency in Microsoft applications, including Keynote, Word, and Excel

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the voice of the North American Women’s consumer, influencing Global Merchandising strategies to align with cultural and retail trends.
• Lead key seasonal meetings throughout the Consumer Code calendar, presenting and driving conversations with cross-functional partners.
• Curate seasonal assortments, make pricing decisions, identify product opportunities, and implement marketplace segmentation strategies.
• Partner with Planning teams to align on assortment forecasting, ensure color connectivity across key franchises, and manage product classifications effectively.
• Oversee the management of merchandising tools and systems, including Visual Line Plans (VLPs) and merchandising platforms, ensuring alignment across teams.

The target hiring compensation range for this role is $40.20 to $44.67 an hour. Compensation is based on several factors including, but not limited to education, relevant work experience, relevant certifications, and location.

About Aquent Talent:

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world’s biggest brands.

Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through Aquent Gymnasium. More information on our awesome benefits! 

Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We’re about creating an inclusive environment—one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.

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