Merchandiser, Retail

Job Details

Position: Merchandiser

Location: Dearborn, MI

Department: Global Product Merchandising

Reports to: Director of Merchandising

Job Classification: Hybrid

At Carhartt, the values of hard work—dependability, honesty, and trust—are rooted in the legacy of our founder, Hamilton Carhartt. His commitment to serving hardworking people continues to inspire everything we do. Guided by his legacy and our mission—We serve and protect all hardworking people by building durable products— we remain dedicated to upholding these principles in every decision we make and every product we create.

The Merchandiser is an essential role in developing product assortments for a category that not only meets the needs of our consumers but also drive revenue and profitability for Carhartt. This position collaborates with the cross functional teams of Merchandise Planning, Design, the Business Unit leads, Supply Chain, and Marketing Operations to ensure on time execution of the seasonal product line per the Go To Market calendar and the execution of the merchandise 3-year plan.

• Responsible in all facets of managing the product assortment of the category, to meet financial objectives
• Conducts deep dive analysis of the market and analyzes point of sale data to support seasonal development plans and new product/business opportunities. Prepares summary of findings and makes recommendations.
• Travels the market with the design team to find inspiration for new business opportunities and to understand the changes to the retail landscape.
• Analyzes the previous season’s financial results to impact future development needs and business changes and communicates color histories, margin analysis, pricing and forecasting recommendations to the cross functional team.
• Develops seasonal strategies and collaborates with Merch Planning on all versions of the assortment plan to understand revenue, GM, and inventory.
• Leads prototype costing and margin analysis for the category – reviews with Merchandise Manager to ensure margin and profitability goals are met for each season
• Connect with consumers to help influence the product assortment thru collaboration with the Consumer Insights team, jobsite visits, and field testing.
• Supports in communication of the merchandise assortment strategies to our internal and external partners.
• Follow up and problem solve inquiries from BU’s and Operations teams.
• Partner with Operations to create a seasonal sample allocation , including sales, merchandise, field testing, and seeding samples, according to budget.
• Attend all fittings for the category, focusing on market relevance of style and financial impacts of any changes.
• Collaborate with Design Resources and Marketing to accurately proof catalogs, price lists, Elastic, CBS, swatch book, and sales tools according to the seasonal calendar deadlines.
• Create and manage lifecycle strategy at the product level (drops, IRR, obsolete).
• Participate in weekly development and production meetings to ensure on-time delivery.
• Partner with Business Units – Wholesale, D2C, CCG to bring the right product assortment to our distribution channels.
• Partner with Retail Brand Marketing to ensure best in class on floor presentations and provide assortment recommendations to meet brand initiatives and brand goals.
• Participates in weekly development and production meetings with the cross functional team to ensure on time delivery of the seasonal product assortment and problem solve any potential obstacles. Communicates product delays with Merchandise Manager.

• Bachelor’s degree in Apparel/Textile Design, Merchandising, Marketing, or related field; or equivalent years of related experience in lieu of degree.

• Minimum of four (4) years in product management in apparel industry or related field.
• Knowledge of product management development, planning and brand strategy processes preferred.
• Analytical skills to understand and evaluate data into key insights for product management/ merchandising.
• Ability to learn quickly and work in a team environment.
• Proficient in technology and data analysis tools…