Product Development & Merchandising Specialist

Location:
Grand Rapids, MI

Classification:
Full-Time Hourly, Non-Exempt

Compensation:
Aligned to Company and Applicant Expectations

Reports to: CEO/Creative Director

The Darling Effect is a young, energetic company offering a fresh perspective on the products we use and wear daily. At The Darling Effect, we bring the season’s trendiest gift and lifestyle products to life with enhanced design, creating items that inspire and delight.

The Darling Effect is seeking a highly organized, creative, and detail-oriented Product Development & Merchandising Specialist to help build our collection of joyful products and drive impactful merchandising strategies across showrooms, trade shows, and retail spaces. This individual will play a crucial role in ensuring that product displays are visually compelling, brand-aligned, and optimized for sales success, as well as assist with the research and selection of products and trends which help guide our portfolio.

As a key contributor to our product development and merchandising efforts, this role supports the execution of new product initiatives while assisting with visual merchandising projects across our channels. The ideal candidate is a collaborative team player with an interest in product creation, a passion for visual storytelling, and a strong eye for design and detail.

The Product Development & Merchandising Specialist plays a dual role, helping bring new products from concept to market while supporting merchandising initiatives that drive sales. They collaborate with design, sales, and marketing teams to contribute to product development, materials selection, and visually compelling displays that enhance the customer experience and grow revenue.

• Support fit, finish, and aesthetic decisions during sampling and revision cycles.
• Collaborate closely with the design team on materials, colors, finishes, and construction details.
• Help source and evaluate materials, trims, and components, considering both design intent and cost impact.
• Contribute ideas and creative solutions during product brainstorming and development meetings, informed by awareness of relevant trends, materials, and manufacturing techniques.
• Assist in preparing, reviewing, and organizing materials, specs, and instructions to ensure accuracy before sharing with suppliers.
• Support communication with suppliers and manufacturing partners by sharing updates, revisions, and development assets as directed.
• Track samples, revisions, and approvals throughout the product development process to support timelines and documentation.
• Maintain organized physical and digital libraries of product references, swatches, trims, and development assets.
• Assist with merchandising efforts at trade shows and showroom setups, potentially traveling (independently when necessary) to ensure displays are cohesive, on-brand, and effectively showcase product offerings.
• Develop custom display planograms and merchandising packages to provide clear guidance for customers and tradeshow teams, ensuring a consistent, elevated presentation across all brand locations. Work with retailers to update planograms to retain fresh identity.
• Support the tradeshow (temporary and seasonal) planning process, including product coordination, execution, booth updates, and post-show follow-up for both wholesale and consumer events.
• Create detailed merchandising strategies, including copy, that align with seasonal trends, promotional initiatives, and customer planograms.
• Work closely with the product development and marketing teams to integrate visual storytelling into merchandising displays and signage.
• Maintain organized documentation and records related to merchandising strategies, ensuring accessibility and accuracy for future reference.
• Assist in analyzing sales performance and contribute insights to merchandising discussions in collaboration with the sales team.
• Contribute to special projects as assigned, maintaining flexibility to support broader company initiatives, specifically sales, as needed.

• Bachelor’s degree in business, product development, visual merchandising, communication, marketing, sales, or related field (Required)
• 2-4 years of experience in merchandising, retail display design, management, sales, business, or related fields.

• Strong eye for visual design and aesthetics, with experience creating compelling product displays
• Familiarity with materials, trims, and construction techniques relevant to product development
• Ability to review and provide input on product samples, fit, and finishes
• Awareness of trends, materials, and manufacturing techniques relevant to the product category
• Strong attention to detail in preparing and maintaining product specifications, swatches, and development documentation
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines, prioritizing tasks effectively
• Self-starter with a proactive,…