Vice President, Merchandising
Core
Own the full merchandising function for a portfolio retail brand, driving assortment strategy, vendor relationships, pricing, and margin to shape a commercially compelling assortment.
Role type
VP, Merchandising (Strategic Leadership & Hands-on Ownership)
Builds
Curated, differentiated product assortments and vendor ecosystems for retail brands
Domain
Retail / E-commerce
Required skills
Assortment and category strategy, Vendor relationship management, Pricing and margin optimization, Product data and catalog management, AI tool implementation, Financial analysis, Cross-functional leadership
Preferred skills
Drop-ship or marketplace merchandising experience, Home/furniture/home décor category experience
Technologies
PIM, Data warehouses, ERP, BI tools, SQL, Excel, AI tools (Claude, Copilot)
Responsibilities
Own assortment and category strategy across categories and price points; Establish SKU productivity standards and optimize the catalog; Source, onboard, and manage drop-ship vendors; Negotiate commercial terms covering cost, margin, freight, and exclusivity; Develop exclusive and co-developed product programs; Own catalog quality including taxonomy, attributes, and imagery; Partner with technology and marketing teams to improve product data systems; Own gross margin and pricing strategy; Build and manage the promotional calendar; Leverage AI to automate analysis and reporting; Build, mentor, and develop the merchandising organization
Seniority
Executive (VP), Strategic Leadership & Hands-on Execution