Assistant Buyer, Custom Apparel - San Diego SSC

Event Network, Inc.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 41,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Event Network, Inc. is seeking an Assistant Buyer to support assortment planning, vendor coordination, and product execution across our destinations. You will analyze performance, drive recommendations, and help ensure timely delivery of compelling assortments that meet guest needs.

The role emphasizes collaboration with Buyers, cross-functional teams, and vendors to optimize sales, margin, and inventory health in a fast-paced retail environment.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in retail merchandising.
• Strong analytical skills and understanding of guest demographics.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Support assortment planning and buying for assigned categories, including product selection and financial performance.
• Regularly analyze sales, gross margin, inventory, and other performance metrics to identify opportunities and provide recommendations to the Buyer.
• Coordinate vendor communication and cross-functional execution with store teams and planners to ensure timely product delivery and setup.
• Organize and prioritize multiple projects, product details, and follow-up activities to maintain accurate orders and on-time execution.

Skills

Retail merchandising

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Communication

Vendor coordination

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

The Opportunity

Event Network creates retail experiences inside some of the country's most memorable cultural, educational, and entertainment destinations. As an Assistant Buyer, you will help bring merchandising strategies to life by supporting product assortment planning, vendor communication, inventory allocation, and the day-to-day execution of compelling assortments across our locations.

This role is ideal for a curious, organized, and commercially minded individual who is passionate about product and understands the importance of delivering the right assortment to the right guest at the right time. You will support the Buyer with business analysis, product execution, vendor follow-up, and actionable recommendations that help drive sales, per cap, margin, SKU productivity, and inventory health

The Custom Apparel Assistant Buyer supports the assortment planning, product selection, vendor coordination, and financial KPI management to deliver compelling, commercially successful assortments. This role analyzes business performance, identifies opportunities, and partners cross-functionally to ensure accurate, timely execution in a dynamic retail environment.

CURIOSITY

Learn the guest, product, and business. As k questions, build category knowledge, and stay open to new ideas that strengthen your merchant perspective.

GENEROSITY

Be a dependable partner to Buyers, vendors, and cross-functional teams. Communicate clearly, share information freely, and help keep work moving forward.

CREATIVITY

Bring energy and fresh thinking to product, problem-solving, and assortment execution. Look for practical ways to improve details and support the team’s goals.

Merchant Mandate

Support the Buyer in executing product vision, assortment plans, and inventory strategies across assigned categories. Use business analysis, strong organization, and proactive follow-up to ensure accurate orders and timely delivery to stores.

Core Responsibilities

Support Assortment Planning and Buying

• Support the Buyer with assortment planning, product selection, buying activities, and financial performance management for assigned categories.
• Help execute assortment plans aligned with guest needs, partner identity, category direction, sales goals, SKU targets, inventory objectives, and cogs of goods sold targets.
• Maintain strong product knowledge and an understanding of guest demographics to support relevant and compelling assortments.
• Assist with order placement, item setup, vendor follow-up, product information, and other activities needed to execute assortments accurately and on time.

Analyze Performance and Drive Recommendations

• Regularly analyze sales, per cap, SKU count, inventory, margin, cost of goods, and other business performance metrics.
• Identify business successes, risks, and opportunities and provide actionable recommendations to the Buyer.
• Help the business achieve assortment and inventory targets while improving revenue, margin, and productivity.
• Help monitor inventory health and product performance by store, department, and category, escalating concerns and opportunities as they arise.

Coordinate Vendor and Cross-Functional Execution

• Support vendor communication and follow-up to ensure product, order, pricing, delivery and assortment needs are addressed.
• Work closely with DMMs, SMMs, GMMs, the Creative Center of Excellence, Planning, Purchasing Operations, and store teams to coordinate priorities and support timely product delivery.
• Foster productive relationships with internal partners and vendors through clear communication, responsiveness, and dependable follow-through.
• Partner with the Merchandise Coordinator to provide direction and help resolve item setup, purchase order, invoicing, and other operational challenges.

Ensure Accuracy and Timely Follow-Through

• Organize and prioritize multiple projects, deadlines, product details, and follow-up activities in a fluid retail environment.
• Product accurate, efficient, and timely work across assortment planning, reporting, purchase orders, vendor communication, and business analysis.

Skills and Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in retail merchandising.
• Passion for product and a strong understanding of guest demographics, retail environments, and assortment planning.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret business performance data and recommend actions.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to prioritize work, manage deadlines, and track multiple details simultaneously.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Strong communication, relationship building, and interpersonal skills.
• Resourceful, proactive, adaptable, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, fluid environment.
• Reliable, detail-oriented, and committed to producing accurate and efficient work.
• Collaborative team player who takes ownership, learns quickly, and follows through.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made as appropriate.

The role involves frequent sitting, standing, walking, and handling of products or samples; occasional reaching, stooping, kneeling, crouching, lifting, and moving of merchandise samples and materials; and travel as needed to stores, markets, trade shows, and vendors, and product development.

THE EXPERIENCE MATTERS.

For our guests. For our partners. For our teams.

Pay range: $30-31/hour