Assistant Merchant

Knoll Inc.; Stamford (CT); On-site; USD 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Design Within Reach in Stamford, CT is hiring an Assistant Merchant to support our Merchandising team in curating a product assortment that reflects our brand while increasing sales and achieving profit goals. You’ll report to the Senior Merchant for your category and assist with procurement, launch, and maintenance.

You will coordinate with cross-functional teams and help manage trainings, reporting, and vendor relationships to ensure accurate catalogs, pricing, and product specs.

Qualifications

• 1+ years of experience in merchandising, planning, or a related role within the design, retail, or home products industry.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills across internal teams and external partners.
• Excellent organizational and project management abilities with detail orientation.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Help manage vendor relationships as a primary contact for vendors and designers.
• Monitor milestone dates and maintain the product pipeline calendar to meet deadlines.
• Proof catalogs, website content, and advertising materials for accuracy and consistency.
• Review and troubleshoot product return claims and coordinate with vendors.
• Coordinate communication between vendors and Product Support to resolve client concerns.
• Assist with monthly or quarterly product trainings.
• Create sales reports for vendor meetings and internal reviews.
• Approve finance costing discrepancies with cross-functional partners.
• Conduct market and trend analysis and share insights with stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Digital, Marketing, Planning, Allocations, and Product Development/Sourcing as a central hub in the pipeline.
• Research, organize, and manage special projects with analytical support for senior team members.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Project management

Attention to detail

Judgment

Microsoft Office

Merchandising experience

Education

1+ years merchandising/planning experience

Job description

Why join us?

At Design Within Reach, home comes first. We believe in creating and sourcing pieces that move with you and are meant to be enjoyed over a lifetime - from home to home, generation to generation. For us, that means exceptionally crafted, built-to-last, and beautifully designed furnishings. Our purpose is design for the good of humankind. Its the ideal we strive toward each day in everything we do. Being a part of Design Within Reach means being a part of something larger than your work team, or even your brand. We are redefining modern for the 21st century. And our success allows Design Within Reach to support causes that align with our values, so we can build a more sustainable, equitable, and beautiful future for everyone.

About this opportunity

We are hiring an Assistant Merchant to join our Merchandising team. As an Assistant Merchant, you’ll support our Merchandise team in the curation of a product assortment that represents the tenets of our brand while increasing sales and achieving profit goals. As an Assistant Merchant, you will report to the Senior Merchant for your assigned category. The role of the Assistant Merchant is to support the Senior Merchant in all aspects of product procurement, launch, and maintenance.

What you’ll do

• Help manage vendor relationships acting as a primary contact for vendors and designers
• Monitor Design Within Reach milestone dates and maintain the product pipeline calendar to ensure all deadlines are met, including SKU builds, product testing and compliance requirements, milestone meetings, and photo sample delivery
• Proof catalogs, website content, and advertising materials for accuracy, ensuring consistency in pricing, dimensions, and product specifications
• Review and troubleshoot product return claims, partnering with vendors to resolve issues and manage charge-back documentation
• Coordinate communication between vendors and the Product Support team to resolve client concerns, collect detailed product information, and obtain supporting materials as needed
• Organize communication between Vendor and Product Support team to resolve client concerns, gather product information, and procure supporting materials
• Help with monthly or quarterly product trainings
• Create sales reports for vendor meetings and internal reviews
• Approve Finance costing discrepancies with key cross functional partners
• Maintain awareness of the competitive landscape, conducting and sharing quarterly market and trend analysis with internal stakeholders
• Work closely with key cross-functional teams—including Digital, Marketing, Planning, Allocations, and Product Development/Sourcing - recognizing Merchandising as the central hub throughout the product pipeline
• Research, organize, and manage special projects as assigned, providing analytical and operational support to senior team members

Job Requirements

• Strong passion for modern design, furniture, and the home furnishings industry, with an interest in product storytelling and brand integrity
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly across internal teams and external partners
• Demonstrated organizational and project management skills, with a proactive, solution-oriented mindset
• High attention to detail and accuracy, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and shifting priorities
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, take initiative, and effectively manage up in a fast paced environment, prioritization is key
• Technically proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Dependable, punctual, and accountable, with a strong sense of ownership over responsibilities 1+ years of experience in merchandising, planning, or a related role within the design, retail, or home products industry

Who We Hire?

Simply put, we hire qualified applicants representing a wide range of backgrounds and abilities. Design Within Reach is comprised of people of all abilities, gender identities and expressions, ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, veterans from every branch of military service, and more. Here, you can bring your whole self to work. We’re committed to equal opportunity employment, including veterans and people with disabilities. This organization participates in E-Verify Employment Eligibility Verification.