Assistant Merchant — Fashion Merchandising Associate

EXPRESS; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

PHOENIX Retail, LLC, operating Express and Bonobos brands, seeks an Assistant Merchant to support assortment strategies and cross-functional teams. You will manage daily tasks, maintain data integrity, and contribute to market research to guide product decisions.

The role emphasizes collaboration with Production, Planning, Design, eCommerce, Visual, and Marketing, with a focus on timely delivery, accurate reports, and alignment with seasonal financial plans.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, retail merchandising, fashion merchandising, or a related field is preferred.
• 0-3 years of experience in retail merchandising, buying, or related field.
• Proficient in Excel and Google; RMS/BeProduct/S5 or similar RMS is a plus.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment.
• Acute fashion sense with ability to interpret market trends and customer preferences.
• Strong analytical skills and understanding of retail math to assess sales and performance.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to manage through conflict, problem-solve, and influence decisions effectively.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing seasonal assortments, including initial product selection, roadmap creation, and style set-up.
• Manage operational tasks, including order management, sample organization, meeting preparation, and data accuracy across all systems.
• Conduct market research and competitive analysis, providing insights that inform product development and pricing strategies.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (Production, Planning, Design, eCommerce, Visual, Marketing) to ensure the successful execution of assortment strategies.
• Maintain style attribution, adoption, and updates, ensuring accuracy and relevance.
• Prepare and present hindsight selling reports, highlighting opportunities for future season planning.
• Support product development by communicating tactical updates to design, production, and sourcing teams.
• Track and manage order delivery and launch timing, reporting exceptions and ensuring deadlines are met.
• Partner with the planning team on seasonal financial plans, pricing, and item descriptions.
• Compile and distribute product knowledge to internal teams monthly or seasonally.
• Stay updated on trends and customer preferences to inform product selection and assortment decisions

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Organization

Negotiation

Multitasking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business or merchandising

Tools

RMS

BeProduct

S5

Job description

PHOENIX Retail, LLC, operating Express and Bonobos brands, seeks an Assistant Merchant to support assortment strategies and cross-functional teams. You will manage daily tasks, maintain data integrity, and contribute to market research to guide product decisions.

The role emphasizes collaboration with Production, Planning, Design, eCommerce, Visual, and Marketing, with a focus on timely delivery, accurate reports, and alignment with seasonal financial plans.