Associate Merchant

EXPRESS; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

PHOENIX Retail, LLC, operating Express and Bonobos brands, seeks an Associate Merchant to drive product assortment strategies and cross-functional collaboration across Planning, Design, and Production. This role analyzes sales performance and market trends to optimize inventories and revenue.

You will partner with Marketing and Visual Merchandising to ensure timely launches and accurate brand representation across channels, contributing to top and bottom-line growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in business, retail merchandising, or fashion merchandising.
• 3-5 years of experience in product merchandise buying, with demonstrated success in managing a product category.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to interpret data and drive actionable decisions.
• Acute understanding of brand positioning, customer insights, and fashion trends.
• Ability to collaborate across functions and build strong working relationships.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to multitask, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
• Strong presentation and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Proficiency in Google applications and retail management systems.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate to develop and execute seasonal assortments that align with financial goals, customer expectations, and market trends.
• Analyze sales performance and market trends, identifying growth opportunities and risks, and recommending actionable strategies to improve sales and manage inventory.
• Own the day-to-day operational functions, including order management, sample coordination, pricing updates, and system maintenance.
• Conduct competitive market research, analyzing assortments, pricing, and promotions to inform product development and pricing strategies.
• Work closely with Planning and Design teams to ensure the product assortment reflects key product attributes and meets financial targets.
• Support cross-functional teams, such as Production, Marketing, and Visual Merchandising, to ensure timely product launches and alignment with brand objectives.
• Present product assortment in key meetings, such as investment reviews, with clear product stories to gain cross-functional and leadership alignment.
• Act as the subject matter expert in the category, staying informed of emerging trends and customer insights to help drive future product development.
• Manage in-season markdowns and inventory tracking to optimize sales performance and reduce excess inventory.
• Support the development of new product assortments, including roadmaps, style selection, and product launches.
• Collaborate with Marketing to ensure product is accurately represented in all channels, including digital platforms.
• Contribute to cross-functional discussions to ensure product delays and launch timing are communicated effectively to all stakeholders.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Presentation skills

Communication skills

Brand positioning

Education

Bachelor's Degree in business, retail merchandising, or fashion merchandising

Tools

Google applications

Retail management systems

Job description

PHOENIX Retail, LLC is a retail platform operating the Express and Bonobos brands worldwide.

About Express

Express is a multichannel apparel brand dedicated to a design philosophy rooted in modern, confident and effortless style whether dressing for work, everyday or special occasions. Since its launch in 1980, the brand has embraced a design philosophy rooted in modern, confident and effortless style. Express ensures you look and feel your best, wherever life takes you. The Company operates over 400 retail and outlet stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, the express.com online store and the Express mobile app.

About Bonobos

Our Bonobos menswear brand is known for being a style instigator and offering perfect-fit risks through our innovative retail model and personalized experience. Launched online in 2007 with its signature line of chinos, Bonobos now offers a variety of styles available to order online and to try on at any one of our 50 Guideshop locations and at www.bonobos.com. Our Guideshops are in-real-life stores that deliver one-on-one service and expert fit advice. Don't think traditional retail, Bonobos is something you haven't seen before.

Location Name

Note: This will support Express Women's.

Position Overview

The Associate Merchant supports in the creation and execution of product assortment strategies while working cross-functionally to achieve the financial goals of the division and the company. The Associate Merchant balances an understanding of sales performance, market trends, and customer insights to build commercially viable assortments. They partner closely with Planning, Design, Production, and other teams to ensure that products align with brand objectives and financial targets. In-season, they are responsible for analyzing performance, identifying opportunities, and managing risks, contributing to both top and bottom-line growth.

KEY REPONSIBILITIES

• Collaborate to develop and execute seasonal assortments that align with financial goals, customer expectations, and market trends.
• Analyze sales performance and market trends, identifying growth opportunities and risks, and recommending actionable strategies to improve sales and manage inventory.
• Own the day-to-day operational functions, including order management, sample coordination, pricing updates, and system maintenance.
• Conduct competitive market research, analyzing assortments, pricing, and promotions to inform product development and pricing strategies.
• Work closely with Planning and Design teams to ensure the product assortment reflects key product attributes and meets financial targets.
• Support cross-functional teams, such as Production, Marketing, and Visual Merchandising, to ensure timely product launches and alignment with brand objectives.
• Present product assortment in key meetings, such as investment reviews, with clear product stories to gain cross-functional and leadership alignment.
• Act as the subject matter expert in the category, staying informed of emerging trends and customer insights to help drive future product development.
• Manage in-season markdowns and inventory tracking to optimize sales performance and reduce excess inventory.
• Support the development of new product assortments, including roadmaps, style selection, and product launches.
• Collaborate with Marketing to ensure product is accurately represented in all channels, including digital platforms.
• Contribute to cross-functional discussions to ensure product delays and launch timing are communicated effectively to all stakeholders.

Required Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree, preferably in business, retail merchandising, or fashion merchandising.
• 3-5 years of experience in product merchandise buying, with demonstrated success in managing a product category.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to interpret data and drive actionable decisions.
• Acute understanding of brand positioning, customer insights, and fashion trends.
• Ability to collaborate across functions and build strong working relationships.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to multitask, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
• Strong presentation and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Proficiency in Google applications and retail management systems.

Critical Skills & Attributes

• Exceptional ability to analyze data and translate insights into actionable strategies.
• Proven ability to influence cross-functional partners and senior leadership.
• Strong commercial and brand acumen, with a deep understanding of fashion trends and customer behavior.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities and manage through conflict.
• Strong leadership capabilities, with the potential to develop and mentor junior team members
• Bachelor's Degree, preferably in business, retail merchandising, or fashion merchandising.
• 3-5 years of experience in product merchandise buying, with demonstrated success in managing a product category.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to interpret data and drive actionable decisions.
• Acute understanding of brand positioning, customer insights, and fashion trends.
• Ability to collaborate across functions and build strong working relationships.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to multitask, prioritize, and meet deadlines.
• Strong presentation and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Proficiency in Google applications and retail management systems.

If you would like to know more about the California Consumer Privacy Act click here.

Applicants must be currently authorized to work full-time in the United States. PHOENIX does not sponsor applicants for work visas (e.g., H-1B or TN status) for this position.

An equal opportunity employer, PHOENIX does not discriminate in recruiting, hiring or any other terms and conditions of employment hiring on the basis of any federal, state, or locally protected characteristic. PHOENIX only hires individuals authorized for employment in the United States. PHOENIX is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you need an accommodation to search and apply for a job position due to a disability, please call 1-800-964-9793 and say 'Associate Relations' or send an e-mail to [e-mail] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

Notification to Agencies

Please note that PHOENIX does not accept unsolicited resumes or calls from third-party recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed Master Service Agreement and approval from HR to submit resumes for a specific requisition, PHOENIX will not consider or approve payment to any third-parties for hires made.