Interim Merchandising Lead, Brands

Princeton University Retail; Princeton (NJ); On-site; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Princeton University Retail seeks an experienced merchandising professional to support its Brands business across stores, ecommerce, and pop-up retail, handling licensed and nonlicensed merchandise.

The temporary assignment focuses on maintaining product availability, managing inventory and receiving, and advancing existing programs in collaboration with the CEO and team, requiring quick prioritization and strong vendor coordination.

Qualifications

• Experience in retail merchandising, buying, or merchandise planning.
• Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Excel, NetSuite, and Shopify.
• Experience with apparel, accessories, gifts, or related specialty retail categories; licensed merchandise experience.
• Ability to become productive quickly, manage competing priorities, and complete detailed work accurately.
• Clear communication, practical judgment, and a collaborative approach in a small team.

Responsibilities

• Manage inventory and replenishment. Review selling and stock positions, identify replenishment needs, and recommend timely action on shortages and slowmoving merchandise.
• Maintain purchasing and receipt discipline. Review open orders, purchase commitments, and delivery schedules. Coordinate with Finance and Operations to align receipts with opentobuy, business needs, and available capacity.
• Turn analysis into action. Evaluate merchandise performance across products, price points, locations, and channels. Recommend replenishment, transfers, order adjustments, and markdowns to improve sales and inventory productivity.
• Advance vendor and product followup. Keep approved product development, samples, submissions, orders, and deliveries moving. Resolve discrepancies and communicate any risks or decisions that require attention.
• Support coordinated execution. Work with Brands, Ecommerce, Marketing, and Operations to prepare merchandise for launches, events, and ongoing selling. Maintain clear priorities and dependable followthrough across concurrent assignments.

Skills

Merchandising

Inventory management

Vendor management

Data analysis

Communication

Tools

Excel

NetSuite

Shopify

Job description

Princeton University Retail seeks an experienced merchandising professional to support its Brands business across stores, ecommerce, and pop-up retail, handling licensed and nonlicensed merchandise.

The temporary assignment focuses on maintaining product availability, managing inventory and receiving, and advancing existing programs in collaboration with the CEO and team, requiring quick prioritization and strong vendor coordination.