Merchandise Manager

7 Brew Coffee; Springdale (AR); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

7 Brew Coffee seeks a Merchandise Manager to own the apparel and branded merchandise program, turning concepts into in-demand products. You will lead planning, sourcing, purchasing, inventory, and fulfillment across Brand, Creative, Field, Operations, and Finance teams to scale with our rapid growth.

You will forecast demand, negotiate terms, secure timely production, and protect the 7 Brew brand across all details from fabrics to artwork placement.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in apparel, merchandising, product development, sourcing, purchasing, branded merchandise, retail operations, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Own apparel and branded merchandise program, including strategy, planning, and execution.
• Build annual and seasonal apparel plans aligned with launches, events, and openings.
• Develop thoughtful assortments across product categories, sizes, quantities, pricing, and lifecycles.
• Maintain apparel calendar from concepts through ordering, launches, replenishment, and special projects.
• Establish workflows, timelines, and decision points to move projects from idea to delivery.
• Drive continuous improvement of apparel experience to be faster, smarter, and cost-effective.
• Collaborate with Brand and Creative to turn ideas into production-ready products.
• Own product details including garments, fabrics, colors, fit, sizing, decoration methods, packaging, and production requirements.
• Coordinate samples, wear tests, stakeholder feedback, revisions, and approvals.
• Manage vendor relationships, negotiate pricing and lead times, and ensure quality and on-time delivery.
• Forecast demand with historical usage, growth, and seasonality; establish inventory targets.

Skills

Apparel merchandising

Vendor management

Product development

Sourcing & procurement

Inventory planning

Cross-functional collaboration

Forecasting & demand planning

Negotiation

Project management

Job description

7 Brew is a rapidly expanding drive-through beverage experience with over 900+ locations across 38 states in the U.S. We are one of the fastest-growing QSR brands in the world, with plans to open more domestic locations in 2026.

We're passionate about crafting delicious and unique beverages while providing a fast and friendly customer experience. We believe in creating a vibrant and energetic work environment where our team members can thrive and grow.

Our mission is to cultivate kindness one tasty drink at a time.

WHAT'S BREWING IN THIS ROLE...

As the Merchandise Manager, you'll own the strategy and execution of 7 Brew's apparel and branded merchandise program, from the first spark of an idea to the moment the finished product lands in a Brew Crew member's hands.

You'll make sure our people have the right gear at the right time, in the right quantities, and that every piece looks, feels, and performs like 7 Brew.

Working across Brand, Creative, Field, Operations, Finance, and our vendor crew, you'll lead apparel planning, product development, sourcing, purchasing, inventory, and fulfillment. You'll turn creative concepts into products people genuinely want to wear, build systems that can keep pace with our growth, and protect our standards from the first sample through final delivery.

This is a highly cross-functional role for someone with serious apparel instincts and strong operational chops, someone who can spot a great garment, manage a vendor, forecast demand, negotiate pricing, chase down a purchase order, and still know when a color is just not it.

THE FLAVOR YOU ADD...

• Own the 7 Brew apparel and branded merchandise program; build the strategy, processes, and playbook needed to scale as we grow.
• Create annual and seasonal apparel plans aligned with company priorities, launches, events, campaigns, shop openings, and major 7 Brew moments.
• Build thoughtful assortments across product categories, styles, sizes, quantities, price points, and product lifecycles.
• Maintain an apparel calendar from concepts and samples through ordering, launches, replenishment, and special projects.
• Establish clear workflows, timelines, and decision points so projects move efficiently from idea to delivery.
• Continuously improve the apparel experience to make it faster, smarter, more cost-effective, and more 7 Brew.

Product Development & Brand Stewardship

• Partner with Brand and Creative to turn big ideas into apparel people are genuinely excited to wear.
• Translate creative concepts into production-ready products without losing the magic along the way.
• Own product details including garments, fabrics, colors, fit, sizing, decoration methods, artwork placement, packaging, specifications, and production requirements.
• Coordinate samples, wear tests, stakeholder feedback, revisions, and final approvals before production.
• Protect the 7 Brew brand across every logo, graphic, color, placement, and production detail.
• Keep a pulse on apparel, decoration, and workplace-wear trends; bring fresh, relevant ideas to the table.
• Balance style with comfort, durability, functionality, cost, and the realities of everyday Brew Crew life.
• Gather employee and operator feedback to improve fit, quality, selection, availability, and the overall ordering experience.
• Source, evaluate, and manage apparel manufacturers, decorators, distributors, and fulfillment partners.
• Request and evaluate quotes, samples, minimum order quantities, production timelines, capabilities, quality standards, and service levels.
• Negotiate pricing, production terms, lead times, and performance expectations.
• Build strong vendor relationships that feel less like transactions and more like a high-performing crew working toward the same goal.
• Create clear vendor scorecards and expectations for quality, cost, accuracy, communication, and on-time delivery.
• Hold partners accountable to 7 Brew standards and timelines while resolving issues quickly and constructively.
• Partner with vendors to forecast apparel demand using historical usage, company growth, employee and shop counts, seasonality, planned launches, and special initiatives.
• Establish inventory targets, safety-stock levels, and reorder points that keep the right gear flowing without creating a mountain of leftovers.
• Monitor inventory by SKU, style, color, size, and location.
• Identify slow-moving, excess, or at-risk inventory early and develop plans before it becomes a bigger problem.
• Review demand and inventory performance regularly to improve forecast accuracy over time.
• Balance availability with financial discipline - because running out of the good stuff is bad, but sitting on a warehouse full of it isn't exactly the dream either.
• Manage purchase orders from internal approval through production, shipment, receipt, and final delivery.
• Partner with vendors and internal teams to keep production, freight, warehousing, and fulfillment moving.
• Track critical milestones closely and flag delays, risks, and issues before they become surprises.
• Resolve quality, quantity, invoicing, and delivery discrepancies quickly and thoroughly.
• Coordinate distribution to shops, teams, events, and fulfillment partners.
• Keep stakeholders informed about what's coming, when it's arriving, and what to do with it once it gets there.

MUST-HAVE INGREDIENTS...

• 3+ years of experience in apparel, merchandising, product development, sourcing, purchasing, procurement, branded merchandise, retail operations, or a related field.
• Hands-on experience managing vendors, product timelines, and purchase orders.
• Strong organizational, planning, and project-management skills.
• Ability to juggle multiple products, deadlines, vendors, and stakeholders without dropping the ball.
• A sharp eye for detail, especially when it comes to product specifications, quantities, sizing, pricing, quality, and brand standards.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to turn data into practical inventory and purchasing decisions.
• Clear communication skills and the confidence to keep partners aligned, surface risks, and drive decisions.
• Comfort working in a fast-moving, high-growth environment where priorities can shift and the answer isn't always sitting neatly in a spreadsheet.
• A genuine interest in apparel, product, culture, and what makes people excited to wear something.

BONUS...

• Experience owning an apparel or merchandise program across a multi-location organization.
• Experience in a high-growth retail, restaurant, hospitality, or franchise environment.
• Experience supporting e-commerce apparel or merchandise programs, including online assortments, product launches, fulfillment, or store operations.
• Knowledge of apparel manufacturing, garment construction, fabrics, fit, screen printing, embroidery, and other decoration methods.
• Experience with inventory, ERP, procurement, product-development, or merchandise-management systems.
• Familiarity with demand planning, size curves, inventory turns, landed costs, and vendor performance metrics.
• The ability to look at a blank hoodie and immediately have 7 ideas for what it could become.

Why Join 7 Brew?

At 7 Brew, you'll be part of one of the fastest-growing QSR brands in the U.S. You'll have the chance to build an apparel program that brings together brand, creativity, product, inventory, vendor partnerships, financial discipline, and operational execution.

This isn't just about ordering shirts.

It's about building culture people can wear.

It's about making sure the Brew Crew feels like the Brew Crew.

And it's about putting a little more drip in the drive-thru.