Merchandise Manager

Maxima Apparel; Village of Westbury (NY); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Maxima Apparel in New York is seeking a Merchandising Manager to guide end-to-end merchandising strategy and assortment architecture. You will lead an offshore team, develop line plans, and align with Design, Planning, Sales, and Marketing to drive growth and margins.

The role requires global coordination, rigorous analysis, and hands-on collaboration across time zones, with five days on-site in the office. A strong background in PLM/ERP and Excel is essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Business, Fashion, or a related field.
• 5+ years of merchandising experience, preferably with global or multi-region responsibilities.
• Proven leadership experience, including managing offshore teams.
• Strong analytical skills and business acumen; highly proficient in Excel and merchandising systems (PLM/ERP).
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while balancing strategic initiatives with day-to-day execution.
• Strong product sensibility and understanding of consumer/market dynamics.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop an offshore merchandising team with clear priorities and milestones.
• Build multi-season product strategies aligned to brand vision and financial goals.
• Own line architecture, SKU strategy, and productivity targets across categories.
• Collaborate with Design, Sales, and Marketing to deliver compelling assortments and go-to-market stories.
• Lead analyses and seasonal reviews, using data to shape future line direction and actions.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Excel proficiency

Merchandising systems

Communication & collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Business, Fashion, or related field

Tools

PLM/ERP systems

Job description

The Merchandising Manager is responsible for leading the end-to-end merchandising strategy, driving assortment architecture, and ensuring category growth through consumer-right product. This role manages the full product lifecycle—from seasonal concepting to in-market performance—and acts as a key cross-functional leader partnering with Design, Planning, product development, Sales, and Marketing.

A core responsibility of this position is to lead and develop an offshore merchandising team, ensuring global alignment, consistent tools and processes, and flawless execution of seasonal milestones. The Merchandising Manager provides strategic guidance, builds merchandising frameworks, and ensures productivity, margin, and revenue goals are met across categories.

This is a full-time, on-site role requiring five days per week in the office, with close in-person collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Management

• Lead, coach, and develop an offshore merchandising team, ensuring clear priorities, workload balance, and operational excellence.
• Establish best-in-class processes across global teams, ensuring consistency in line planning, item setup, and milestone delivery.
• Provide continuous training, feedback, and career development for both onshore and offshore team members.
• Act as a cultural and communication bridge between global offices, ensuring alignment across time zones and departments.

Product Strategy & Line Architecture

• Build multi-season product strategies aligned to brand vision, financial goals, and consumer insights.
• Own the seasonal line architecture, SKU strategy, and style-level productivity targets across assigned categories.
• Develop line plans, product briefs, and strategic merchandising tools that inform Design and product development
• Identify white spaces, growth drivers, and margin opportunities through competitive analysis and market trends.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work with Design to ensure product feasibility, value engineering, and alignment to brand aesthetic.
• Align with Sales and Marketing to deliver compelling assortments, go-to-market stories, and customer-specific needs.

Business Analysis & Reporting

• Lead hindsight analyses, seasonal business reviews, and assortment recaps to inform future line direction.
• Leverage consumer data, sales analytics, and market research to shape assortment strategies.
• Monitor in-season performance to identify risks and opportunities; recommend actions such as rebuys, markdown mitigation, and assortment shifts.

Operational Excellence

• Oversee the accuracy and timeliness of PLM/ERP data, item setup
• Ensure the offshore team consistently meets calendar deadlines and delivers complete, accurate merchandising materials.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Business, Fashion, or a related field.
• 5+ years of merchandising experience, preferably with global or multi-region responsibilities.
• Proven leadership experience, including managing offshore teams
• Strong analytical skills and business acumen; highly proficient in Excel and merchandising systems (PLM/ERP).
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and presentation skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while balancing strategic initiatives with day-to-day execution.
• Strong product sensibility and understanding of consumer/market dynamics.