Merchandising Associate, Product Strategy & Development

HYBE AMERICA; Santa Monica (CA); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Company 401(k) match up to 5%

Flexible paid time off

Life insurance

Wellhub gym access

Parental leave policies

Job summary

HYBE Americas is seeking a creative Merchandising Associate, Product Strategy & Development to join our team in Santa Monica. This hybrid role blends product development, B2B/B2C sales, and project management to translate fan culture into compelling merchandise strategies that drive growth.

You will collaborate with internal teams and HQ in Korea, manage timelines, pricing, and partnerships, and help expand HYBE’s merchandise footprint across North America.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, design, merchandising, product development, or consumer product strategy.
• 3+ years in fashion, wholesale, music, entertainment, or fandom-driven consumer products.
• Strong understanding of retail channels, pricing, margins, and account management.

Responsibilities

• Support product development and assortment planning for retail, wholesale, and collaboration opportunities.
• Assist in ideation, briefs, and vendor coordination for merchandise projects.
• Monitor schedules, pricing, and profitability across channels including D2C and wholesale.
• Evaluate new business opportunities and manage retailer onboarding and deal terms.
• Coordinate communication with retailers, vendors, and internal teams to ensure on-time delivery.

Skills

Bilingual (Korean & English)

Communication skills

Relationship management

Project management

Retail partner experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business/marketing/design/merchandising/product development

Job description

HYBE Americas is part of HYBE, a global leader at the intersection of music, entertainment, and technology. We represent some of the world’s most influential artists and continue to expand our creative and cultural impact across the Americas. At HYBE, we believe in the power of music and foster a culture built on Passion, Autonomy, and Trust.

Position Overview

We are seeking a creative and highly motivated Merchandising Associate, Product Strategy & Development to join our team. This multifaceted position requires a dynamic professional who can seamlessly integrate product development expertise, B2B/B2C sales acumen, and effective project management skills. The ideal candidate combines creative intuition with sharp business acumen, translating fandom culture into compelling merchandise strategies that drive growth and strengthen HYBE’s presence in North America.

This is a full-time, hybrid role based in our Santa Monica office, with in-person collaboration 3 days per week and remote work 2 days per week. Candidates must be based in or willing to relocate to the greater Los Angeles area at their own expense prior to their start date — we are not offering relocation assistance for this role, though it may be considered on a case-by-case basis for select candidates.

Key Responsibilities

Product Development

• Support product development and assortment planning for retail, wholesale, and collaboration opportunities, ensuring concepts align with artist positioning, retailer fit, price point, trends, and commercial potential.
• Participate in ideation sessions and concept development for each project, working closely with internal teams and HQ in Korea.
• Provide materials for creative briefs and spec references for designers and vendors, and assist during photoshoots to ensure accurate visual representation of merchandise.
• Collaborate in the creation of product line plans that balance hero items, price point variety, category diversity, and production feasibility.
• Monitor sample and production schedules, and flag for leadership any risks to on-time delivery or compliance with import/export regulations.
• Support sales forecasting, pricing, and revenue planning to ensure profitability and sell-through targets across all channels (mass retail, Weverse, D2C, wholesale, specialty, tour, pop-up).
• Assist in evaluating new business opportunities, including distribution partnerships, wholesale accounts, and licensing arrangements that expand HYBE’s merchandise footprint in North America.
• Coordinate commercial discussions and manage the preparation of deal sheets; maintain internal trackers for key deal terms, margins, allowances, and contract pipeline status.
• Serve as a point of contact for new retailer onboarding, managing end-to-end communication regarding vendor setup, assortment, pricing, pitch decks, timelines, approvals, and compliance.
• Monitor sales performance, consumer trends, and competitive benchmarks, leveraging insights to recommend actionable strategies for product mix, market entry, and future growth

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, design, merchandising, product development, or consumer product strategy.
• 3+ years of experience within fashion, wholesale, music, entertainment, or fandom driven consumer products.
• Bilingual proficiency in Korean and English is required.
• Experience working with retail partners, wholesale accounts, or brand collaboration partners.
• Strong understanding of retail channels, wholesale pricing, margin structure, assortment planning, cost structure, product positioning, and account management.
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills with both internal and external stakeholders.
• Highly organized with strong project management and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Salary Range

The salary range for this job is $85,000-$90,000 annually. This is a good faith effort at the time of posting. This range is base salary only and does not include benefits and any other compensatory components of the role.

Why Join Us

At HYBE Americas, you’ll play a pivotal role in shaping the voice and reputation of one of the most dynamic and innovative companies in global entertainment. You’ll work with some of the world’s most exciting artists and help tell the stories that define culture. We back our passion for music with benefits that take care of you, so you can bring your best to the work that inspires millions.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Company 401(k) match up to 5%
• Flexible paid time off
• FSA
• Life insurance
• Wellhub membership that gives you access to gyms and fitness studios
• Excellent parental leave policies

***HYBE Americas is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.***