Merchandising Associate, Product Strategy & Development

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

401(k) match

Flexible PTO

Wellhub membership

Parental leave

Job summary

HYBE America is seeking a creative Merchandising Associate, Product Strategy & Development for a hybrid role in Santa Monica. The candidate will blend product development with B2B/B2C sales, translating fan culture into compelling merchandise strategies to grow HYBE’s North American presence.

The role requires collaboration with Korea HQ, support for various channels, and a strong eye for trends, pricing, and production feasibility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required or equivalent.
• 3+ years of experience in fashion, wholesale, music, entertainment, or fandom-driven consumer products.
• Bilingual proficiency in Korean and English is required.

Responsibilities

• Support product development and assortment planning for retail, wholesale, and collaboration opportunities.
• Coordinate with internal teams and HQ in Korea on concept development and briefs.
• Monitor schedules and ensure on-time delivery and regulatory compliance.
• Assist in sales forecasting, pricing, and revenue planning to drive profitability and sell-through.
• Onboard new retailers and manage vendor communications across channels in North America.

Skills

Bilingual Korean/English

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration, marketing, design, merchandising, product development, or consumer product strategy

Job description

HYBE America 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 America, 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 America 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.***