Senior Merchant - Strategic Sales | Contract until August 2027

lululemon; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 126,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended health and dental benefits

Paid time off

Savings and retirement plan matching

Generous employee discount

Fitness & yoga classes

Parenthood top-up

Development course offerings

Mentorship programs

Job summary

lululemon in Los Angeles is seeking a Senior Regional Merchant who brings deep product expertise and strategic thinking to drive in-season assortment and partner collaborations. You will guide the product strategy, balancing guest needs with profitability across categories.

You will mentor junior team members, lead cross-functional partners, and translate regional guest insights into actionable buys while coordinating seasonal strategy and delivery dates to maximize impact.

Qualifications

• BA/BSc/BBA/BComm or equivalent in Retail/Merchandise Management (asset).
• Minimum eight years Merchandising/Buying experience.
• Coaching and mentoring experience with junior team members.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Excel; familiarity with PO/price management software.
• Strong analytical skills with multi-channel data interpretation.
• Retail math mastery: markup, margin, planning, OTB, inventory productivity.
• Ability to balance analytical and creative tasks.
• Understanding of seasonal performance and driving opportunities through financial indicators.
• Strong product sense and awareness of regional guest trends.
• Ability to lead cross-functional partners and communicate with senior leadership.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Share regional insights with Global Merch to inform strategies.
• Develop season merchandising strategies and channel approaches for all business categories.
• Create ideal product architecture per partner based on Global strategy.
• Build assortments reflecting brand consistency and partner relevance and profitability.
• Manage mens, womens, and accessories assortments and meet capacity targets.
• Collaborate with Planning to execute seasonal buys against goals.
• Create visual assortment views for departments and partners.
• Prepare and present buy reviews with strategies and investments.
• Resolve MOQ issues with Global teams and ensure Buy Ready.
• Complete sizing tasks with team support.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to deliver initiatives.
• Adjust delivery dates to maximize flow during buy cycles.
• Review weekly/monthly/season performance and act on insights.
• Mentor junior team members and lead in the Manager’s absence.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Coaching & mentoring

Strong communication

Retail math & inventory

Cross-functional collaboration

Independent decision making

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Retail/Merchandise Management

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

PO & Price management software

Job description

who we are

lululemon is an innovative performance apparel company for yoga, running, training, and other athletic pursuits. Setting the bar in technical fabrics and functional design, we create transformational products and experiences that support people in moving, growing, connecting, and being well. We owe our success to our innovative product, emphasis on stores, commitment to our people, and the incredible connections we make in every community we're in. As a company, we focus on creating positive change to build a healthier, thriving future. In particular, that includes creating an equitable, inclusive and growth-focused environment for our people.

Requirements

Description & Requirements

who we are

lululemon is an innovative performance apparel company for yoga, running, training, and other athletic pursuits. Setting the bar in technical fabrics and functional design, we create transformational products and experiences that support people in moving, growing, connecting, and being well. We owe our success to our innovative product, emphasis on stores, commitment to our people, and the incredible connections we make in every community we're in. As a company, we focus on creating positive change to build a healthier, thriving future. In particular, that includes creating an equitable, inclusive and growth-focused environment for our people.

About This Team

The Merchandising team creates and executes transformative global product strategies that ensure we have the right assortment in the right place at the right time to fulfill our guests’ unmet needs to deepen our guest relationships, grow our brand and deliver on our long-term enterprise goals. We possess deep awareness and intuition of global marketplace dynamics and regional guest needs and use this knowledge to identify opportunities to maximize guest demand.

a day in the life

The Senior Regional Merchant is responsible for and brings seasoned expertise in delivering partner-specific to the Merchandising and partner team to inform product strategies. The Senior Merchant is a seasoned analytical thinker who can balance foresight, insight, and hindsight to make critical business decisions and will use their expertise to support our partners and works closely with cross-functional partners throughout the product lifecycle for in-season execution and management of the product assortment from buys to partner delivery. The Senior Regional Merchant is an expert in product and has significant impact and influence on the product execution and relationship with our partners. This individual is a master of agility and can adjust the game plan to drive strategy and deliver product intent across all touch points, including buy assortment strategies, graphics support and in season for product at once ordering and support.

The Senior Regional Merchant possesses deep product expertise and experience and is recognized as a subject matter expert and mentor on the team. The Senior Merchant is responsible for coaching, mentoring and guiding junior team members to develop their skills to build functional expertise across the team.

Key Responsibilities

• Share Regional insights (guest, products, market trends) with Global Merch, informing product strategies and partner style needs
• In collaboration with the Manager, develop merchandising strategies and channel approach for the season (department and class) for all business categories
• Develop ideal product architecture for each partner, as informed by Global strategy
• Create product assortment that reflects brand consistency and partner relevance, maximizing profitability and sales across product classes, and key items and franchises
• Manage mens, womens and accessories assortments, ensuring delivery against capacity targets and partner profiles
• Collaborate with Planning to execute seasonal buys against global product and financial goals
• Create Visual assortment view for department and partners
• Prepare and present decks for Buy Reviews (incl. strategies, attributing, investments, flow, etc.)
• Validate buy accuracy, resolving MOQ issues and partnering with Global teams to ensure Buy Ready issues are solved.
• Complete sizing tasks with the support of the team
• Throughout each buy cycle partner with cross functional internal and external partners to execute against initiatives and strategies.
• Prior to and in season, identify changes to targeted delivery dates and recommend options to maximize flow
• Review business each week/month/season, delivering recaps and actions based on insights and inventory composition
• The Senior Merchant, in partnership with the Manager, is responsible for mentoring junior team members. The Senior Merchant is required to coach, mentor and guide the junior team members on their team, to develop skills and build functional expertise across the team.
• The Senior Merchant works in close partnerships with the Manager and assumes Managerial duties in absence of the Manager.

Qualifications, Skills And Experience

• BA, BSc, BBA, BComm (or equivalent), specialized in Retail or Merchandise Management an asset
• Minimum eight years of Merchandising or Buying experience is required. Vertical retail and/or omni channel experience is preferred.
• Experience and proven ability in coaching, mentoring and guiding junior team members
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Program and mastery in excel, proficiency in PO and Price Management software
• Mastery in analytical skills with the ability to interpret multiple data points across numerous channels and market segments
• Mastery of retail mathematics, including elements of markup, margin, planning, open to buy and inventory productivity
• Ability to balance analytical and creative tasks
• Strong understanding of season-to-season business performance and ability to drive business based on key financial indicators in order to maximize business opportunities
• Acute eye for product and color trends
• Aware of macro lifestyle and fashion trends and how this relates to the active and wellness industry
• Strong knowledge of regional guest base in order to curate assortment for geographic region
• Ability to enroll, lead and influence key cross functional partners
• Strong communication skills both written and verbal and demonstrative ability to present to Senior leadership
• Ability to work independently to make sound business decision, and multitask, pivot, prioritize competing tasks and operate in a fast-paced environment
• Willingness to travel (domestic and international) and work on the retail floor

must haves

• Acknowledge the presence of choice in every moment and take personal responsibility for your life.
• Possess an entrepreneurial spirit and continuously innovate to achieve great results.
• Communicate with honesty and kindness and create the space for others to do the same.
• Lead with courage, knowing the possibility of greatness is bigger than the fear of failure.
• Foster connection by putting people first and building trusting relationships.
• Integrate fun and joy as a way of being and working, aka doesn’t take yourself too seriously.

Additional Notes

Please note: Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visa at this time for this role.

Compensation And Benefits Package

lululemon’s compensation offerings are grounded in a pay-for-performance philosophy that recognizes exceptional individual and teamperformance. The typical hiring range for this position is from $125,900 - 165,300 USD annually; the base pay offered is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity. As part of our total rewards offering, permanent employees in this position may be eligible for our competitive annual bonus program and subject to program eligibility requirements.

At Lululemon, Investing In Our People Is a Top Priority. We Believe That When Life Works, Work Works. We Strive To Be The Place Where Inclusive Leaders Come To Develop And Enable All To Be Well. Recognizing Our Teams For Their Performance And Dedication, Other Components Of Our Total Rewards Offerings Include Support Of Career Development, Wellbeing, And Personal Growth

• Extended health and dental benefits, and mental health plans
• Paid time off
• Savings and retirement plan matching
• Generous employee discount
• Fitness & yoga classes
• Parenthood top-up
• Extensive catalog of development course offerings
• People networks, mentorship programs, and leadership series (to name a few)

Note: The incentive programs, benefits, and perks have certain eligibility requirements. The Company reserves the right to alter these incentive programs, benefits, and perks in whole or in part at any time without advance notice.

workplace arrangement

This role is classified as In-Person under our SSC Workplace Policy: In-person collaboration and connection is important to our culture. Work is performed onsite, minimum 4 days per week.