ASSOCIATE MERCHANT JOB DESCRIPTION TEMPLATE

An assortment that misses the season costs more than margin - it costs the brand a story. The Associate Merchant owns the product assortment decisions that keep a fashion label commercially grounded and trend-credible at the same time, working within the sub-category structure of a broader merchandising team. Seasonal line plans, classification-level hindsighting, and Product Brief development are the operating currency of this role. It demands equal comfort reading a sell-through report and walking a competitor's floor.

As the Associate Merchant, you translate sales performance data, competitive intelligence, and brand direction into assortment decisions that meet seasonal financial targets for your assigned categories. You report to a Merchant or Senior Merchant and collaborate daily with Design, Planning, and Sourcing to keep line plans current, samples organized, and milestone calendars on track.

Career Impact: Building ownership of a sub-category in branded apparel gives you documented P&L exposure and classification-level decision-making authority that distinguishes your buying record from coordinator-track experience.

Business Impact: The seasonal assortment you shape determines which products reach the selling floor, directly influencing sell-through rate, markdown depth, and gross margin for the categories you manage.

Growth Opportunity: Associate Merchants who develop strong retail math fluency and PLM proficiency within apparel typically advance to full Merchant roles with expanded category ownership and vendor negotiation authority.

• Develop seasonal assortment strategies by analyzing sales hindsights, classification trends, and competitive market data to define product attributes for each category.
• Build and maintain line plans, assortment sheets, and SKU lists to support milestone calendar deadlines across pre-season and in-season cycles.
• Create Product Briefs that communicate assortment gaps, category needs, and directional rationale to Design and Sourcing partners.
• Analyze weekly sales and margin performance data, identify upside opportunities and markdown risks, and present recommended actions to the Merchant.
• Coordinate sample management including requests, tracking, organization, and feedback to support product review meetings and line adoption.
• Partner with Planning, Sourcing, and Design teams cross-functionally to align on key item strategies, costing flow, and delivery timing.
• Monitor competitor assortments, pricing structures, and promotional cadences to inform brand positioning within assigned classifications.
• Support meeting preparation including report compilation, presentation drafting, and follow-up documentation to advance category strategy.

• Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Fashion Merchandising, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 2 or more years of merchandising, buying, or retail planning experience, with demonstrated sub-category or classification ownership.
• Proficiency in retail math including sell-through rate, IMU, margin analysis, and open-to-buy calculations.
• Ability to synthesize sales performance data, competitive intelligence, and trend information into actionable assortment recommendations.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent deadlines across seasonal calendar milestones.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills with the ability to present category findings to cross-functional stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with Design, Planning, and Sourcing partners in a structured milestone environment.
• Acute awareness of fashion and consumer trends with the ability to evaluate product viability against brand positioning and target customer profile.

• Experience supporting or owning Product Brief development and coordinating new product development paperwork across a branded fashion organization.
• Familiarity with PLM systems and the ability to maintain data integrity across style setup, line changes, and system updates.
• Prior experience conducting competitive patterning and translating findings into specific assortment or pricing recommendations.
• Exposure to omni-channel retail metrics including e-commerce sell-through and regional assortment performance variation.

• Seasonal financial plan attainment, measured as actual vs. budgeted sales and margin by category.
• Markdown rate per category, reflecting the accuracy of initial assortment and buy quantity decisions.
• On-time milestone adherence rate, tracking line plan and Product Brief submissions against the corporate calendar.
• Sell-through rate by classification, measuring how well assortment choices matched actual consumer demand.
• Sample organization accuracy and on-time availability rate for product review sessions.
• Typical tools: spreadsheet and planning software (commonly Excel); PLM systems (commonly used for style setup and line management).

• Base Salary Range: $55,000 to $75,000 annually, depending on experience and market.
• Bonus: Annual performance bonus, typically 5 to 10% of base salary.
• Equity: Not typical at this level; may be offered at larger publicly traded retailers.
• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer contribution standard.
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually, plus standard company holidays.
• Common Perks: Employee merchandise discount, professional development budget, sample sale access.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process in accordance with applicable law. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Employment in this role is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.

The Associate Merchant owns the product assortment strategy alongside the Senior Merchant, delivering financial goals for the division by generating in-season financial reporting, identifying sales upside, and recommending actions to increase sales and reduce markdowns. Working with cross-functional partners across Sourcing, Design, Planning, and Marketing, the Associate Merchant shapes purchase decisions across quantities, sizes, color, and assortment to drive both top and bottom line growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Achieve or exceed financial plans seasonally and annually.
• Develop a strategic view of the assortment with defined key product attributes in collaboration with the Assortment Planner and Planner.
• Collaborate with Merchants and Designers to deliver a brand-right assortment, identifying growth and decline opportunities by classification based on historic and market trends.
• Establish and build strong cross-functional relationships including Sourcing & Production, Tech, Design, Planning & Allocation, eCommerce, Visual, and Marketing.
• Maintain daily operational functions including order management, price changes, sample organization, meeting prep, and all associated spreadsheets.
• Be the expert in competitive intelligence regarding other retailers' assortment, pricing, and promotional strategy in comparison to EXPRESS.
• Understand brand positioning and target customer to aid in the selection of commercially viable product.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree preferably in Business, Retail Merchandising, or Fashion Merchandising.
• 3–5 years of related work experience in Merchandise Buying.
• Broad-based business acumen with the potential to grow to the Merchant level.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with ability to take analysis to measurable action in a timely fashion.
• Acute fashion sense with proven talent to envision and interpret fashion trends; ability to manage through conflict and problem-solve.
• Systems and computer savvy including Microsoft Office Applications.
• Exceptional written, oral, and presentation skills with strong organizational and multi-tasking abilities; exceptional leadership capabilities with ability to influence cross-functional partners and develop talent.
• Must be accurate, proactive, display a sense of urgency, and anticipate next steps.

Reporting to the Merchant, the Associate Merchant supports creation and execution of merchandise strategy for assigned Grandinroad categories by analyzing weekly data, managing day-to-day business activities, and developing focused product assortments that meet financial goals. Partnering with Design, Planning, Sourcing, and E-Comm teams, the Associate Merchant delivers sales and profit results while maintaining competitive intelligence across the category.

Primary Duties

• Support the Merchant in driving assortment strategy and developing and executing business strategy for the department and subcategories based on brand knowledge, customer understanding, and competitive analysis.
• Develop understanding of the connection between financial strategies and related merchandise objectives; work cross-functionally to align on key collection and item strategy with Planning and Sourcing.
• Develop a unique, proprietary, and focused product assortment that delivers on quality, excites customers, and meets financial goals for assigned categories.
• Partner with Design throughout product development and may develop product directly with vendor partners.
• Drive financial results by partnering with Planning, E-Comm merchants, and the Merchant; coordinate products for style out and asset creation to deliver inspiring whole-home looks.
• Analyze data weekly, share results and insights, recommend and oversee follow-up actions.
• Support meeting preparation, sample management, report evaluation, and analysis while sharing POV and recommendations to mitigate risk and maximize opportunity.
• Manage assigned day-to-day business activities, respond to current trends, and become the expert in competitive intelligence for categories.

Skills & Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Merchandising or related field, or Associate's Degree and equivalent experience.
• Extremely detail-oriented and organized with ability to function in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment with a sense of urgency.
• Ability to comprehend and apply complex information and concentrate for prolonged periods.
• Ability to conduct oral presentations and operate general office equipment stationed between 3–4 feet high.
• Ability to travel daily/overnight, take on-call shifts, and work overtime as required.

Sitting at the intersection of retail merchandising and fitness club operations, the Associate Merchant assists in day-to-day merchandising activities at 24 Hour Fitness locations by maintaining product assortment, coordinating samples, and reviewing sales data to make assortment recommendations. Operating across marketing, fitness, retail operations, and planning teams, the Associate Merchant ensures advertising and partnership projects are executed and tracked in alignment with retail strategy.

Duties

• Input item and vendor setups and perform SKU maintenance within inventory management system and internal tracking templates.
• Maintain SKU/vendor setups, price management, and assortment files in SKU database and Excel.
• Organize and attend vendor meetings, provide recaps, and own assigned follow-up tasks.
• Coordinate the sample management process including requests, tracking, field coordination, and feedback organization.
• Update internal merchandising decks and marketing calendars with relevant initiatives.
• Partner cross-functionally to ensure product, merchandising, and assortment activities are approved and communicated through relevant channels.
• Continuously research relevant marketplace trends to assist with product and launch strategies.
• Develop effective relationships with vendors and follow up on open business issues as directed by Partnership Manager.
• Prepare and disseminate business performance reports and provide ad hoc reporting and analysis as needed.
• Work with Partnerships Manager and Planning Manager to analyze data and make short- and long-term assortment and partnership decisions; assist in performing in-season and post-season analysis.

Education & Experience

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent; BA degree preferred.
• 2+ years in a comparable administrative or coordinator role within a team environment; junior-level experience in retail buying, procurement, or category management preferred.
• Proficient in retail math and basic principles of retail purchasing and merchandising.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; familiarity with MicroStrategy and Mi9 a plus.
• Self-starter with strong communication, time-management, and relationship-building skills; proactive and analytical.
• Ability to balance priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced, changing environment.
• Previous negotiation experience is a plus.
• Must be able to lift 30 lbs or more for samples; light domestic travel required.

Embedded within a Merchandising Category team, the Associate Merchant manages daily business operations including vendor correspondence, SKU setup, and seasonal assortment sheet updates to keep the division on track toward company goals. Working closely with planning and sourcing partners, the Associate Merchant builds retail math fluency and merchant skills by taking ownership of a sub-category and supporting cross-functional deadlines.

Core Functions

• Build and update seasonal assortment sheets, line plans, and item SKU lists.
• Manage daily correspondence with vendors including project management, sample ordering, and communicating concerns.
• Own new item set-up, accurate product information gathering, and price changes.
• Assist in proofing product copy, catalog layouts, and website for seasonal launches.
• Perform sales, margin, and returns reporting and analyze the information accurately.
• Become knowledgeable about market trends and competitors' products; attend domestic trade shows as applicable.
• Develop understanding of building a competitive merchandise assortment aligned with customer needs and brand positioning.
• Build understanding of retail math, merchandise-driven financials, and their applications; grow knowledge of product development, sourcing, and quality.
• Develop merchant skills by taking ownership of a sub-category and keeping the team on task to meet deadlines.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Merchandising or related field, or Associate's Degree and equivalent experience.
• 1–3 years of merchandising experience with demonstrable success.
• Ability to manage programs, processes, and projects with minimal direction.
• Shows leadership and problem-solving capabilities; ability to work as a team.
• Ability to function in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
• Proficient in Word, Excel, and Outlook.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to push, pull, and lift a minimum of 25 lbs.

A key member of the merchandising organization, the Associate Merchant builds and executes category strategies for hard surface flooring, carrying full profit and loss responsibility while reporting to a Merchandising Vice President, Senior Merchant, or Merchant. Collaborating across inventory, marketing, and planning teams, the Associate Merchant negotiates vendor terms, sets retail pricing, and drives both regional assortment and promotional strategies to establish the company as an industry leader.

Accountabilities

• Establish overall company-wide strategies for the category to maximize sales and margin and ensure industry leadership.
• Achieve budgeted targets for sales and margin in respective product categories.
• Be an industry expert with thorough and technical knowledge of products, industry, vendors, competition, and trends.
• Create best-in-class product assortments to maximize regional sales through direct sourcing and domestic vendors, ensuring good/better/best product coverage.
• Successfully negotiate lowest prices and best terms; set core retail prices aligned with company-wide pricing strategies.
• Develop successful vendor partnerships to create long-term strategic relationships and continuous improvement.
• Partner with Senior Director Regional Merchandising to execute best assortments by store and market; work with Inventory team to improve turns and in-stocks.
• Work with marketing team to set core product and price promotional strategies including special purchases, new launches, and promotions.
• Work with planners on all category forecasts and margin analysis; provide input on visual display, signage, training materials, and new product communication.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing and/or Merchandising preferred; relevant experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis.
• Three years of relevant experience required, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strategic thinker with proven ability to recognize, influence, and maximize market trends.
• Proven track record of buying and inventory management experience with effective negotiation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel.
• Strong leadership, planning, communication, and organizational skills; must be analytical, detail-oriented, and highly organized.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (verbal and written); ability to multi-task and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Category sales growth and brand execution depend on the Assistant Merchant, who supports the Merchant in executing brand strategies, managing product assortment, and driving 360-degree launch plans across a beauty retail category. Based within the merchandising team and collaborating with Planning, field teams, DotCa, and Sephora US partners, the Assistant Merchant handles SKU creation, planogram management, and vendor negotiations to deliver category goals.

Areas of Ownership

• Conduct detailed weekly and monthly sales analysis on current business trends and brand and product performance.
• Manage brand assortments including productivity and timeliness of updates for brand portfolio.
• Assist the Merchant in the creation and execution of brand and product strategies; handle vendor negotiations for testers, damages, Return to Vendor (RTV), and samples.
• Support the Merchant to source and identify new business opportunities to optimize category growth.
• Review and approve all in-store brand visual elements and manage planograms for multi-branded spaces; provide visual merchandising recommendations to brands to drive higher sales and productivity.
• Support the Merchant to create robust 360-degree launch strategies for key brands and products to secure exclusive leads and drive category sales growth.
• Responsible for SKU creation and maintenance, Invoice Review Queue, and markdown chargeback process.
• Partner with Planning team to manage inventory and sales forecasting and with DotCa and Sephora US.
• Provide support to field teams with category-related issues; maintain department records and assist with general administration, reporting, analysis, and sample procurement and management.

Professional Experience

• Bachelor's degree or college diploma in Retail Management or related field; MBA is an asset.
• 2–3 years of experience as a buyer, merchandiser, or planner for a major retailer.
• Strong understanding of the Canadian marketplace, vendor organization, and Canadian cosmetic industry including Health Canada regulations.
• Technically savvy with experience using merchant systems and MS Office suite; mastery of negotiation.
• Creative thinker with strong analytical skills, entrepreneurial spirit, and ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Fluently bilingual in French and English (written and spoken) is an asset.

As the Associate Merchant, this role builds commercial and managerial skills through hands-on work across capacity management, merchandising, trading, and risk management within the cocoa market, paired with a Commercial Productline Manager. The commercial team relies on this work to execute day-to-day activities, analyze production opportunities to maximize margin, and resolve moderately complex issues with minimal supervision.

Role Responsibilities

• Collaborate with transportation and logistics, quality assurance, and customer sales to ensure efficient execution.
• Execute day-to-day commercial activities with minimal supervision and willingness to take accountability.
• Analyze data and advise on commercial decisions based on analysis.
• Research and analyze various production opportunities to maximize margin.
• Work directly with sales managers and business counterparts to meet needs and resolve problems and complaints.
• Independently solve moderately complex issues with minimal supervision while escalating more complex issues to appropriate staff.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of two years of work experience.
• Comfortable with mental arithmetic; strong analytical skills with high attention to detail.
• Able to build and maintain complex models in MS Excel.
• Creative, self-motivated, confident, and eager to learn with good listening skills.
• Able to build and leverage relationships with various stakeholders using convincing and influencing skills.
• Able to digest information from a variety of formal and informal sources and synthesize into a coherent story; comfortable dealing with ambiguity.
• Challenge taker willing to take ownership and be accountable for own decisions; other minimum qualifications may apply.

Associate Merchant delivers category performance insights and promotional program support across a grocery retail organization, working collaboratively with colleagues in merchandising, operations, finance, supply chain, loyalty, e-commerce, marketing, and media. Success in the position means vendors are effectively onboarded and supported, assortment plans are accurately maintained, and the Category Director receives timely financial analysis to drive category growth.

What You'll Do

• Work collaboratively with colleagues in merchandising, operations, finance, control brands, supply chain, loyalty, e-commerce, marketing, media, and other divisions to achieve category objectives.
• Build trusted relationships with category vendors and external partners.
• Provide support to Merchant(s) in promotional program execution including data entry, data integrity management, flyer and digital and in-store advertising accuracy, vendor income collection, inventory management, store communications, and retail pricing.
• Use data and analytics to provide Merchant(s) and Category Director with timely insights on category performance and ad hoc inquiries.
• Support Merchant(s) and Category Director in product assortment planning and coordinating seasonal planogram executions including data entry, data integrity management, and ad hoc reporting.
• Support the Category Director in managing financial activity of the category; collaborate with Merchants, vendors, and finance team to investigate and resolve income inquiries.
• Support vendors in navigating onboarding, vendor transition, and cost change processes.
• Attend and participate in vendor program meetings and costing negotiations; participate in evaluating new private label products and platform innovations.

Requirements

• Post-secondary education or equivalent experience.
• Experience in retail sales or merchandising.
• Financial, business, and retail knowledge.
• Experience using data and analytics to derive insights.
• Skills in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams with comfort working across various software platforms.
• Curious and entrepreneurial mindset with ability to influence without authority and collaborate productively with diverse teams.

The Associate Merchant owns SKU setup, product information integrity, and catalog proofing across all departments, acting as the central conduit of information, materials, and samples to cross-functional teams. Working with Planning, Merch Ops, and Gallery partners, the Associate Merchant supports assortment strategy input and financial review participation to ensure product data accuracy from development through web launch.

Key Deliverables

• Act as a conduit of information, materials, and samples to all cross-functional teams.
• Perform SKU item setup and maintenance for all departments; maintain product information integrity across various systemic interfaces.
• Manage all price changes in partnership with Planning and Merch Ops; initiate requests and follow up on packaging, signage, and collateral for each product.
• Compile product information and assembly instructions for all new products; research, respond to, and resolve customer requests and service feedback.
• Participate in the proofing process of catalog and web content including naming, copy, dimensions, and images; proof website for copy and SKU accuracy and submit issue fix requests.
• Offer input to product assortment strategy; gain understanding of forecasting and participate in financial review meetings.
• Stay informed on customer trends, competitive pricing strategies, and attend weekly PD meetings.
• Compile and maintain product allocation lists for Galleries; manage Gallery Design Atelier needs and facilitate photo sample requests including tracking, receiving, and logging.

Background & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in a related discipline with 2–3 years of relevant work experience.
• Knowledge of product design and construction; knowledge of domestic and offshore suppliers and cost of goods.
• Proficiency with MS Office applications including Word and Excel.
• Strong organizational skills with high degree of flexibility, initiative, and ability to multi-task and prioritize.
• Excellent communication skills; self-starting, proactive, and comfortable in a feedback-oriented and collaborative environment.

Associate Merchant develops and manages line structure in partnership with a manager to drive sales growth across an apparel business, taking ownership of a defined portion of the business while mentoring the Assistant Merchant. The work directly supports cross-functional collaboration with sourcing, design, forecasting, sales, and buying teams, enabling accurate PLM system maintenance and timely milestone delivery.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Partner with manager to develop and manage line structure to drive sales growth; obtain ownership of a portion within the business.
• Analyze business performance and report on key findings and opportunities with strong awareness of the competitive landscape.
• Manage all corporate calendar deadlines and support manager with prep for all milestone meetings.
• Support assistant merchant with style setup in PLM; maintain strong attention to detail and keep up with line changes in the system.
• Organize and manage all samples; develop and maintain strong relationships with cross-functional teams including sourcing, design, forecasting, sales, and buying.
• Fill in and perform key tasks of manager and team members as needed; mentor and support Assistant Merchant with daily tasks.
• Identify new trends, assist with special projects as assigned, and travel to stores for market knowledge.

Knowledge Skills & Abilities

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 2+ years of merchandising, buying, or similar work experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of retail metrics, sales, and supervisory and decision-making responsibilities.
• Strong system knowledge with ability to use Excel and PowerPoint; detail-oriented and independently able to prioritize and manage workload.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with ability to collaborate cross-functionally, lead a team, and deliver strong presentations.
• Ability to organize and maintain sample closet.

The Associate Merchant shapes Japan assortment strategy for Canada Goose by analyzing internal metrics, competitor marketplaces, and regional channel data to create Product Briefs and line plans that meet financial targets. Partnering with Planning, regional teams, and the broader Product Team, the Associate Merchant upholds brand integrity across categories while keeping assortment planning files current and meeting all corporate calendar milestones.

Scope of Work

• Create the assortment strategy based on analysis of internal metrics and the competitor marketplace; support the build of Japan assortments that are brand-first to achieve financial targets.
• Support long-term growth strategies for assigned categories aligned with overall Product Team goals and Japan financial targets.
• Partner closely with the Planning department and regional team to ensure optimal product mix.
• Identify assortment opportunities and create Product Briefs that communicate category needs and direction to the Design Team.
• Utilize advanced knowledge of the Canada Goose consumer, competition, market trends, retail and omni-channel realities, and analytics to provide long-term vision and framework for line plans.
• Support category strategies by providing data analysis, summaries, and financial models with a close eye on trend, market, influencers, and culture.
• Collect sales hindsights regularly; analyze data to identify regional and channel-specific needs and opportunities and present insights to the Product Team.
• Meet all key milestones and deadlines; uphold brand filter and product integrity across categories.
• Support delegated projects cross-functionally; keep all assortment planning files and tools accurate and up to date.

Position Requirements

• 3+ years in positions offering relevant merchandising experience for a similar category.
• Strong sense of style with deep understanding of trends, influencers, and culture; passionate about Canada Goose and product possibilities.
• Strategic planning and competitive analysis abilities; able to read and interpret sales performance; strong retail math training.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office with emphasis on PowerPoint, Excel, and Word; must be able to utilize and master internal software systems including PLM.
• Excellent communication skills (written, oral, presentation) with ability to work collaboratively across multiple departments.
• Natural leader who can drive different projects successfully; influential team member who drives ideas around product creation.
• Relaxed and positive even under tight timelines; thinks outside the box and strives to improve current ways of working.
• Fluent in Japanese is a benefit.
• Interest in the overall business and merchandising.

Reporting to the Senior Merchant, the Associate Merchant supports execution of creative product development and seasonal line plans for specific beauty categories by coordinating new development projects, conducting costing analysis, and managing competitive intelligence. Partnering with Commercialization Services, cross-functional teams, and store associates, the Associate Merchant enables on-time product launches and delivers data-driven insights that support sales and profit growth.

Job Functions

• Work alongside Senior Merchant on growth-driving brand strategy and planning including new product development, pricing, promotions, sampling, associate education, competitive patterning, performance analysis, and hindsighting.
• Support the creation of internal presentations for executives and cross-functional teams from concept brainstorming through drafting and meeting prep.
• Accurately coordinate new development projects including process paperwork such as Project Initiation Forms, Design Requests, Product Briefs, sampling, and gift sets.
• Conduct costing analysis and manage communication flow to cross-functional team members; seek alignment on product description, claims, and aesthetics with partners.
• Collaborate with Commercialization Services to monitor timelines, anticipate and communicate issues, and drive milestone dates on time.
• Support the Merchant in developing a line plan aligned with seasonal merchandise strategy; analyze data in weekly business meetings to share result-driving insights and in-store merchandising opportunities.
• Become the expert in competitive intelligence and visit stores regularly to solicit feedback from customers and sales associates.
• Support meeting preparation, sample management, report evaluation, and analysis; share POV and recommendations based on current results and category strategy.

Technical Qualifications

• 3–5 years of related work experience in brand development, merchandise buying, and/or retail management.
• Experience patterning competitors and the marketplace with ability to make recommendations for new ideas.
• Broad-based business acumen with analytical and retail math skills.
• Systems and computer proficiency including MS Office (Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel).
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize deliverables with a strong sense of urgency in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to manage through conflict, problem-solve, and build cooperative working relationships; self-starter able to work independently producing accurate work.

The Associate Merchant builds and maintains the travel product catalog by onboarding new products ranging from hotel stays to show tickets and unique experiences, while updating existing inventory with current schedule and pricing information. Working with business development, content, tech, and finance stakeholders, the Associate Merchant supports partners with a customer-driven mindset and identifies process improvements that strengthen product and operational outcomes.

Operational Focus

• Onboard new travel products ranging from hotel stays to show tickets, unique experiences, and food.
• Update and manage existing travel products with critical schedule and inventory information as partner needs adapt.
• Act as the face of the company by supporting partners with a customer-driven and sales-oriented mindset.
• Communicate and collaborate effectively with various stakeholders including business development colleagues, content, tech, finance teams, and merchants.
• Identify areas for improvement across different processes and systems and make an impact.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree or above.
• Customer service, content creation, and/or data entry experience is a plus; exposure to content management and CRM systems is a plus.
• Tech-savvy, ideally with a passion for travel; open, agile, detail-oriented, and willing to adapt to fast changes.
• Able to execute under pressure and against tight schedules while striving for high quality and timeliness.
• Fluent spoken and written English required; fluent spoken and written Chinese is a plus.
• Work experience in a multicultural, cross-functional, or startup environment is a plus.

As the Associate Merchant, this role acquires and manages key industry partners to expand Gobiz API market penetration and drive end-to-end partnership growth across the Centralized Partnership Platform team. The team relies on this work to build Go-To-Market plans, monitor key performance metrics, and maintain beneficial partnerships that directly advance GoTo Group's social impact goals.

Performance Expectations

• Acquire key partners in the industry and manage end-to-end partnership growth to drive market adoption and expand Gobiz API penetration.
• Identify and acquire potential partners in the industry; develop and monitor key performance metrics.
• Evaluate and improve partnership effectiveness; build the Go-To-Market Plan.
• Maintain beneficial partnership relationships with companions in the Centralized Partnership Platform team.
• Directly influence the success of GoTo Group in continuously creating social impacts.

Skills & Qualifications

• At least 2 years of experience in a similar role.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills; effective at managing stakeholders.
• Excel at relationship-building and collaborating effectively with others.
• High independence and ability to learn quickly in a new environment or function.
• Proactive in conducting problem-solving.

Associate Merchant refines seasonal merchandise plans and pricing strategies by partnering with Planning & Allocation, production, and marketing teams to maximize sales, margin, and web messaging across assigned categories. The work directly supports competitive positioning by assessing market trends, validating store-level assortment depth, and ensuring financial strategies align with overall category objectives.

Work Activities

• Set priorities, foster cohesion, and motivate cross-functional teams.
• Assess the competition with respect to financial condition, trends, marketing, and product strategy.
• Perform market research and analysis to identify trends.
• Partner with Planning & Allocation to ensure appropriate financial strategies.
• Develop and execute seasonal merchandise plans and pricing strategies.
• Partner with the production team to manage flow, timing of deliveries, and cost and IMU expectations.
• Validate space with an assortment plan to ensure appropriate depth is achieved by store volume.
• Maximize web sales, margin, and messaging.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 1–3 years of experience.
• Demonstrated knowledge and proven ability to identify trends and business opportunities.
• Clear understanding of retail financial measurements.
• Solid computer skills in Microsoft Word and Excel.

Embedded within the merchant success organization, the Associate Merchant executes the incubation program for new merchants by providing high-touch consultancy on the Shopline system and delivering education programs and clinic sessions to resolve onboarding issues. Working closely with Account Managers and Key Account Managers, the Associate Merchant measures program effectiveness and drives new merchants toward Key Account status with consistent and substantial GMV.

Activities

• Support and assist Account Manager to execute the incubation program for each merchant.
• Handhold new merchants by providing high-touch consultancy to optimize Shopline system and services according to merchant needs.
• Assist and educate merchants to complete basic settings, adopt best practices, and follow through the progression of website building.
• Implement education programs and clinic sessions to resolve issues of new merchants.
• Measure the effectiveness and performance of the program and recommend and apply solutions.
• Extend support on execution for special projects required by Key Account Managers.
• Drive KPI to graduate new merchants into Key Accounts generating consistent and substantial GMV.

Qualifications & Experience

• Diploma or Degree in Sales, Administration, or relevant experience.
• Experience in sales, operations, or customer service in ecommerce or marketplace for 2 years and above is highly preferred.
• High sense of responsibility and accountability.
• Resilient and able to adapt to changes.
• Enjoy working in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Fresh graduates are encouraged to apply.