Merchandiser/Buyer - Womenswear

The Role:

We are looking for a driven and commercially minded merchandiser to serve as the steward of the women’s assortment, owning the strategy and buying of products from concept through lifecycle. This role translates customer insight, business objectives, market intelligence and category performance into intentional, commercially viable assortments and seasonal buys. Working closely with Planning, Design, Technical Development, Sourcing and Product Development, as well as marketing, e-comm and creative, the Merchandiser/Buyer will define what we should sell, recommend where to invest, and protect the commercial intent of the assortment through development and launch. The role requires deep expertise in customer behavior, category management, product positioning, pricing, fabric platforms and retail math, with a strong ability to turn information into clear, actionable product decisions.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Build intentional seasonal womenswear assortments across categories, defining category depth, breadth, style mix, product roles, tiers, occasions and customer needs.

• Become the foremost commercial expert on assigned categories by analyzing sales, sell-through, returns, customer feedback, market trends and competitive activity to identify opportunities and risks.

• Partner with Planning on seasonal category investment strategies and benchmarks; translate those strategies into assortment recommendations and clear buying plans.

• Own the seasonal buying process for assigned categories, recommending and executing style, depth and quantity buys within the approved financial framework and adjusting buys as business performance and customer demand evolve.

• Develop and apply fabric platform strategy by understanding existing fabric programs, maximizing commercial opportunities within them, and recommending expansion or innovation where it strengthens the assortment.

• Own customer-facing pricing architecture, including estimated retail pricing and Good/Better/Best pricing ladders, while benchmarking the market and aligning pricing to customer expectations and positioning.

• Maintain a strong understanding of vendor capabilities, sourcing realities and manufacturing constraints so that commercial recommendations are ambitious, achievable and appropriately risk-managed; partner with Sourcing rather than owning costing or vendor negotiations.

• Provide complete commercial direction before development begins through comprehensive product briefs that define the intent, positioning, assortment role and customer opportunity for every style.

• Partner closely with Design, Technical Development, Sourcing, Product Development, Production, Marketing, Creative and E-commerce, providing clear commercial direction while respecting each function’s ownership and expertise.

• Be the keeper of product truth by maintaining complete, accurate and execution-ready assortment plans, seasonal line plans, product briefs, design handoffs, category recaps, pricing architecture and product documentation.

• Protect the commercial integrity of the assortment from planning through production by maintaining accurate product information, validating that decisions remain aligned with the original intent, and acting as a central source of truth for product-related decisions.

• Establish a disciplined weekly product insight practice by reviewing sales, returns, newness performance, core business health, product evolution and customer voice, and turning those inputs into clear recommendations for Design, Planning, Production and leadership.

Experience, Education and Designations:

• 5+ years’ experience with proven success in Buying, Merchandisingand/or Planning, preferably in womenswear or apparel.

• Strong understanding of assortment strategy, category management, seasonal buying and the Product Development lifecycle from concept and sampling through commercialization.

• Strong knowledge of purchasing principles, retail math, pricing architectureand financial decision-making; experience working with OTB, inventory and seasonal investment frameworks is an asset.

• Demonstrated ability to use sales, sell-through, returns, customer feedback, marketand competitive data to make clear commercial recommendations.

• Strong understanding of product positioning, fabrications, fit, styleand the customer needs that shape an assortment.

• Strong presentation and storytelling skills, with the ability to inspire confidence, excite cross-functional teams and influence leadership around assortment and buying direction.

• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally, influence without direct authority and drive decisions through to execution.

• Comfortable with technology; strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, Outlook, Word and PowerPoint
• Adobe Suite is considered a major asset.

Knowledge, Skills and Attributes:

• Strong commercial judgment and analytical thinking.

• Excellent communication, presentationand organization skills.

• Adaptable, positiveand comfortable with ambiguity, changeand evolving priorities.

• Keen interest in womenswear, textile product developmentand the customer.

• Strong time management skills to meet tight deadlines.

• Proven ability to multitask and prioritize in a fast-paced environment.

• A self-starter who takes ownership of their work and follows through.

• Naturally curious, commercially mindedand proactive in identifyingopportunities and risks.

• Consistently exhibitAmerican Tall’s Values - innovation, respect, passionand commitment.