The client is seeking an entrepreneurial merchandising executive to help scale a rapidly growing specialty retail business. This hands-on leadership role will create the teams, processes, systems, and merchandising disciplines needed for the next stage of growth, with direct partnership alongside the CEO and the executive leadership team. The position is expected to be actively involved in day-to-day execution while also shaping long-term merchandising strategy.
Key responsibilities include scaling multi-location merchandising operations, leading buying, assortment, planning, inventory, pricing, and margin performance, and driving vendor management. The executive will be accountable for revenue, gross margin, and inventory outcomes, and will develop scalable merchandising teams and operating disciplines supported by measurable KPIs and clear accountability. The role also supports multi-channel merchandising across brick-and-mortar retail and ecommerce and requires the ability to operate effectively in an environment with limited resources, shifting priorities, and evolving infrastructure.
Required qualifications include 15+ years of progressive retail merchandising and commercial leadership experience, demonstrated success scaling merchandising across multiple locations, and strong understanding of stores, customers, assortment, inventory, pricing, margin, and vendor management. Candidates should have a proven ability to build merchandising teams, processes, and KPIs, experience with revenue and inventory performance ownership, and comfort working in a founder-led, startup, or high-growth setting. Preferred experience may include scaling specialty or emerging retailers, executing new store or market expansion, implementing merchandising planning and inventory systems, and developing differentiated or exclusive product offerings, along with strong vendor negotiation and strategic sourcing experience.