Omni Channel Apparel, Accessories, and Gifts Merchant

Reports to: CEO and President

Supervises: Ecommerce leader and Support Merchant

The Opportunity

The Omni Channel Apparel, Accessories, and Gifts Merchant is a new role and is responsible for transforming the current merchandising approach from a siloed, multi-channel buyer model to an integrated, omnichannel merchandising strategy. This role focuses on creating a seamless and unified customer experience across all platforms, aligning products and promotions to enhance customer engagement and drive sales.

Key Responsibilities

Omni Channel Merchandising Strategy

• Develop and execute a comprehensive omnichannel merchandising strategy for apparel, accessories, and gifts. Using customer data and insights, develop personas and profiles. Rationalize and upgrade existing product assortments.
• Align product selection, inventory, and pricing strategies across all channels, including instore, online, and thirdparty platforms, to ensure a consistent customer experience.
• Drive the product lifecycle from initial selection through to clearance, balancing customer demand and profitability.
• Collaborate with Ecommerce leader to stand up unique order placement portals for alumni, staff/administration, special orders, drop shipments and others.

Athletics Department Collaboration

• Act as the lead contact for the Athletics Department, collaborating on assortment planning, events, and merchandising activities tailored to athletics.
• Coordinate merchandise selection and promotional events that align with the Athletics Department calendar, enhancing the store’s connection with sports events and fan engagement.
• Support the development of exclusive athleticsthemed collections and limitededition items to drive excitement and sales.

Customer Experience Enhancement

• Collaborate with marketing and operations teams to ensure cohesive and seamless experiences across digital and physical channels.
• Monitor and analyze customer behavior data to identify trends, preferences, and areas for improvement in the shopping experience.
• Implement customercentric merchandising practices to optimize product presentation, promotions, and overall engagement. Such as traffic conversion, customer database and growth. Lead and partner with Visual Merchandising talent to drive vision and business performance/ revenue.

Inventory & Supply Chain Management

• Oversee inventory levels and allocation across channels, coordinating with team merchants and operations to meet customer demand.
• Forecast demand and coordinate reorder cycles to maintain optimal stock levels without overstocking.
• Analyze sellthrough rates and adjust assortments based on performance across channels.

Data-Driven Merchandising Decisions

• Leverage data analytics to inform buying decisions, identifying topselling categories, styles, and trends.
• Conduct regular analysis of key performance metrics, adjusting strategies to maximize profitability and customer satisfaction.
• Develop and use reports, dashboards, and other data tools to monitor merchandise performance and drive strategy adjustments.
• Collaborate with Business Intelligence leader to gather, manage, and analyze company data, yielding insights that drive strategic and operational decisions.

Vendor & Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors, negotiating terms that benefit the store’s omnichannel strategy.
• Collaborate with vendors to curate exclusive and unique product offerings that differentiate the Princeton University Store
• Manage vendor contracts and ensure compliance with store standards and policies.

Promotions and Marketing Integration

• Work with the marketing team to develop and execute omnichannel promotional strategies for apparel, accessories, and gifts.
• Coordinate with digital and instore marketing efforts, ensuring that promotions are aligned and delivered consistently across all customer touchpoints.
• Track promotional performance and adjust tactics as necessary to drive engagement and conversion.

Training and Development of Support Personnel

• Recruit, mentor, train, and develop support staff to assist with merchandising, inventory management, and sales support.
• Provide ongoing development opportunities to ensure support personnel are skilled in using key merchandising tools, customer service best practices, and operational efficiency.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Merchandising, Business, or a related field preferred.
• 10 years of experience in merchandising, buying, or product management, ideally in an omnichannel retail environment.
• Experience in specialty retail or university retail is a plus, particularly in managing apparel, accessories, or gift categories.
• Proven record of accomplishment of developing and executing omnichannel merchandising strategies that drive customer engagement and sales across multiple platforms.
• Strong experience with inventory management and forecasting with a focus on maintaining optimal stock levels across channels.

Required Skills and Qualifications

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in merchandising and retail analytics software, such as Oracle NetSuite, Zoined, and Microsoft 365.
• Knowledge of ecommerce platforms, point of sale (POS) systems, and MarTech integrations.
• Experience with inventory forecasting, allocation, and supply chain coordination in a retail environment.

Who You Are

• A handson leader (playercoach) with a blend of technical expertise and the ability to mentor and develop others.
• Understand and embrace the concept of “brand” and understand that content drives a brand and its products
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and make informed, strategic decisions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, capable of fostering collaboration across multiple teams and channels.
• Highly organized with attention to detail, particularly in coordinating multichannel merchandising strategies.
• Proactive and adaptable, able to respond to changing customer trends and competitive dynamics.
• Leadership abilities in training and developing support personnel for improved team functionality.

Performance Metrics

• Sales Growth and Profitability: Achievement of sales targets, profit margins, and sellthrough rates across channels.
• Customer Satisfaction and Engagement: Customer feedback scores, repeat purchase rates, and online reviews.
• Inventory Management: Stock availability and turnover rates, minimizing stockouts and overstocks.
• Promotional Effectiveness: Performance of promotions across channels, including return on investment and conversion rates.
• Vendor Performance: Evaluation of vendor compliance, timely product delivery, and adherence to quality standards.
• Athletics Collaboration Success: Performance of athleticsrelated merchandise and events in alignment with the department.
• Staff Development: Effectiveness in training support personnel, with measurable improvements in efficiency and support quality.