Associate Merchandiser - Performance & Gear

SUMMARY:

Assist the Sr. Product Line Manager, Performance Apparel & Gear, in steering the product creation process from concept to finished goods. Own and drive key segments of both the Performance Apparel & Gear product lines from product brief to commercialization. Act as a critical support system by maintaining PLM system integrity, tracking milestones, and ensuring that pricing, brand positioning, and performance metrics are met before production approval.

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Take on accountability for a classification or product category for the entire product life cycle.
• Work closely with cross-functional partners to ensure timely execution of key product management milestones is met within the seasonal end-to-end calendar.
• Participates in merchandising strategies and seasonal line plans, product briefs, and roadmaps to build profitable assortments that will meet business objectives and financial goals, leads these areas for assigned product line segments. 
• Assist with conducting global market landscape research and analysis to identify new opportunities for Nike Swim to compete and create value for consumers, retailers, distributors, and other stakeholders. Leverage internal and external data sources to develop an intimate understanding of the consumer and the market space to drive and deliver superior results. 
• Collaborate with design, product development, technical design, and sourcing to finalize pricing and margins with sales and planning.
• Interface with all functional areas of the business (design, sales, sourcing, marketing) to maintain successful workflow.
• Learn to analyze retail sales with the planning and design teams to identify opportunities and best selling items.
• Support the Merchandising team in all related needs and market preparation.
• Maintain all merchandising data entry files and communication (merch plan, competitive snapshots, change notices, costing sheets, detailed product information, marketing updates; etc).
• Keep all necessary internal & external partners up to date with product information/changes (purchasing, planning, sourcing, sales, design, overseas, retail team, compliance, e-comm).
• Support sample management process to include tracking samples for assigned categories and ensure on-time delivery, sample organization, invoicing and tracking of sample budget.
• Maintains PLM software for all new & carryover styles, owns all PLM assets for flow into NuOrder / Sales Toolkit.
• Ensures that any loaned samples are tracked & returned in a timely manner.
• Attend weekly development meetings, ensure all important issues and questions are communicated to the lead PLM when he or she cannot attend meetings.
• Attend weekly fittings to monitor development progress. Ensure a detailed recap of progress and any issues is provided to the lead PLM when he or she cannot attend meetings.
• Support the lead PLM by coordinating cross-functional touch bases, meetings dates and times.

SKILLS: 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent listener and extremely detail-oriented
• Ability to prioritize and multitask
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills
• Ability to interact with varying personalities

REQUIREMENTS: 

• BA or BS Degree in Product Development, Product Design, Sports Product Management, Merchandising; or a related field.
• 2-4 years product management and/or merchandising experience in Apparel. Swim Industry experience is a plus.
• Proficient in Google suite, Adobe Suite, and Product Lifecycle Management Software (PLM).
• A passion for product and high taste level.
• Knowledge of retail math and concepts.