2025-2026 Leadership Development Program - Merchandising Full-Time

Abercrombie and Fitch Co.•Columbus, OH

About The Position

The A&F Leadership Development Programs are highly competitive initiatives, unique for their entrepreneurial structure, and provide immediate exposure to senior level leaders. With a “promote from within” mentality, these programs have been designed to shape top candidates into the future leaders of our company. We want students who are motivated, creative, and strategic – natural leaders seeking to drive results in a team-based environment. The comprehensive programs will include: Combination of classroom sessions and on-the-job training Relationship with a mentor to guide learning in the new role Interactive presentations from a variety of senior leaders in the company An open and inclusive learning environment with fellow associates Integrated social activities to help transition to Columbus and the unique corporate culture at A&F Preparation to effectively manage a portion of the business in one of our critical areas at Home Office Merchants are the leaders of the business, managing the strategy for millions of dollars of product each day. Entrepreneurial in nature, Merchants lead a cross-functional team to maximize the financial success of their product line and must possess the unique ability to be both analytical and creative daily. Merchants are the experts on our customer, understanding their lifestyle, behaviors, and preferences to predict and capitalize on market trends. From working with our designers to identify the next styles and trends for our stores, to analyzing sales and identifying growth strategies for the business, our Merchants are involved with every aspect of the product and the customer.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree
Minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
Passion for the A&F brands, customer, and the role
Proven leadership experience
Ability to thrive in team-based settings and a collaborative approach to working with cross-functional partners
Desire to take on the responsibility of running a portion of a multi-billion-dollar business
Capability to translate emerging fashion trends into the brand handwriting and heritage
Strong presentation skills and the ability to communicate confidently with senior-level leaders
Ability to balance between robust analytical capability and an interest in the creative process
Ability to adapt and work in a fast-paced environment
Desire & curiosity to learn more!

Responsibilities

Analyzing the customer through market, field and relevant social research to inform business & assortment actions
Driving the financial success and profitability of your product category
Collaborating with cross-functional teams to develop business strategies and react to change while making calculated decisions based on current sales information
Dissecting the competitive landscape and identifying emerging trends in the global market to deliver product that is aligned with the customer and market perspective
Developing the assortment architecture for your given category while managing multiple product seasons
Providing comprehensive support of the product development process from sketch to finished product
Presenting the product line and strategies to senior leadership, leading and contributing to selling analysis, customer insights, and trend ideas

Benefits

$8,000 in placement and relocation bonuses
merchandise discounts at all our brands
use of the A&F gym
industry-leading healthcare coverage
company matching savings and retirement programs
Incentive bonus program
Annual companywide review process
Flexible spending accounts
Medical, dental and vision insurance
Life and disability insurance
Associate assistance program
Paid parental and adoption leave
Access to fertility and adoption benefits through Carrot
Access to mental health and wellness app, Headspace
Paid time off and one paid volunteer day per year, allowing you to give back to your community
Work from anywhere (Mondays and Fridays are “work from anywhere” days for most roles and six work from anywhere weeks per year)
Seven associate wellness half days per year
Merchandise discount on all our brands
Opportunities for career advancement, we believe in promoting from within
Access to multiple Associate Resource Groups
Global team of people who will celebrate you for being YOU!