Director of Merchandising, Softlines

Wilco•Mount Angel, OR

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Merchandising, Softlines provides strategic leadership and hands-on execution across merchandise planning, product development, sourcing, pricing, promotions, and vendor partnerships. Reporting to the VP of Merchandising, the role is accountable for sales, margin, and inventory performance across Clothing, Seasonal & Holiday, Footwear, Impulse, Closeout, and Lawn & Garden categories in stores and eCommerce. The Director builds and develops a high-performing team and partners with the Director of Merchandising, Hardlines, and cross-functional leaders to deliver business results. This position requires on-site work at the Mt. Angel, Oregon headquarters 2–3 days per week, with remote work possible for a candidate with an ergonomic, distraction-free workspace. Occasional travel to retail stores and vendor meetings is required, as is attendance at trade shows, with overnight travel expected approximately once per quarter.

Requirements

10+ years in senior retail merchandising roles of increasing scope, complexity, and leadership responsibility.
10+ years of direct product sourcing experience, including apparel, footwear, and seasonal categories, with import and private-label vendors.
5+ years in a leadership role at a retail company with 10+ locations and $100M+ in sales.
Bachelor's degree in business or a related field.
Strong financial retail background, including understanding of gross margin components, advanced retail math, and data-based decision-making.
Expertise in product sourcing in a dynamic retail environment, including import and long-lead-time programs.
Skills in business planning, project management, problem solving, negotiation, and financial analysis.
Ability to interpret trends and plan seasonal flow, size and color assortments, and markdown timing.
Proven ability to influence and inspire team members.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills, including partnering with the Hardlines Director and Director of Merchandise Planning and Allocation.
Strong attention to detail, deadline focus, and high motivation.
Proven record of delivering all budgeted metrics in a high-SKU-count environment.
Ability to work on-site at the Mt. Angel, OR headquarters 2–3 days per week.
Ability to attend trade shows, with overnight travel expected approximately once per quarter.
Successful completion of a drug screen and criminal background check, consistent with applicable law.

Nice To Haves

Experience planning seasonal and holiday products, including lead-time management and markdown timing.

Responsibilities

Lead development of merchandise plans by category for stores and eCommerce, covering sales and all components of margin, including IMU, freight, markdowns, and shrink.
Partner with the VP of Merchandising to develop strategic merchandising plans, including SKU sourcing strategies and seasonal buy windows.
Deliver annual sales, margin, and inventory plans through categories purchased directly and through product merchants.
Develop, manage, and collaborate on product strategies for in-store and eCommerce products in a high-SKU-count environment.
Use trend forecasts and market information to influence product strategy and brand filtering across the assigned categories.
Lead size, color, and style assortment strategy, including SKU optimization and rationalization.
Plan seasonal and holiday product flow, including lead times, import timelines, in-season chase, end-of-season clearance, and carryover.
Manage reviews and strategies for slow-moving products, including discontinuation and discounted pricing, with markdown timing set to the season.
Lead and support Product Merchants in building effective vendor partnerships.
Participate in vendor strategy sessions and meetings, including those related to private-label and import programs.
Set vendor plans that include revenue, margin, and inventory targets, as well as advertising and co-op funds.
Lead pricing strategy by department to maximize sales and margin targets.
Own end-to-end promotional strategy for softlines categories, from selection and sourcing through direction to store operations, including post-promotion analysis and reporting.
Monitor competitor pricing strategies for softlines, oversee response execution, and review price elasticity.
Support softlines inventory management in partnership with the Director of Inventory and Planning, with attention to seasonal receipt flow and sell-through.
Support supply chain departments on strategies that deliver service and working capital targets.
Deliver weekly business reports and forecasts with fact-based summaries of past performance and profitability to support decision-making.
Evaluate and analyze sales and profitability across softlines categories.
Manage and develop the softlines merchandising team, using relevant metrics to ensure performance, productivity, and growth.
Build organizational capacity through improved programs, policies, and systems.
Apply process discipline and technology systems to drive efficiency.
Ensure plans align with company-wide goals and reconcile them regularly.
Perform other duties and tasks as assigned by the VP of Merchandising.