Sample Coordinator

Short Story•San Francisco, CA

3d•$22 - $25•Onsite

About The Position

Short Story is an award-winning, technology-powered retailer dedicated to petite women 5'4" and under. As a fast-growing startup, we're revolutionizing retail with a data-driven learning system that leverages customer feedback to create tailored products. We're looking for a highly organized, proactive, and detail-oriented Sample Coordinator to help manage the flow of product samples across our growing merchandising organization. This role is ideal for someone who loves product, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and enjoys creating order even in chaos. As our sample volume grows, you'll play a critical role in ensuring products move efficiently through the business, maintaining an organized sample library, and continuously improving processes that help the team operate at scale. This is a 100% onsite role.

Requirements

Recently graduated from a Fashion Merchandising, Fashion Business, Apparel, Retail Management, or related program and want to build a career in merchandising; or bring experience in retail, inventory, operations, or product support roles such as Stock Associate, Inventory Specialist, Operations Associate, Fulfillment Associate, Visual Merchandiser, Assistant Manager, or similar positions
Meticulous about details, recordkeeping, and follow-through, ensuring every sample is accounted for and tracking records stay accurate.
Enjoy hands-on work organizing a high volume of physical products and creating systems that make them easy to find and manage.
Work with a strong sense of urgency, prioritizing time-sensitive requests, communicating potential delays early, and meeting deadlines while maintaining accuracy and organization.
Can effectively prioritize multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously
Thrive in a fast-paced startup, adapting to evolving needs and taking initiative to build and improve processes while keeping daily operations organized and on track.
Comfortable using spreadsheets, maintaining shared trackers, and learning new software systems.
Proficient with Mac computers and Google Workspace, including Docs, Sheets, and Drive.
Communicate clearly and proactively with cross-functional partners, both verbally and in writing.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience handling apparel, accessories, or other consumer products.
Experience managing sample inventories, stockrooms, or high-volume product storage.
Familiar with merchandising, buying, planning, or product development workflows.
Experienced with using Airtable

Responsibilities

Manage daily inbound and outbound mail and sample processing: receive, unpack, inspect, log, and organize incoming samples; prioritize, pack, label, log, and dispatch outgoing shipments.
Maintain a highly accurate sample inventory and clearly labeled storage system, ensuring physical samples match tracking records.
Track sample movement across teams and external partners, keeping location, ownership, and status up to date.
Coordinate sample requests across internal and external partners, confirming requirements and deadlines, following through on handoffs and returns, and flagging competing priorities or delays early.
Conduct regular inventory audits, investigate discrepancies, and reconcile records.
Identify inefficiencies and proactively build and improve organizational systems and workflows to support our growing organization.
Create and maintain clear documentation for sample handling and inventory processes.
Support merchandising projects and product launches by ensuring required samples are organized and ready by agreed deadlines.
Communicate daily through Slack and shared trackers, providing timely, accurate updates, responding to product questions, and following up on outstanding requests.
Maintain a clean, safe, and organized workspace.