Wholesale Merchant, Sportswear

Wilson Sporting Goods Co.•Los Angeles, CA

22h•$75,000 - $100,000•Hybrid

About The Position

At Wilson, we are here to empower every human to live like an athlete. Passion. Creativity. Integrity. Teamwork. Ambition. Innovation. These are the qualities that have made Wilson Sporting Goods Co. the number one sports equipment brand in the world. We come together to win, grow, and celebrate. We all play for Team Wilson. We all have a role to play within our organization and are working towards the same goal. One team, one dream. We believe that being an athlete isn’t something you do, it’s who you are. It’s a universal code of conduct, a way of seeing the world and how you show up every day. We seek out diverse voices and welcome all perspectives. Our team is composed of individuals with unique backgrounds, points of view and experiences. These perspectives create a rich and diverse culture in which we learn from one another through empathy and inclusion. Evolving the sports world and being the best partner for players, athletes, and our community is no small task. We are continually looking to add enthusiastic, ambitious, team-first individuals who desire to make a difference —and who love to help others win. Together, we will create a better world through sport. Join us. The North America Wholesale Merchant, Sportswear will help grow our apparel and accessories business by determining the wholesale product assortment strategy and inventory plans. This role focuses on maximizing sales and profitability through account management, product planning, and market trend analysis. The ideal candidate is organized, communicates well, and combines business acumen with a passion for technical athletic apparel.

Requirements

This role requires a bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Marketing, Business, or a related discipline and 3+ years of experience in wholesale merchandising, sales, buying, or account management, ideally within the athletic apparel or sporting goods industry.
Strong understanding of wholesale distribution channels and retail environments
Great product instincts – an understanding of sports, culture, and fashion and how they shape the clothing choices of young athletic men and women
Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills
Analytical mindset with proficiency in sales reporting and forecasting
Entrepreneurship – ability to work effectively in a fluid environment and willingness to wear multiple hats, as necessary
Resourcefulness – self-directed and scrappy
Collaboration – demonstrated skill in building cross-functional and cross-cultural/international relationships
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Powerpoint, Word), as well as collaboration/communications platforms like MS Teams
Ability to travel as needed for account visits, Sales Meetings, and events

Responsibilities

Partner with the Global Merchandising Team to define seasonal product strategies that exceed customer expectations and deliver upon the financial goals for the brand within the wholesale channel.
Determine the North America wholesale line architecture each season, including gender breakouts, overall line size, line growth by category and class, carryover vs. newness, collection and color flow, and lifecycle plans.
Ensure all products in the wholesale range meet our product margin requirements for the channel’s profitability.
Create unique product assortments for top dealers and high-profile pop-up shops.
Create the sales and inventory plans by item for seasonal forecasts.
Partner with Marketing to develop all seasonal GTM materials. Collate all product information for catalogs, product education, and B2B tools.
Present the seasonal product strategies and assortments to internal cross-functional teams at key GTM milestones such as Sales Meetings.
Ensure alignment and consistency of 360 global product launches across apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment within the North America wholesale channel.
Stay abreast of industry trends, competitor activity, and consumer preferences. Share feedback with Global Merchandising for upcoming line plans.
Serve as the primary point of contact for all product related inquiries; present the line at major account meetings in partnership with Sales, and ensure excellent customer service and support during the sell-in process.
Monitor account product performance in-season, identifying growth opportunities and resolving product challenges to maximize sell-through.
Lead the wholesale forecasting process in partnership with Sales and Merchandise Planning teams to ensure alignment to product strategy and scaling efficiencies where possible.
Partner with Supply Planning to ensure PO visibility, proactively managing delivery risk and protecting launch timelines. Work closely with Operations and Logistics teams to resolve shipping issues.
Partner with Global Merchandise Planning & Allocations on markdown, inventory, and lifecycle strategy direction for North America.
Recap North America wholesale product performance for monthly and quarterly hindsights, identify risks and opportunities and provide directional guidance on future actions. Analyze market trends and sales data to inform future assortment plans.