Brand Merchandising and Assortment Planning Specialist

Aquent is partnering with a major global consumer brand, a leader in its industry, dedicated to innovation and connecting with consumers worldwide. This organization is at the forefront of shaping global trends, driven by a mission to inspire and empower through its products and experiences. Joining this team means contributing to a legacy of excellence and directly influencing how millions engage with beloved products.

Are you ready to make a significant impact on how groundbreaking products reach consumers globally? We are seeking a visionary professional to play a pivotal role in shaping product assortments and go-to-market strategies for a leading global consumer brand. This is an extraordinary opportunity to blend consumer insights, merchandising expertise, and strategic planning to drive tangible growth and connect directly with the marketplace. You will be instrumental in ensuring the right products land in the right hands, creating differentiation and fueling incremental success across diverse retail channels.

What You'll Do

• Develop and refine strategic category and assortment plans, leveraging deep consumer insights, current marketplace trends, and core business objectives.
• Critically evaluate product assortments to optimize product availability across various retail formats, channels, and specific accounts.
• Collaborate closely with product, merchandising, sales, and other cross-functional teams to curate optimal product assortments tailored for distinct accounts and channels.
• Drive go-to-market and product merchandising initiatives, effectively translating overarching category strategies into impactful marketplace execution.
• Proactively identify and resolve complex issues related to product flow, pricing strategies, distribution networks, and assortment effectiveness.
• Ensure that the overarching category vision is flawlessly executed on the retail floor, resulting in profitable and highly relevant consumer assortments.
• Provide crucial support for product allocation and placement decisions across all channels and accounts.
• Conduct rigorous analysis of marketplace and product data using advanced Excel and other analytical tools to generate actionable recommendations.
• Clearly articulate merchandising strategies, recommendations, and key insights to internal stakeholders.
• Confidently present findings and strategic recommendations to diverse cross-functional and internal audiences.
• Thrive in ambiguous and rapidly evolving environments, maintaining exceptional attention to detail and execution excellence.

What You'll Bring

• 5+ years of relevant merchandising experience, ideally within dynamic sectors such as retail, consumer products, apparel, footwear, or sporting goods.
• A robust understanding of assortment planning principles, product merchandising, category strategy development, and effective retail execution.
• Exceptional Excel proficiency and strong analytical skills, with a proven ability to leverage data for informed business decisions.
• Keen marketplace awareness and a deep understanding of evolving consumer behaviors and retail trends.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate and excel in ambiguous and fast-paced work environments.
• Outstanding attention to detail, coupled with strong organizational and problem-solving capabilities.
• A collaborative and team-oriented mindset, fostering strong cross-functional partnerships.
• Excellent communication skills, with confidence in presenting to internal audiences.
• A Bachelor's degree is preferred, though equivalent professional experience will be given full consideration.

Bonus Points

• Experience with assortment visualization or visual merchandising techniques.
• Prior experience in in-store or brick-and-mortar retail environments.
• Familiarity with product allocation, account-specific assortments, or channel-level merchandising.
• Experience supporting categories within sports, footwear, or apparel.
• Go-to-market or product management experience.
• Experience collaborating with sales teams to define product assortments for specific accounts.
• Previous experience supporting a large global consumer brand.

About Aquent Talent:

Aquent Talent connects the best talent in marketing, creative, and design with the world's biggest brands.

Our eligible talent get access to amazing benefits like subsidized health, vision, and dental plans, paid sick leave, and retirement plans with a match. We also offer free online training through Aquent Gymnasium. More information on our awesome benefits!

Aquent is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment-one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.