Merchandise Manager

Merchandising | City of Industry, California

The Merchandising Manager/Director will play a pivotal role in defining Torrid's product identity and driving business growth. This position demands a keen eye for trends, an in-depth understanding of our customer, and a strategic mindset. We’re looking for someone with a start-up mentality who is resourceful, and highly adaptable—with proven experience scaling a department or business. The ideal candidate will work closely with cross-functional teams to develop a compelling product assortment that captivates our target audience, boosts sales, and strengthens brand loyalty.

Success in this role requires a blend of creativity and data-driven decision-making to shape product selection, pricing strategies, and presentation, all with a focus on enhancing the customer experience and maximizing sales.

• Develop and drive the Omni-channel product strategy, assortment testing, and financial performance goals for multiple departments or product categories.
• Partner with merchant teams to ensure line plans and departmental strategies align with company goals and strategic initiatives.
• Identify growth opportunities in product categories and work with Planners to identify growth and risk.
• Develop compelling Omni-Channel marketing/visual strategies to drive product assortment and KPIs.
• Ensure a balanced assortment across departments, identifying duplication, cannibalization, and pricing opportunities.
• Identify opportunities to create and enhance operational efficiencies in calendar, team, and process.
• Partner with Planning and allocation teams to manage inventory levels throughout the season.
• Ensure product execution meets design aesthetic and quality standards.

• Develop a customer-focused merchandise assortment plan/strategy that optimizes sales and margin opportunities.
• React quickly and decisively to business trends to maintain positive sales growth and increased margin or minimize downside when trends shift.
• Understand, monitor, and track customer trends, and conduct store visits and competitive shopping.
• Value individuality and diverse talents of the team.
• Lead the team by communicating expectations, providing guidance, delivering feedback, and empowering team members.

• Start-up mindset with a proven ability to scale teams or departments; excels at bringing structure and strategy to ambiguous or rapidly evolving business environments.
• Proven track record of delivering results with a thorough understanding of buying, operations, and merchandising in specialty retail.
• Experience in business planning, assortment optimization, and line development.
• Strong analytical, critical thinking, and decision-making abilities, with attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal and written communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to build strong internal and external partnerships, adapt to changing business strategies, and interact professionally with diverse groups, including executives and managers.
• Highly organized self-starter with strong time management skills; adept at juggling multiple priorities and driving projects forward in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
• Proactive problem-solving approach and ability to provide constructive feedback.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) and experience with data analysis, interpretation, and reporting.
• Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Business, or a related field preferred, or equivalent experience.
• Eight or more years of progressive retail buying experience in fashion categories.

• A culture where people are accepted and encouraged to be who they are.
• Competitive compensation, 401k with company matching contribution, plus potential to earn company performance-based bonuses.
• Comprehensive wellness package including, medical, dental, vision, and Flexible Spending Account
• Generous 50% employee discount and access to employee-only sales.
• Support the causes you’re passionate about. We pay you up to 32 hours annually for volunteering your…