Assistant Merchant

About the role

We are hiring an Assistant Merchant to join our Merchandising team. As an Assistant Merchant, you'll support our Merchandise team in the curation of a product assortment that represents the tenets of our brand while increasing sales and achieving profit goals. As an Assistant Merchant, you will report to the Senior Merchant for your assigned category. The role of the Assistant Merchant is to support the Senior Merchant in all aspects of product procurement, launch, and maintenance.

Responsibilities

• Help manage vendor relationships acting as a primary contact for vendors and designers
• Maintain Design Within Reach milestone dates and maintain the product pipeline calendar to ensure all deadlines are met, including SKU builds, product testing and compliance requirements, milestone meetings, and photo sample delivery
• Proof catalogs, website content, and advertising materials for accuracy, ensuring consistency in pricing, dimensions, and product specifications
• Review and troubleshoot product return claims, partnering with vendors to resolve issues and manage charge-back documentation
• Cover communication between vendors and the Product Support team to resolve client concerns, collect detailed product information, and obtain supporting materials as needed
• Create sales reports for vendor meetings and internal reviews
• Avoid Finance costing discrepancies with key cross functional partners
• Maintain awareness of the competitive landscape, conducting and sharing quarterly market and trend analysis with internal stakeholders
• Work closely with key cross-functional teams—including Digital, Marketing, Planning, Allocations, and Product Development/Sourcing—to recognize Merchandising as the central hub throughout the product pipeline
• Research, organize, and manage special projects as assigned, providing analytical and operational support to senior team members

Requirements

• Strong passion for modern design, furniture, and the home furnishings industry, with an interest in product storytelling and brand integrity
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly across internal teams and external partners
• Demonstrated organizational and project management skills, with a proactive, solution-oriented mindset
• High attention to detail and accuracy, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and shifting priorities
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, take initiative, and effectively manage up in a fast-paced environment, prioritization is key!
• Tech proficient in Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Dependable, punctual, and accountable, with a strong sense of ownership over responsibilities
• 1+ years of experience in merchandising, planning, or a related role within the design, retail, or home products industry