Associate Merchant [AQ-19549]

About the role

Aquent is proud to partner with a leading force in the retail industry, an organization dedicated to shaping the future of beauty and customer experience through innovative partnerships and expansive reach. This company thrives on curating premier brand portfolios and delivering exceptional in-store experiences across a vast network of locations, setting trends and delighting customers daily. Are you ready to make a tangible difference in the dynamic world of retail merchandising? We are seeking a passionate and driven professional to step into a pivotal role, where you will be instrumental in shaping the success and growth of a premier brand portfolio. This is an exciting opportunity to drive strategy and execution, acting as the central liaison between external brand management and internal retail partners. Your expertise will directly impact category growth, elevate customer engagement, and ensure the flawless execution of innovative retail initiatives, influencing hundreds of retail touchpoints. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and are eager to see your contributions directly translate into market success, this role is for you.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact and communication bridge between external brand partners and internal cross-functional teams, fostering strong, collaborative relationships.
• Oversee day-to-day operations for the flagship brand portfolio within the retail partnership ecosystem to drive significant category growth.
• Partner closely with internal teams (Planning, Visual Merchandising, Store Operations, and Marketing) to execute seamless launch strategies and product rollouts, ensuring timely and impactful market entry.
• Assist in creating and executing brand and product strategies, meticulously managing the product pipeline across hundreds of retail doors.
• Directly manage specialized brand assortments, tailoring product mix and optimizing space productivity for unique store footprints.
• Coordinate visual merchandising updates, fixture layouts, and launch timelines to ensure flawless and consistent in-store execution.
• Lead and manage merchant and marketing network submissions, collateral approvals, and promotional asset tracking for the brand portfolio, ensuring compliance and effectiveness.
• Maintain accurate product data, pricing, attributes, and system updates within internal merchandising databases, upholding data integrity.
• Manage ad-hoc projects, seasonal transitions, and systemic assortment updates as business needs evolve, demonstrating adaptability and proactive problem-solving.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, and seasonal performance reports to track sell-through, inventory health, and revenue drivers for assigned categories, providing actionable insights.
• Stay continuously informed on retail industry trends, competitive product landscapes, and consumer behavior to identify new growth opportunities and maintain a competitive edge.

Qualifications

Must-Have Qualifications:

• 2–4 years of experience in retail merchandising, buying, or category management.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel (including vlookups and pivot tables) and enterprise merchandise management databases/ERP platforms.
• Outstanding interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to act as a clear liaison between corporate partners.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage complex