Athleta Director, Merchandising Strategy

About the role

The Director, Merchandising Strategy at Athleta reports to the Head of Merchandising. In this role, you will help shape and drive long-range product and category strategies, identify growth and innovation opportunities, and support the development of seasonal strategies and execution plans that advance Athleta's long-term goals. This is a highly collaborative and visible role that partners closely with leaders across the Athleta Product organization, as well as cross-functional teams such as Brand strategy, Customer Insights, Design, Inventory Management, Marketing, and Finance. Success in this role requires strong strategic thinking, analytical rigor, and the ability to connect insights across data, customer trends, and business priorities. You will need to balance big-picture thinking with hands-on execution, while influencing cross-functional partners and helping drive strategic initiatives from concept through action.

Responsibilities

• Partner with leaders to develop annual and seasonal category strategies that are clear, actionable, and aligned to brand and business priorities.
• Translate strategic ideas into practical plans and recommendations that influence key business decisions, including pricing, assortment architecture, productivity, and growth opportunities.
• Support Athleta's innovation agenda by leveraging customer insights, market trends, and competitive intelligence to help shape product strategies and go-to-market plans.
• Identify pricing, productivity, and assortment opportunities that support both brand relevance and profitability.
• Develop strategic presentations and narratives that clearly communicate business opportunities, recommendations, and progress against goals to senior leadership.
• Analyze business issues and use strategic, analytical, and financial frameworks to evaluate options and inform decision-making.
• Partner cross-functionally to support and improve innovation pipeline processes and ways of working.
• Contribute to broader business planning efforts and special projects, including AOP support, leadership team meetings, and transformation initiatives.

Requirements

• 8+ years of experience in strategy, merchandising strategy, management consulting, corporate strategy, or a related field, with strong knowledge of apparel, retail, customer, and digital.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to structure ambiguous questions and generate insights through data and analysis.
• Experience translating consumer, market, and business insights into strategic recommendations.
• Strong collaboration and influence skills; able to work effectively across functions and levels in a matrixed organization.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to tell clear, compelling stories grounded in data.
• Comfortable working both strategically and tactically, with a willingness to roll up your sleeves and drive execution.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects, influence stakeholders, and contribute to a high-performing team environment.
• Experience in apparel, retail, or consumer-focused industries.
• Familiarity with category strategy, innovation planning, pricing, and go-to-market strategy.
• Experience working with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to drive strategic initiatives.
• Passion for the Athleta brand, customer, and growth journey.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, Statistics, or a related field.
• Proven track record of success in developing and implementing merchandising strategies.
• Experience in driving cross-functional teams towards common goals.
• Strong understanding of market dynamics and consumer behavior.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and prioritize tasks effectively.
• Experience with data analysis tools and software.

Skills

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills.
• Effective communication and presentation skills.
• Collaborative and influential leadership abilities.
• Experience with project management tools and methodologies.

Benefits

• Mercandise discount for our brands: 50% off regular-priced merchandise at Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta, and 30% off at Outlet for all employees.
• One of the most competitive Paid Time Off plans in the industry.
• Employees can take up to five "on the clock" hours each month to volunteer at a charity of their choice.
• Extensive 401(k) plan with company matching for contributions up to four percent of an employee's base pay.
• Employee stock purchase plan.
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance.

Pay

Salary Range: $158,500.00 - $206,000.00

Schedule

Full-time position.