Director of Merchandising, Women's Apparel

Founded in 1977 on New York’s Upper East Side, J.McLaughlin has grown from a single neighborhood shop to nearly 200 stores nationwide. With its corporate home in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, the brand emphasizes creativity, craftsmanship, and community partnership.

About the Role

We are seeking a Director of Merchandising, Women’s Apparel to join our Merchandising Team, reporting to the Head of Merchandising. The role is responsible for defining and executing merchandising strategies across multiple apparel product categories, driving profitable growth while preserving the integrity of the J.McLaughlin brand. This position is based in our Greenpoint, Brooklyn office and follows a hybrid schedule, dependent on role and business needs.

Responsibilities

• Merchandise Strategy & Assortment Leadership: develop and execute merchandising strategies for women’s apparel; define seasonal assortment architecture, SKU productivity targets, pricing strategies, and inventory investments; establish product category strategies across core, seasonal, and fashion classifications; identify market whitespace, emerging trends, and competitive opportunities; evaluate customer needs and buying behaviors; lead assortment planning that balances demand, financial objectives, and brand positioning; maintain deep understanding of the competitive landscape; conduct regular store visits and competitive shopping; analyze customer feedback, industry trends, and performance data.
• Financial Ownership: own category performance metrics (Net Sales, Gross Margin Dollars, Gross Margin %, Initial Markup, Inventory Turn, Sell‑Through, Inventory Productivity); partner with Planning on seasonal sales forecasts and inventory strategies; manage open‑to‑buy and investment decisions; monitor performance, identify risks and opportunities; recommend pricing, promotional, markdown, and inventory actions to maximize profitability.
• Product Lifecycle Management: partner with Design to align product development with category strategies and customer demand; collaborate with Sourcing on quality, cost, margin, and speed‑to‑market; drive lifecycle decisions including product introduction, replenishment, chase opportunities, markdown optimization, and exit strategies; lead seasonal hindsight reviews to improve future assortment decisions.
• Omnichannel Merchandising Leadership: work with Stores, E‑Commerce, Marketing, and Visual Merchandising to optimize product performance across channels; ensure assortments support both digital and brick‑and‑mortar growth; evaluate regional, climate, store volume, and customer segmentation opportunities; guide presentation strategies for varied store footprints; partner with Marketing on product stories and seasonal campaigns.
• Cross‑Functional Leadership: align Design, Product Development, Planning, Sourcing, Marketing, Visual Merchandising, and Retail Operations; provide clarity around priorities and business objectives; facilitate decisive milestone meetings; resolve competing priorities while focusing on highest‑return opportunities; influence executive‑level decision making; serve as a customer advocate in assortment and investment discussions.
• Team Leadership & Development: lead, coach, and develop merchandising managers and individual contributors; build organizational capabilities and succession pipelines; establish performance expectations and accountability; foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement; recruit and retain high‑performing merchandising talent.
• Additional Job Responsibilities: participate in annual strategic planning processes; present category performance and recommendations to executive leadership; support organizational and process improvement initiatives; champion data‑driven decision making; lead special projects and growth initiatives as assigned; perform other related duties as needed.

Skills & Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive merchandising experience in specialty retail, lifestyle, apparel, or omnichannel environments.
• Deep expertise in merchandise planning and assortment architecture.
• Strong understanding of product strategy and category management principles.
• Advanced retail math and financial acumen.
• Strong analytical and data interpretation skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and merchandising analytics tools.
• Proven ability to influence cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Clear product vision and commercial strategy.
• Strong understanding of customer needs and expectations.
• Ability to balance customer insights, merchant intuition, and financial discipline.
• Leadership through influence across cross‑functional teams.
• Confidence making decisions despite ambiguity.
• Effective communication of priorities.
• Ability to create alignment and accountability across multiple stakeholders.
• Respectful, constructive challenge of assumptions.
• Adaptability when business performance deviates from plan.
• Results‑oriented and growth‑focused mindset.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Business Administration, Retail Management, Marketing, Economics, Finance, Fashion Merchandising, or a related field preferred.
• Relevant retail merchandising experience and demonstrated business impact may be considered in lieu of specific educational requirements.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk, standing, bending, and working on a computer.
• Ability to lift 15 pounds occasionally.
• Ability to access and navigate various departments within the organization’s facilities.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match (eligibility based on hours worked).
• Generous paid time off and paid holidays.
• Hybrid or flexible work environment (role‑dependent).
• Company‑paid life insurance and disability coverage.
• Optional Critical Illness and Accident insurance.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Clothing allowance and generous discounts on J.McLaughlin merchandise.
• Discretionary bonus opportunities (role‑dependent).
• Employee referral incentives and commuter benefits.

Pay

Salary range: $120,000 – $140,000, depending on experience, skills, and qualifications. Compensation and benefits may vary based on role, location, and eligibility.

Schedule

Hybrid schedule, dependent on role and business needs, based out of the Greenpoint, Brooklyn office.