This position is designated as a hybrid role based out of our headquarters near Portland, Oregon. The current expectation is for employees to work onsite four days per week, subject to change based on business needs. This in-office requirement may be adjusted at the discretion of the company.
The Senior Apparel Merchant - International Distributor Region is responsible for driving and executing merchandising strategies that deliver consumer‑right assortments , balance brand‑building initiatives with volume-driving product , and ultimately support long-term revenue growth for our International Distributor Region (IDR).
This role sits at the center of the regional Go-To-Market (GTM) process—owning product adoption, influencing assortment direction, and partnering closely with Sales, Planning, Marketing, and Product Creation to ensure the region delivers a compelling, profitable, and strategically segmented product offering.
HOW YOU’LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE
Regional Merchandising Strategy & Execution
- Build market- and consumer-relevant seasonal assortments aligned to brand strategy, leveraging historical performance, trend insights, and financial risk/reward analysis.
- Implement regional merchandising strategies that balance brand heat with high-volume commercial drivers across the marketplace matrix.
- Identify market opportunities and influence future line direction by partnering with Product Creation teams to shape investment priorities that meet regional needs.
- Lead End-in-Mind assortment planning , including channel segmentation, pricing strategy and merchandising classification excellence to ensure enough products that serve the marketplace and drive productivity
Go-To-Market Leadership
- Own the product handover to Sales Planning, Channel Merch , ensuring teams are equipped with clear product stories, innovation highlights, and seasonal Brand priorities.
- Manage the full seasonal adoption process—from concept through sales meeting—ensuring financial targets, SKU productivity, and style count goals are met.
- Maintain accuracy and integrity of all merchandising systems and data, including adoption, pricing, forecasting, and catalog readiness.
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Build strong relationships with channel leaders to define and implement segmentation strategies that maximize revenue and profitability.
- Partner with Sales, Planning, and Marketing to develop seasonal and long-term growth strategies supported by business planning.
- Collaborate with Sales and Strategic Response Team to ensure SMUs are efficient, profitable, and aligned with the regional vision.
- Work with Sales to develop competitive and aligned seasonal pricing strategies .
Business Performance & Optimization
- Improve forecast accuracy , SKU efficiency, and overall product productivity each season.
- Use market insights, consumer data, and sales performance to influence product mix and ensure coverage of key price points.
- Manage sample ordering and sample room organization to ensure easy access and visibility for cross-functional teams.
Team Enablement & Communication
- Educate the sales force on product innovation, technologies, brand initiatives, assortments, and marketing support.
- Communicate clearly and effectively across small and large groups, ensuring alignment and clarity throughout the GTM cycle.
- Bring a positive, collaborative, and solutions-oriented mindset to daily work.
YOU ARE
- A clear, confident communicator who can influence across functions and levels.
- A strategic thinker who thrives in detail-oriented execution.
- Skilled in persuasion, storytelling, and presenting complex ideas simply.
- Analytical, curious, and comfortable solving ambiguous problems.
YOU HAVE
- 5+ years of merchandising experience in sportswear, outdoor, or specialty retail categories.
- Internation Distributor Region Apparel Merchandising experience preferred.
- Strong business and product management skills with demonstrated financial acumen.
- Deep understanding of the consumer, retail landscape, and competitive marketplace.
- Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe Creative Suite (PC or Mac).
- Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field, or equivalent experience in Merchandising or Sales.
- Ability to travel 20% of the time
#LI-CR1
This job description is not meant to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities, but constitutes a general definition of the position's scope and function in the company.
Columbia Sportswear Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. Columbia Sportswear is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12.pdf. If you need reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please notify your recruiter.
At Columbia Sportswear Company, we’re proud to offer regular full-time employees a benefits package that includes a variety of services and products to help make your life and work more rewarding. Our benefit programs contribute to overall employee well-being by aligning those programs with the fundamental elements of well-being: physical, social/emotional, financial, career and community. Benefits that can protect your family’s financial future and help you save money through our 401k plan plus a generous company match. Columbia offers medical, dental, vision, life Insurance, disability, flexible spending accounts, health savings account, and an assortment of voluntary benefit offerings (accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and legal services). In addition, Columbia offers EAP + which is free and confidential 24/7/365 counseling services. We have extensive wellness benefits, employee discounts and a generous time off program available.
If you need an accommodation/adjustment to successfully complete and submit your application, please reach out to
[email protected] with the Subject: Applicant Assistance Requested.
