Footwear Channel Merchant

Manager Notes:

• This position is onsite WHQ for the hybrid work schedule. This is a backfill for Parental Leave. Needs to start asap. Sr Channel Merchant for Merchandising Kids -North America (primarily footwear). Analyzing trend forecasts providing lifestyle-driven insights and understands what the consumer wants. Focused on trends in sportswear for kids apparel and footwear. They will work closely with Sales teams to provide insight to specific city and style specialties. Providing Sales teams with multiple season plans capacity and tiering insight for the sports teams - how many shoes are needed in a channel
• Must Haves:
  • Footwear experience is a MUST kids or apparel is a plus
  • Experience at Nike Marketplace merchandising at similar companies has a U of O merch product degree or at a corporate retail partner that sells Nike - understands what it takes to win
  • Can confidently present in front of 50-100 people can create engaging and influential presentations (about monthly cadence)
• Nice to Haves:
  • Understands product for lifestyle and trend insights for consumers in major cities like Atlanta Detroit Chicago etc
  • Understanding of how sales work in a retail environment
  • Enjoys a very fast paced and team oriented environment very flexible and quick changes wants to learn okay with an ambiguous role

For Merchants everything begins and ends with the consumer. We are seeking a consumer led Merchant with a strong affinity for product who thrives in the fast pace of retail and the ever evolving North America marketplace. A successful Merchant will contribute to an inclusive positive and progressive team dynamic while helping shape our Kids Footwear and Apparel offense across North America Channels. Its about each person bringing their skills curiosity and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving game.

WHO YOU WILL WORK WITH

You will work closely with fellow North America Channel Merchants and cross functional partners across North America Product Merchandising Sales Planning Brand and Marketplace teams. You will also collaborate with Finance Operations and Insights & Analytics leveraging quantitative and qualitative business reporting-including sales inventory bookings and consumer behavior metrics-to inform decisions and drive results across the North America marketplace.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

For Merchants everything begins and ends with the consumer. We are looking for a Merchant with a passion for footwear and kids sport who enjoys moving at the pace of retail and serving the diverse North America consumer. A successful candidate will bring strong channel acumen analytical rigor and a solution oriented mindset while contributing to an inclusive and collaborative team environment.

This role requires a clear understanding of the North America marketplace landscape across wholesale and our Direct channels along with the ability to convert product strategies into actionable channel specific assortments. Operating with autonomy and agility this role is responsible for owning the Kids Sportswear Footwear channel offering end to end and managing multiple seasons simultaneously.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Bachelors degree or higher or a combination of relevant education experience and training
• 4 years of experience in Footwear Apparel Equipment or relevant consumer product merchandising product creation and/or retail within a vertical multi brand or digital environment
• Strong command of retail and digital metrics including sell through margin full price realization weeks of supply bookings and inventory productivity
• Proven ability to translate consumer sales trend and marketplace insights into in season actions and long term channel strategies
• Experience preparing seasonal channel specific tools and storytelling that clearly articulate priorities to Sales and marketplace partners
• Demonstrated ability to build strong working relationships across a matrixed North America organization
• Strong communication and influencing skills with high attention to detail and consistency in execution

WHAT YOU WILL WORK ON

You will build consumer centric channel specific assortment plans for Kids Footwear and Apparel across North America blending fact based analysis with intuitive product storytelling. You will own the translation of product strategies into clear assortments by channel and tier ensuring alignment to consumer needs account realities and capacity constraints.

You will manage multiple seasons concurrently using in market performance bookings and partner feedback to inform future seasonal decisions. You will play a critical role during key moments such as Go to Market sales meetings as well as account sales meetings ensuring Sales teams are equipped with clear assortments priorities and narratives to drive confident sell in.

North America Channel Assortment Ownership

• Own the translation of North America product strategies into clear channel and tier specific assortments preserving consumer intent while reflecting capacity door realities and account needs. Serve as the single point of accountability for the final North America channel view.

Marketplace & Account Acumen (North America)

• Apply deep understanding of North America wholesale Client Direct and specialty channel dynamics to determine where product should live how it should scale and when to advocate for incremental opportunities-balancing growth profitability and brand consistency.

Cross Functional Partnership & Influence (NA Focused)

• Partner closely with North America Sport Merchandising Sales SSDs Planning and Brand teams to synthesize inputs clarify priorities and influence strong channel outcomes through collaboration clarity and trust.

Seasonal Process & Calendar Leadership

• Lead complex overlapping seasonal workflows from MAR through GTM OED and post GTM ensuring clean handoffs on time deliverables and shared clarity on what is final versus in progress for channel partners.

Sales Enablement & Sell In Readiness

• Equip Sales and SSD partners with channel specific assortments narratives and tools that enable confident sell in reduce friction at key moments and clearly communicate core priority and opportunistic product offerings.

Marketplace Insights & Continuous Improvement

• Leverage bookings in market performance and partner feedback across North America to deliver actionable insights refine channel strategies and strengthen future seasonal assortments and ways of working.