DTC Merchandise Buyer

Passion. Creativity. Integrity. Teamwork. Ambition. Innovation. These are the qualities that have made Wilson Sporting Goods Co. the number one sports equipment brand in the world. And these are the qualities that our global team embodies every day as we pursue one shared bold mission: to ignite the true potential in every athlete.

We know that great people are what makes our brand great. We know that teams who bring a variety of skill sets, experiences, and perspectives to challenge the status quo and create game-changing product means we are doing right by the athletes and coaches we serve. And that’s why we work with each member of our team to help them dream, discover, grow, and realize their own full potential.

Evolving the sports world and being the best partner for players is no small task. We are continually looking to add hard-working, ambitious, team-first individuals who desire to make a difference —and who love to help others win. Join us.

The DTC Merchandise Buyer will be responsible for creating and planning product assortments for the equipment categories in our physical stores and online. This role will partner with our Merchandise Planning & Allocation team as well as the Product, Marketing and Commercial teams across all business units to ensure compelling assortments in each channel/location and a shopping experience that builds consumer loyalty and profitable sales.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Own merchandising, forecasting, and allocation strategies for equipment categories on our website and physical brand retail locations.
• Analyze weekly sales to measure performance against plan, reviewing any deviations with channel leadership team and business units.
• Create department financial plans and item level forecasts to ensure overall channel sales and margin plans are met for DTC channels.
• Partner with digital and e-commerce teams to publish new products, manage pricing and promotions, monitor out of stocks, and optimize site merchandising.
• Conduct seasonal Buy Reviews that articulate the investment and merchandising strategies for each sport alongside Merchandise Buying Manager.
• Create retail store assortments by cluster, taking into account capacities, business unit strategies, and location attributes.
• Own allocation strategy for respective categories by defining min/max guidelines by SKU and product category.
• Participate in Monthly S&OP with supply chain partners to discuss order fill rates, product tracking, and excess inventory positions.
• Manage and maintain SAP contracts and orders for retail stores.
• Deliver weekly, monthly, and ad hoc sales and inventory reports.
• Collaborate closely with business unit commercial, product, and marketing teams to ensure divisional objectives are executed within respective channel.

This role requires a bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of merchandising, buying, and/or merchandise planning experience. Experience with athletic apparel and equipment brands is preferred.

Additional requirements will include:

• Great product instincts – an understanding of sports, culture and fashion
• Analytical thinking – a balance of both qualitative and quantitative skills
• Collaboration – demonstrated skill in building cross-functional working relationships
• Entrepreneurship – ability to work effectively in a fluid environment and willingness to wear multiple hats, as necessary
• Resourcefulness – self-directed and scrappy
• Business Acumen - demonstrated ability to apply sound business decisions to growing a global business
• Advanced Proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Powerpoint, Word)

What We’ll Provide

The Wilson global headquarters is located in the vibrant, sports-centric city of Chicago with first-class access to a burgeoning creative, innovative, energetic and active professional community. We offer an open, collaborative, high tech work environment with best-in-class amenities and perks, including:

• Medical, dental and vision
• Pre-tax transit discounts
• 401(k) with company match
• Life insurance
• Paid maternity/paternity leave
• Professional development opportunities
• Volunteering programs
• Team building outings
• Discounts on Wilson and Amer Sports products
• Smart casual dress (yes, jeans every day!)
• Summer hours
• Company-sponsored sports leagues/teams
• Fun, active company outings around major sports events

Wilson Sporting Goods Co. is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristics.