Vantage Apparel
Director of Merchandising
Vantage Apparel, Avenel, New Jersey, United States, 07098
What sets us apart?Competitive compensation plan, base salary, and annual incentiveHealth Benefits: medical, dental, vision, short term and long- term disability and wellness programs401-k plan with company matchComprehensive Paid Time Off and HolidaysContinuing Education ReimbursementCollaborative and Innovative work environmentCompany Overview
Vantage Apparel is the nation's top source for custom logo apparel, serving as the premier choice of renowned global brands. Established in 1977, we have consistently demonstrated B2B innovation in the promotional apparel industry and earned the prestigious designation of one of the "Best Places to Work" in our field. In 2024, our commitment to excellence in apparel decoration was underscored by consecutive securing the 28th PPAI Gold Pyramid award for embroidery, consistently recognized in ASI Counselor® Magazine's Top 40 company, and the PPAI Gold Pyramid for Marketing content. These honors affirm our persistent dedication to setting industry standards.
Role Highlights
The Director of Merchandising will play a critical role in the growth and strategic vision of Vantage Apparel by leading the merchandising strategy, driving product development, ensuring factory compliance, and aligning the product line with market trends and customer needs. This role requires a strong background in apparel merchandising, exceptional leadership skills, and a keen sense of fashion trends.
Essential Duties
Lead the product development process from concept to launch with merchandising and technical teams, ensuring alignment with market trends and customer needs.Lead product selection and merchandising of all branded/licensed product assortments.Conduct product market research and competitive product/pricing analysis to identify trends, customer preferences, and competitive landscape.Oversee the creation of product specifications with offshore factories, negotiate best pricing strategies, and guide factory selection for development.Lead sourcing, supporting Supply Chain manager, developing new vendors and origins with guidance in duplicating appropriate products or categories, as well as identifying new development opportunities.Uphold rigorous standards for product and factory audits to ensure compliance with labor laws, ethical manufacturing practices, and social responsibility standards.Create and communicate impactful presentations to sell-in development product to executive management and regional sales managers.Monitor and analyze sales performance, inventory turnover, and profitability metrics as a mechanism to introduce new products, product categories and/or core collection enhancements.Support sales and marketing, creating, leading and administering education and offerings related to program collections/assortments, competitive style substitutions and creative decoration applications.Support catalog production, including identifying merchandising strategy and vision, selecting samples to shoot, overseeing product copy, on-set styling and wardrobe.Travel to domestic and international vendor supply meetings, as well as visit factory and agents for approvals and to identify new fabrics, finishes, design.Moderate need to attend tradeshows, customer meetings, industry events and other related activities.Requirements
Ideal Candidate Profile
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
Demonstrate forward-thinking and proactivity as a leader, with strong organizational skills, meticulous attention to details, and respectful coaching demeanor.The ability to collaborate as a team player and interact successfully with people at all levels within and outside of the organization in support of larger goals and objectives.Proven track record of successful product development and merchandising strategies.Strong leadership and team management skills.Collaborate effectively across all levels and with external stakeholders to support overarching goals and objectives.Efficiently handle and prioritize multiple projects concurrently, demonstrating the ability to solve both simple and complex problems.Familiarity with decorated apparel industry, encompassing key concepts and operational dynamics.Exhibit outstanding written and verbal communication skills, ensuring clear and effective interaction with clients and team members.EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE COMPUTER SKILLS
Bachelor's degree (B. A.) in Fashion Merchandising, Business, Marketing or a minimum of 8-10 years of relevant experience in apparel merchandising, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.Fundamental understanding of data integration theories and decorated apparel industry.
COMPUTER SKILLS
Demonstrated expertise in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and proficiency with merchandising software and tools.
CERTIFICATES AND/OR LICENSES
May be required to have a valid driver's license and meet Vantage Driver Approval requirements.
At Vantage Apparel we are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, sex, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship, age, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, or other legally protected status.
Vantage Apparel is the nation's top source for custom logo apparel, serving as the premier choice of renowned global brands. Established in 1977, we have consistently demonstrated B2B innovation in the promotional apparel industry and earned the prestigious designation of one of the "Best Places to Work" in our field. In 2024, our commitment to excellence in apparel decoration was underscored by consecutive securing the 28th PPAI Gold Pyramid award for embroidery, consistently recognized in ASI Counselor® Magazine's Top 40 company, and the PPAI Gold Pyramid for Marketing content. These honors affirm our persistent dedication to setting industry standards.
Role Highlights
The Director of Merchandising will play a critical role in the growth and strategic vision of Vantage Apparel by leading the merchandising strategy, driving product development, ensuring factory compliance, and aligning the product line with market trends and customer needs. This role requires a strong background in apparel merchandising, exceptional leadership skills, and a keen sense of fashion trends.
Essential Duties
Lead the product development process from concept to launch with merchandising and technical teams, ensuring alignment with market trends and customer needs.Lead product selection and merchandising of all branded/licensed product assortments.Conduct product market research and competitive product/pricing analysis to identify trends, customer preferences, and competitive landscape.Oversee the creation of product specifications with offshore factories, negotiate best pricing strategies, and guide factory selection for development.Lead sourcing, supporting Supply Chain manager, developing new vendors and origins with guidance in duplicating appropriate products or categories, as well as identifying new development opportunities.Uphold rigorous standards for product and factory audits to ensure compliance with labor laws, ethical manufacturing practices, and social responsibility standards.Create and communicate impactful presentations to sell-in development product to executive management and regional sales managers.Monitor and analyze sales performance, inventory turnover, and profitability metrics as a mechanism to introduce new products, product categories and/or core collection enhancements.Support sales and marketing, creating, leading and administering education and offerings related to program collections/assortments, competitive style substitutions and creative decoration applications.Support catalog production, including identifying merchandising strategy and vision, selecting samples to shoot, overseeing product copy, on-set styling and wardrobe.Travel to domestic and international vendor supply meetings, as well as visit factory and agents for approvals and to identify new fabrics, finishes, design.Moderate need to attend tradeshows, customer meetings, industry events and other related activities.Requirements
Ideal Candidate Profile
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
Demonstrate forward-thinking and proactivity as a leader, with strong organizational skills, meticulous attention to details, and respectful coaching demeanor.The ability to collaborate as a team player and interact successfully with people at all levels within and outside of the organization in support of larger goals and objectives.Proven track record of successful product development and merchandising strategies.Strong leadership and team management skills.Collaborate effectively across all levels and with external stakeholders to support overarching goals and objectives.Efficiently handle and prioritize multiple projects concurrently, demonstrating the ability to solve both simple and complex problems.Familiarity with decorated apparel industry, encompassing key concepts and operational dynamics.Exhibit outstanding written and verbal communication skills, ensuring clear and effective interaction with clients and team members.EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE COMPUTER SKILLS
Bachelor's degree (B. A.) in Fashion Merchandising, Business, Marketing or a minimum of 8-10 years of relevant experience in apparel merchandising, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.Fundamental understanding of data integration theories and decorated apparel industry.
COMPUTER SKILLS
Demonstrated expertise in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and proficiency with merchandising software and tools.
CERTIFICATES AND/OR LICENSES
May be required to have a valid driver's license and meet Vantage Driver Approval requirements.
At Vantage Apparel we are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, sex, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship, age, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, or other legally protected status.