Senior Merchant

The Sr Merchandising Manager is responsible for shaping and executing LAKE’s product assortment strategy across all distribution channels. This role sits at the intersection of product, customer, and business performance—driving a compelling assortment that reflects the brand’s point of view while delivering on financial goals.

This individual partners closely with Design, Product Development, Planning, Buying, Marketing, Creative, and Retail teams to bring cohesive, customer-centric product strategies to life. The ideal candidate combines strong market awareness with sharp analytical skills, a refined aesthetic, and a deep understanding of the LAKE clients.

We are looking for a proactive, strategic thinker with refined taste who is passionate about product and innovation—someone who will help evolve and expand our assortment in ways that are both differentiated and commercially successful.

You Will:

• Own seasonal assortment strategy in partnership with Buying & Planning—balancing trend, customer demand, and financial targets
• Define and evolve the brand’s product POV across assortment architecture, delivery cadence, and positioning
• Identify and build new category opportunities, partnering with leadership to shape the forward product pipeline
• Drive key seasonal items and commercial bets, aligning cross-functionally to maximize revenue impact
• Translate customer insights and sales data into action, informing assortment, pricing, and product decisions
• Partner closely with Design & Product Development to ensure product direction reflects both brand vision and market demand
• Lead cross-functional alignment across Marketing, Commercial, and Planning to deliver cohesive go-to-market strategies
• Actively manage in-season performance—analyzing sell-through, optimizing inventory, and making decisive trade-offs (chase, cancel, markdown)
• Own site and retail merchandising strategies and execution, ensuring compelling storytelling, product clarity, and conversion optimization

You Have:

• 7–12 years of experience in Merchandising and/or Buying, preferably within apparel or lifestyle brands
• Strong understanding of the fashion market, trends, and competitive landscape
• Proven financial acumen and advanced retail math skills
• Highly developed taste level with the ability to interpret and translate trends into commercial product
• Experience working cross-functionally with Design and Product Development teams
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical capabilities and intellectual agility
• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing skills
• Self-starter with strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Demonstrated “creator” mindset with high self-awareness and accountability
• Proven ability to plan strategically and connect to the broader objectives while expertly managing execution