Hybrid Director, Divisional Merchandising Manager

at CSC Generation

• Job title: Director, Divisional Merchandising Manager
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: $140,000 - $150,000 per year
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Tech skills: Go
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Seattle, United States

About the role

• Director leading merchandising strategy at Sur La Table, developing high-performing merchant teams and enhancing cross-channel growth strategies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own the long-range merchandising vision and seasonal strategies for assigned areas, aligned with company goals and customer insights.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of merchants; provide clear goals, coaching, and feedback to build future leaders and bench strength.
• Partner closely with Planning to deliver divisional sales, margin, and inventory goals across stores and e-commerce.
• Use data and analytics to inform strategy, course-correct in season, and identify new growth opportunities.
• Represent assigned departments in cross-functional forums and enterprise projects (omni-channel initiatives, private brand strategy, promotional planning, space and visual strategy, Go To Market (GTM) planning).
• Contribute to strategic planning and manage key elements of the divisional P&L, including sales, markdowns, and vendor funding; identify risks and opportunities proactively.
• Champion the smart use of AI and automation to improve merchant productivity to free the team up to spend more time on strategy, product and the customer.
• Build and execute merchandise strategies across all channels, including: Assortment architecture and line planning.
• Private brand vs. national brand mix, exclusivity strategies, and key item focus.
• Seasonal “big ideas” and storytelling that differentiate Sur La Table in the market.
• Partner with Planning on OTB, inventory flow, and markdown strategies to ensure healthy inventory and an on-brand, profitable assortment.
• Lead pricing and promotion strategy for assigned areas; test and refine promotional offers based on performance.
• Maintain a sharp view of the competitive landscape, emerging trends, and customer preferences to continually evolve the product mix.
• Source and maintain relationships with high-quality, cost-effective vendors; negotiate pricing, terms, and exclusives to maximize profitability and supply reliability.
• Leverage data insights to refine promotional, pricing, and inventory strategies.
• Ensure a cohesive omni-channel experience by aligning assortments, pricing, and storytelling across stores, surlatable.com, and culinary programs.
• Partner with Visual Merchandising and Creative to bring seasonal stories to life through in-store presentation, digital merchandising, photography, copy and packaging.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Culinary on campaigns, events, and class tie-ins that showcase key products and drive engagement.

Requirements

• 8+ years of proven senior merchandising experience in a multi-location, multi-channel retail environment; at least 3-5 years leading merchants or category managers.
• Experience managing a division or multiple categories with full accountability for sales, margin, and inventory.
• Background in home, kitchen, tabletop, or hard goods strongly preferred; omni-channel experience required.
• Demonstrated track record of:
• Driving revenue growth and profitable category performance.
• Developing and coaching merchandising talent.
• Using data and analytics to inform decisions.
• Strong strategic thinking and planning skills; able to zoom out on long-term direction and zoom in on in-season execution.
• Excellent collaboration skills with a proven ability to influence cross-functional partners at all levels.
• Strong negotiation skills and experience building successful vendor partnerships, including private brand / exclusive programs.
• Curiosity and hands-on experience using modern AI tools to streamline work, analyze large data sets faster, and reimagine how merchandising work gets done – without needing to be a technologist.
• High comfort with Microsoft Office (especially Excel and PowerPoint) and merchandising / planning tools.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with shifting priorities.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Benefits

• Executive Access: Work directly with brand CEOs and senior leadership, solving real business problems and earning mentorship from top operators.
• AI-First Skill Building: Get hands-on with the most advanced AI tools in the market. From automation to prompt engineering, you’ll build a modern tech stack that sets you apart in any industry.
• Accelerated Career Path: High performers are quickly entrusted with greater responsibility, new challenges, and leadership opportunities across our portfolio of brands.
• Competitive benefits: Paid time off policies, 401(k)/RRSP match, medical/dental/vision and a variety of supplemental policies, and employee discounts at our portfolio companies.