About the position
As the Manager of Digital Merchandising, you will lead the delivery of a best-in-class digital experience for Vans. You will drive online merchandising strategies leveraging analytics to improve the overall customer experience across the North America websites (US and Canada) and mobile app. Your role will focus on improving customer conversion, average order value (AOV), and time on site by presenting Vans' products in the right way, at the right time, and in the right combination. You will act as a primary liaison between internal teams, collaborating closely with various departments to drive the success of our brand through effective digital merchandising, compelling creative content, and consistent, cohesive brand and product messaging. This position reports to the Director of Digital Merchandising & Content and is a hybrid role, requiring you to work 3 days at our Costa Mesa, CA headquarters and 2 days from home. In this role, you will establish and manage an on-site product life cycle process, ensuring that merchandise presentation on the site is accurate and meets brand guidelines. You will be responsible for the consistent daily maintenance of the online store, executing predefined product merchandising strategies. Your duties will include supporting weekly and monthly reporting efforts, conducting thorough site analysis to identify areas for improvement, and managing key product categories utilizing customer behavior data. You will partner with the SEO and Consumer Insights teams to ensure product keywords are effectively used and will collaborate with the Paid Marketing team to ensure campaigns focus on the right products at the right time. Additionally, you will meet with Buyers and Merchandisers on seasonal assortment strategies, collaborate with Marketing, Retention, Creative, and Performance Marketing teams to drive demand through compelling emails, digital ads, and web content. You will also partner with Site Operations and Digital technology teams to ideate and deploy new features aimed at boosting product sales. Your leadership will extend to mentoring merchandisers, utilizing their strengths while providing coaching as needed. Success in this role will be defined by your ability to effectively communicate data insights, propose solutions, and advocate for cross-functional initiatives, all while maintaining a focus on improving the site experience.
Responsibilities
- Establish and manage an on-site product life cycle process.
- Manage and review merchandise presentation on site to ensure accuracy and adherence to brand guidelines.
- Maintain the online store daily, executing predefined product merchandising strategies.
- Support weekly/monthly reporting efforts, presenting clear product narratives around results and recommendations.
- Conduct thorough site analysis to identify areas for improvement, including navigation layout updates and PLP optimization.
- Manage key product categories utilizing customer behavior data, including product views, reviews, and conversion metrics.
- Collaborate with SEO and Consumer Insights teams to ensure effective use of product keywords across PLP's and PDP's.
- Communicate with the Paid Marketing team to ensure campaigns focus on the right products at the right time.
- Meet with Buyers and Merchandisers on seasonal assortment strategies and attend seasonal go-to-market weeks.
- Collaborate with Marketing, Retention, Creative, and Performance Marketing to drive demand through compelling content.
- Partner with Site Operations and Digital technology teams to deploy new features aimed at boosting product sales.
- Lead and mentor merchandising staff, providing coaching and support as needed.
Requirements
- 5+ years of experience in buying, planning, or merchandising (OMNI experience preferred).
- 2+ years of management experience.
- Deep understanding of merchandising KPIs and user journey impact on metrics.
- Knowledge of merchandising back-end tooling; experience with Salesforce Commerce Cloud, Monetate, Bloomreach, or Salsify is a plus.
- Experience with eCommerce platforms such as Shopify, Magento, or SAP Hybris is a plus.
- Highly proficient in Google Analytics, Excel, and PowerPoint.
- Experience managing consumer goods in a lifestyle apparel and footwear market.
- Awareness of market trends and consumer tastes with a discerning point of view.
- Strong visual eye for curating assortments and site presentation.
- Ability to manage and analyze large data sets, summarizing findings into concise narratives.
- Experience with project management tools such as Confluence, JIRA, Wrike, or Asana.
- Excellent communication skills and ability to work collaboratively across teams.
Nice-to-haves
- Formal education and undergraduate/graduate degrees in relevant fields.
- Experience in a project management role.
- Familiarity with digital marketing strategies and tools.
Benefits
- Comprehensive benefits that encourage mental, physical, and financial well-being for all associates.
- Annual incentive plan, sales incentive, or commission potential based on performance.
- Access to a variety of health and wellness programs.
