Director of Merchandise, Hardgoods at CSC Generation

Cottonwood Heights, Utah, United States

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Not SpecifiedCompensation

Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level

Full TimeJob Type

UnknownVisa

Outdoor Retail, E-commerceIndustries

Requirements

Bachelor's degree (Business, Supply Chain Management, or related field preferred); Master's degree a plus
10+ years in retail buying/merchandising, with extensive e-commerce and outdoor industry experience
Demonstrated record of strategic sourcing, vendor negotiation, and assortment development in fast-paced, multi-channel environments
Deep analytical and presentation skills; fluency in Excel; experience with purchasing, planning, and reporting systems
Results-oriented leadership style with a passion for fostering high-performing, data-driven teams
Track record of leveraging AI, machine learning, or advanced analytics for merchandising, planning, or consumer insights

Responsibilities

Drive financial performance, achieving aggressive sales, margin, and inventory turn goals across all channels and platforms
Develop and maintain the optimal outdoor assortment strategy, integrating technical expertise, industry trends, and customer insights
Build and nurture strategic relationships with vendors, negotiating pricing, terms, and key buys to maximize gross margin and support differentiated product stories
Harness advanced analytics, including AI-powered demand forecasting, inventory optimization, and consumer trend modeling to inform merchandising and financial decisions
Lead and mentor a high-performing merchandising team, fostering accountability, professional development, and a rigorous, results-oriented culture
Oversee the flow of inventory, ensuring optimal stock levels, high velocity turns, and minimal waste through predictive analytics and agile buying practices
Partner with Planning on annual and seasonal budgets, forecasting, and KPI reporting, leveraging AI and data science for enhanced accuracy and opportunity identification
Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing and Creative, developing promotions and campaigns that drive brand engagement and capture emerging industry narratives
Uphold and advance category content standards, visual merchandising, and taxonomy for improved customer experience and conversion rates
Monitor team and category KPIs, utilizing advanced reporting platforms and AI-powered data visualization to detect trends and prescribe action plans

Skills

Key technologies and capabilities for this role

e-commercemerchandisingdata analysisAIadvanced analyticsteam leadershipvendor managementassortment strategyfinancial planninginventory managementcross-functional collaboration

Questions & Answers

Common questions about this position

What is the employment type for this position?

This is a full-time position.

Is this role remote or does it require office presence?

This information is not specified in the job description.

What key skills are required for the Director of Merchandise, Hardgoods role?

The role requires deep expertise in e-commerce and the outdoor industry, proven team leadership, market insight, data analysis, cross-functional collaboration, and a forward-thinking approach to AI and advanced analytics.

What is the company culture like at Backcountry?

Backcountry fosters a rigorous, results-oriented culture focused on accountability, professional development, and achieving aggressive financial goals through data-driven decisions and cross-functional collaboration.

What makes a strong candidate for this Director of Merchandise role?

A strong candidate has deep e-commerce and outdoor industry expertise, proven leadership in team management, strategic use of AI and analytics for merchandising, and the ability to drive financial performance through vendor relationships and cross-functional partnerships.

CSC Generation

Acquires and revitalizes struggling retail brands

About CSC Generation

CSC Generation specializes in acquiring and revitalizing struggling retail brands to make them profitable. The company identifies underperforming brands with potential and integrates them into its operating platform, which includes technology, skilled personnel, and efficient processes. This approach has allowed CSC Generation to successfully transform several well-known brands, such as DirectBuy and Sur La Table, into profitable ventures. The company generates revenue through the sales of products from its portfolio, which features over 325,000 items and attracts around 10 million monthly page views. Unlike many competitors, CSC Generation focuses on "unsexy" opportunities—brands that others might overlook but have significant turnaround potential. The goal of CSC Generation is to drive growth and profitability for the brands it acquires, ultimately enhancing the customer experience and increasing sales.

Merrillville, IndianaHeadquarters

2016Year Founded

$107.6MTotal Funding

SERIES_ECompany Stage

Consumer Software, Consumer GoodsIndustries

51-200Employees

Risks

Increased competition may lead to higher acquisition costs for CSC Generation.

Operational challenges in integrating new brands like Backcountry could affect performance.

Economic downturns could reduce consumer spending, impacting CSC's profitability.

Differentiation

CSC Generation specializes in acquiring and revitalizing struggling retail brands.

The company integrates brands into its platform to drive growth and profitability.

CSC Generation identifies 'unsexy' opportunities with significant potential for turnaround.

Upsides

CSC Generation's acquisition of Backcountry expands its consumer-centric brand portfolio.

The rise of AI-driven personalization can enhance CSC's customer engagement and conversion rates.

Direct-to-consumer models offer CSC increased profitability by cutting out intermediaries.

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