Cscgeneration 21mo ago

Divisional Merchandise Manager, Ski & Snow Hardgoods

United States·Cottonwood HeightsFull Timemid

OtherMerchandise Manager

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Adventure is our Culture. Join a team that celebrates a lifestyle as bold as the terrain we love. At Backcountry, we are rooted in adventure, recognition, and wellbeing on and off the mountain. We spotlight employee stories, celebrate milestones, and offer exclusive outdoor perks. Whether you are at HQ, in a retail store, or remote, you will be part of a team that thrives on energy, exploration, and connection.

Reports to: VP, Merchandising Hardgoods

Location: Cottonwood Heights, Utah (Hybrid - 3x/week in-office)

As our Divisional Merchandise Manager, Ski & Snow Hardgoods, you will own the full commercial strategy for one of Backcountry's highest-profile and most technically complex categories. This role exists to deepen our authority in the snow sports market — setting the assortment vision, managing key vendor relationships, and ensuring every buying decision drives margin, sell-through, and customer loyalty across both digital and retail channels.

You will lead a team of buyers and work cross-functionally with Inventory Planning, Finance, Marketing, and Digital to translate a deep understanding of the global snow market into a winning assortment strategy. Success at 6–12 months looks like a rationalized, tiered assortment with measurable improvements in sell-through and gross margin, stronger exclusive and SMU programs with key vendors, and a team that is operating with clarity and accountability.

This is a lean team. You will own a lot, move fast, and make decisions with full end-to-end responsibility.

Define and execute a multi-year strategy across ski, snowboard, and backcountry hardgoods

Leverage a strong understanding of the global vendor and brand landscape to identify opportunities and trends

Translate regional customer needs (e.g., East vs. West mountains) into assortment strategies

Drive top-line growth, gross margin, sell-through rate, and inventory productivity in partnership with Inventory Planning and Finance

Build tiered assortments that serve multiple customer segments across price points and expertise levels

Curate a balanced mix of full-price, off-price, and closeout product to maximize lifecycle value

Lead end-of-season closeout buying strategies to optimize turns and minimize risk; partner with Inventory Planning and Finance to align on OTB, receipt timing, and payment structure

Ensure assortments drive units per transaction (UPT) through thoughtful cross-category integration

Develop and deepen strategic partnerships with key ski and snow brands through on-site vendor meetings, business reviews, and product testing

Lead business development initiatives with vendors to unlock exclusive opportunities

Create SMUs and exclusive assortments that differentiate Backcountry from competitors

Maintain a strong pulse on competitive positioning and brand strategies

Champion the end-to-end customer journey across digital and retail touchpoints

Partner with teams to build and scale demo fleet and seasonal rental programs

Ensure seamless integration of hardgoods with accessories, travel gear, and related categories

Partner closely with Inventory Planning to align open-to-buy, manage receipt flow, and optimize in-season reorder and markdown decisions across a highly seasonal business

Collaborate with Finance, Marketing, and Digital/UX teams to align category investments with financial targets, campaign timing, and on-site merchandising execution

Leverage sell-through data, digital conversion metrics, and customer demand signals to inform assortment decisions, identify risk, and surface opportunities in real time

Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing merchandising team

Establish clear goals aligned to business outcomes and hold teams accountable

Foster a culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous improvement

Deep expertise in ski and snowboard hardgoods, with a strong point of view on product and trends

Strong understanding of the global snow market, vendor landscape, and brand ecosystem

Proven ability to translate regional nuances (East vs. West, Resort vs. Backcountry) into winning strategies

Extensive experience managing highly seasonal businesses, including lifecycle and inventory planning

Demonstrated success building assortments across multiple price tiers and customer expertise levels

Experience across full-price, off-price, and closeout channels, with a focus on end-of-season optimization

Background in retail service models, including demo fleets and rental strategies

Experience developing SMUs, exclusives, and differentiated assortment programs

Strong track record of building strategic brand partnerships and vendor relationships

Understanding of adjacent categories including snow accessories, travel, and gear ecosystems

Proven ability to influence the full customer journey and drive metrics like UPT and conversion

Experience leading and developing high-performing merchandising teams

Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with Inventory Planning, Finance, and Digital teams to align assortment decisions with OTB, margin targets, and digital performance

Deep familiarity with ski industry vendor dating programs and off-price buying windows, including time-sensitive endof-season closeout commitments

Analytical fluency with sell-through analysis, conversion metrics, and demand forecasting to drive confident, datainformed buy decisions

The people who do best here are builders. They take ownership, move fast, and want to see the direct impact of their work.

Visibility Across the Business: As the DMM for one of Backcountry's most iconic categories, you will present directly to senior leadership and shape decisions that affect the full P&L — your work is seen and your perspective carries weight.

Category Mastery & Market Access: You will deepen your expertise through direct vendor partnerships, on-site product reviews, and access to the global snow sports market at a level few roles can offer.

Full Ownership: You own the category strategy end-to-end — from assortment vision and vendor negotiations to team development and financial outcomes. There is no hand-off; you see it through.

Competitive Benefits: Paid time off policies, 401(k) match, medical/dental/vision and a variety of supplemental policies, and employee discounts at Backcountry and across our portfolio of brands.

Recruiter Screen: A 30-minute conversation with our recruiting team to cover your background, the role, and what Backcountry is building.
Hiring Manager Interview: A deep dive with the VP of Merchandising focused on your category expertise, vendor strategy experience, and leadership approach.
Merchandising Case Study: You will complete a short take-home exercise to demonstrate how you approach assortment strategy, lifecycle planning, or a similar merchandising challenge.
Cross-Functional Interviews: Conversations with Inventory Planning, Finance, and Digital/UX stakeholders to assess cross-functional fit and strategic alignment.
In-Person Interview: An on-site visit at our Cottonwood Heights HQ with senior leadership and key team members.
Reference Checks: Conducted in parallel with the final stages where possible.
Offer: We move quickly for the right candidate.