Job Details

Overview

Merchant, Footwear

Chicago, IL | Hybrid

At Wilson, we are here to empower every human to live like an athlete. Passion. Creativity. Integrity. Teamwork. Ambition. Innovation. These are the qualities that have made Wilson Sporting Goods Co. the number one sports equipment brand in the world. We come together to win, grow, and celebrate. We all play for Team Wilson. We all have a role to play within our organization and are working towards the same goal. One team, one dream.

We believe that being an athlete isn't something you do, it's who you are. It's a universal code of conduct, a way of seeing the world and how you show up every day. We seek out diverse voices and welcome all perspectives. Our team is composed of individuals with unique backgrounds, points of view and experiences. These perspectives create a rich and diverse culture in which we learn from one another through empathy and inclusion.

Evolving the sports world and being the best partner for players, athletes, and our community is no small task. We are continually looking to add enthusiastic, ambitious, team-first individuals who desire to make a difference -and who love to help others win. Together, we will create a better world through sport. Join us.

What You'll Do

The Merchant - US Footwear owns the US seasonal assortment strategy and in-season business for Footwear across DTC and Wholesale channels. This role translates consumer insights and market trends into a clear line architecture, channel-right assortments, and profitable pricing/margin strategies. The Merchant partners tightly with Merchandise Planning to shape demand plans and lifecycle actions (flow, markdowns, exits, and chase/replenishment), and collaborates with cross-functional teams to ensure readiness at each GTM milestone. Success requires strong product instinct, sharp analytical judgment, and crisp execution.

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Build the US seasonal footwear line architecture, including franchise strategy, price/margin structure, channel segmentation, and article-level forecasting.
• Own the US assortment strategy across DTC and Wholesale, including detailed plans by retail store type and wholesale segment.
• Drive GTM readiness by preparing merchandising tools, seasonal presentations, and product education, ensuring alignment across cross-functional partners.
• Collaborate closely with E-commerce and Retail teams to bring the product vision to life across channels, including site merchandising, visual merchandising, and platform-specific storytelling.
• Partner with Sales teams to build strategic assortments and merchandising plans for key accounts and the specialty channel; attend account meetings and present on behalf of the Footwear category.
• Monitor in-season performance and partner with Merchandise Planning to execute lifecycle actions including chase, replenishment, flow adjustments, and markdowns.
• Track POs and inbound shipments with Supply Chain, surfacing delivery risks and recommending adjustments to protect revenue and key launch timelines.
• Maintain accurate merchandising tools and systems (line plans, pricing files, B2B content) to ensure all teams and partners can execute effectively.
• Produce weekly hindsight and seasonal recaps, synthesizing learnings to inform future line plans and seasonal assortment decisions; provide clear recommendations to global teams.

What We're Looking For

This role requires a bachelor's degree in Marketing, Merchandising or a related discipline and 5+ years merchandising, buying and/or line management experience with another apparel brand or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Other qualifications include:

• Intermediate to advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word) and collaboration platforms such as MS Teams.
• Proven success building channel-right assortments and managing both DTC and Wholesale businesses.
• Deep understanding of footwear fundamentals: size runs and width strategies, last and fit, construction, materials, color/material storytelling, franchise management, and seasonal drop cadence.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and drive alignment across cross-functional and cross-regional partners.
• Entrepreneurial, resourceful, and comfortable operating in a fast-moving environment with ambiguity.

What We'll Provide

A reasonable estimate of the pay range is $75,000 - $100,000 per year at the time of this posting. Within the range, individual pay is determined by factors such as job-related skills, relevant experience, education, and/or training. Please note that the range details reflect the base pay only and does not include our competitive bonus program.

Located in the vibrant, sports-centric city of Chicago, Wilson Sporting Goods Co. global headquarters sits along the lakefront with first-class access to a burgeoning creative, innovative, energetic and active professional community. We offer an open, collaborative, high tech work environment with best in class amenities and perks, including:

• Medical, dental and vision
• Pre-tax transit discounts
• 401(k) with company match
• Life insurance
• Paid maternity/paternity leave
• Professional development opportunities
• Volunteering programs
• Team building outings
• Discounts on Wilson and Amer Sports products
• On-site health club
• Summer hours
• Company-sponsored sports leagues/teams
• Fun, active company outings around major sports events

Wilson Sporting Goods Co. is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, protected veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristics.