Assistant Merchant

Launched in 2014 by former philosophy professor David Barnett, PopSockets is a global digital-lifestyle company that sells empowering, fun, and expressive products that improve people’s digital lives. PopSockets has sold over 245 million of its iconic phone grips in 75 countries and now has an expanding ecosystem of related products, including phone cases, wallets, mounts, batteries, and chargers. 

Our mission is to build an eternal positivity machine--an enduring global brand that makes a growing positive impact on the world. Impact initiatives to date include Climate Neutral certification in 2022, our Poptivism platform and ChangeUp partnership, which have resulted in over $4 million in donations to over 400 non-profits, low-friction recycling programs with TerraCycle, use of 99% recyclable and FSC certified packaging, Fair Labor Association accreditation, and adoption of an animal-free policy with respect to products and corporate sponsored meals.  

In 2021, PopSockets was honored as one of Fast Company’s World's Most Innovative Companies.

The Role:

We are looking for an assistant merchant adept in assortment planning and competitive analysis with a specialized focus on channel-specific merchandising. This is a pivotal role that supports the merchandising function, responsible for launching products from inception to discontinuation, optimizes financial performance, and supports merchandising efforts tailored to different sales channels. The ideal candidate will bring a global perspective, balanced with channel-specific insights into new SKU development and possess a strong capability in crafting reporting to measure performance against strategic objectives.

• Line Architecture Responsibility: Support management of the full line architecture from initial ‘slot planning’ through collection sign-off.  This includes being the global hub for design, best representing the regions and the channels, as well as a close partner to planning to maximize financial targets.
• Product Briefs: Support the build of comprehensive product briefing to design.
• Strategic Channel Merchandising: Develop and execute merchandising strategies and directive assortments specific to each sales channel to enhance product visibility, customer engagement, and profitability throughout the product life cycle.
• Lifecycle and P&L Management: Support management of the entire product lifecycle, ensuring product strategies are financially sound and aligned with business goals.
• Sales Reporting: Independently develop and maintain detailed reports measuring product performance against strategic objectives, leveraging data to drive decision-making.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with design, marketing, and sales to ensure a synergistic approach to retailer presentations, product introductions, growth, and decline across all channels.
• Consumer Insights: Constantly keep a finger on the pulse relative to consumer needs, including current sentiment on product categories and consumer problems to solve.
• Market Analysis: Conduct ongoing market and competitive analysis to refine channel strategies, keeping products competitive and market-relevant.

• Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Business Administration, or related field.
• At least 3-5 years of experience in product merchandising, lifecycle management, and strategic financial planning, with a focus on channel strategy in the consumer electronics, fashion or beauty industry.
• Proficiency in merchandising strategies, financial analysis, and developing channel-specific merchandising plans.
• Exceptional analytical and strategic thinking abilities, with a track record of using data to inform decision-making.
• Strong communication skills and the capacity to independently generate and interpret channel performance reports.

PopSockets is dedicated to the practice of equal opportunity employment. We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants and employees on the basis of age, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, military status, genetic information, color, creed, ancestry, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state or local law. This prohibition includes unlawful harassment based on any of these protected classes. Unlawful harassment includes verbal or physical conduct which has the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual’s work performance, or creating an intimidating, hostile, offensive, unsafe or otherwise non-welcoming work environment. This policy applies to all employees, including managers, supervisors, co-workers; and non-employees such as customers, clients, vendors, consultants, etc.