Associate Merchant – Apparel – Remote

We are seeking an Associate Merchant – Apparel to join the Orvis Team! This is a remote role, with preference given to candidates within a reasonable driving distance to our headquarters in Vermont.

We are seeking an Associate Merchant for our Men’s & Women’s Apparel categories who strives to enable our customers to connect with the adventure and wonder in the natural world. The ideal candidate will collaborate with the Merchandising and PDD teams in curating seasonal assortments and will foster a strong, supportive, and energetic team dynamic. Success will be measured in the category’s ability to meet the sales and profit goals, as well as the individual’s ability to contribute and execute to the category vision, facilitate cross-functional partnerships, prioritize organization, and meet deadlines. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to take the next step in developing a career in the merchandising field.

As an Associate Merchant you will support the Orvis Apparel (Men’s and Women’s) Merchandising teams in the development and delivery of the Orvis apparel assortment. You will be responsible for supporting the development and execution of seasonal apparel assortments that reflect the Orvis brand, customer lifestyle, and performance needs, managing SKU creation, analyzing sales and market trends, partnering closely with cross-functional teams, and supporting in-season business management.  The ideal candidate will be detail oriented, have strong communication skills, and be partnership driven.

For more than 165 years the Orvis name has stood for outdoor traditions, quality, and customer satisfaction. At Orvis, we do not sell what we, ourselves, would not be proud to own or give as a gift. Our associates deserve to be proud of our service and our products, and we rely on every associate to apply our “pride of ownership” credo to drive our quality. “Good enough” is not our standard. We need to strive for perfection in our products and customer service, to propel our growth and the pride that will fuel our team.

Position Interfaces:

This position reports to our Senior Merchant – Men’s & Dog. This role will partner very closely with members across the total Orvis Apparel Merchandising (Men’s and Women’s), as they will be developing an assortment to support the merchandising strategies and building data templates to support both teams. The Associate Merchant will also assist with functions that support the Apparel categories across Planning & Allocation, Product Development & Design, Marketing, Creative, and Customer Service.

Responsibilities:

• Compiles and analyzes weekly and ad hoc selling reports to identify risks, opportunities, and emerging trends in the business
• Develops and maintains reporting tools to support weekly, seasonal, and ad-hoc business analysis
• Partners with Senior Merchants to build seasonal assortments aligned to category financial and strategic plans and analyzes sales performance, customer feedback, and market trends to inform assortment decisions
• Manages SKU creation and product lifecycle within Orvis product systems, ensuring accuracy and on-time execution
• Coordinates with cross-functional teams (Design, Product Development, Sourcing, Planning, Marketing, and Digital) to bring product to market seamlessly
• Supports PDP creation by providing product details, coordinating samples for photography, and aligning on digital merchandising strategy
• Manages samples and ensures product readiness for key milestones, including line reviews, photoshoots, and go-to-market deadlines
• Assists in vendor communication and supports assortment execution with external partners
• Monitors the competitive landscape to identify trends and opportunities
• Supports in building clear, compelling presentations for leadership and key milestone meetings
• Adheres to seasonal product creation and commercialization timelines and deliverables
• Demonstrates agility in a fast-paced, evolving, and cross-functionally remote retail environment while contributing to a collaborative, high-performing team culture

Competencies and Requirements:  

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in related business field such as Fashion Design and Merchandising.
• 2-3 years+ experience in a retail environment, specifically focused on merchandising.
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills, particularly Excel. Comfort working in multiple data entry systems.  Familiarity with Smartsheet and/or Adobe Analytics a plus.
• Strong organizational, prioritization and time management skills with exceptional attention to detail and follow-up; Self-Starter
• Ability to anticipate and meet deadlines and work on multiple projects in a fast-paced environment; proven flexibility, agility, and comfort with change.
• Proven experience managing projects while building partnerships and cooperation across multiple departments.
• Passionate about product with a strong appreciation for design. Outdoor apparel experience a plus.
• Eager to contribute fresh ideas for new product development and identify brand-right opportunities
• Results oriented with strong business and financial acumen; ability to understand the importance of data and look for ways to harness its powers in day-to-day decision making
• Objective problem-solver with an analytical approach that understands and anticipates needs of customer, business, & team
• Competent, reliable, & efficient, with effective communication, listening and interpersonal skills. Goes one step further than what is asked to create next level solutions.
• Alignment with the company core values.

Orvis Company associates take pride in our world-class service and products, treating customers, vendor partners, and each other with integrity and mutual respect. We work in a supportive, team-oriented environment, focusing on performance, continuous improvement, and exceeding our customers’ expectations – both internal and external. The Orvis Company and our associates are committed to giving back to our communities and protecting nature.

About Orvis:

In 1856, Charles Orvis founded the Orvis Company in Manchester, Vermont, offering the finest fly fishing equipment, and priding himself on customer satisfaction and service. Today, along with our world famous fly-fishing gear, Orvis offers distinctive clothing, home furnishings, gifts, and dog products. Each item is rooted in our heritage of authenticity and the outdoors, and is backed with a no-questions-asked guarantee. With our flagship retail store located in the same Vermont village as the original store since 1856, we offer experience and knowledge that no other retail company can. Each day we strive to apply what we know and learn to bring our customers even better service and products tomorrow.

Orvis is headquartered in beautiful Southwestern Vermont with operations in Roanoke, Virginia and the U.K. We firmly believe that the only way for Orvis to achieve its vision to be the most respected lifestyle brand in America, is to have a company culture that is supportive and inspiring to the individuals that will get us there. 

Orvis offers competitive compensation commensurate with scope of responsibilities and experience required; plus a comprehensive benefits package including medical/dental/vision coverage, life insurance, 401K, generous associate discounts, and other excellent benefits.

To access our California Applicant Privacy Notice, follow this link: https://www.orvis.com/california-applicant-notice.html

 To learn more and connect with Orvis, please visit us online www.orvis.com.