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Senior Merchant, Toy & Plush – San Diego, CA
Join a leading specialty retailer known for its strong partnerships with cultural attractions and commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the vision and strategy for the Toy & Plush category, lead a high-performing team, and have direct impact on growth and innovation. Relocation required; this position is onsite in San Diego.
Senior Merchant, Toy & Plush Benefits & Compensation
- Competitive compensation package commensurate with experience
- Relocation assistance to San Diego
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
- Supportive, collaborative culture focused on professional growth
Senior Merchant, Toy & Plush Requirements & Qualifications
- Minimum 10+ years of retail product buying and product development experience
- Demonstrated experience with Toy and/or Plush categories
- At least 3–5 years leading buying teams
- Proven ability to build and maintain vendor relationships
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel (including pivot tables, VLOOKUP, forecasting, and trend analysis)
- Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills
- Must be able to work onsite in San Diego; remote or hybrid is not available
Senior Merchant, Toy & Plush Preferred Background & Skills
- Experience traveling to Asia and working with overseas manufacturers and factories
- Experience collaborating with cross-functional teams in planning, allocation, or finance
Senior Merchant, Toy & Plush Day-to-Day Responsibilities
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of buyers and assistant buyers to foster growth and deliver results
- Execute product strategy and assortment planning across Toy & Plush and adjacent departments
- Build and strengthen relationships with vendors, oversee negotiations, and drive purchasing decisions to achieve COGS and margin targets
- Monitor and analyze sales performance, SKUs, inventory, and margins; proactively identify and address issues
- Collaborate closely with planning and allocation teams to optimize inventory health and minimize markdowns
- Communicate risks, opportunities, and recommendations to leadership to support ongoing improvement and business success
This is a leadership role for a driven merchant ready to make an impact in a dynamic and creative retail environment.
JOB ID: 173584
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