Job Summary

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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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Phil Arena

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Additional Information

At Goodwin Recruiting, our clients seek qualified candidates, and that is what we deliver. A person’s age, gender, race, color, marital or family status, national origin, disability, religion, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity has no bearing on whether they are able to do the job. We evaluate the knowledge, skills, and abilities that meet the requirements of the position and aim to open doors and change lives. We work hard to identify a broad slate of candidates for each of our clients, with many hiring success stories to share.

Kalyn joined Goodwin Recruiting with over a decade of experience in operations, leadership, and hospitality management. She’s known for her values-driven approach, strong team-building skills, and commitment to excellence. Kalyn’s experience across industries - ranging from medical and construction to hospitality and finance - has made her highly effective in full-cycle recruiting.