Senior Manager, Regional Merchandise, AMER (Smartwool & icebreaker)

At icebreaker and Smartwool, we are two unique brands that embody the same spirit of belonging, adventure, sustainability, and getting out there. We create products made for people who enjoy nature and want to go far and feel good. We do this all while keeping our planet and the impact of our products in mind.

So, before we get to the job details, take a minute to learn a little more about us – our values and our culture. If you can see yourself working side-by-side with a team of fun, adventure-loving people, icebreaker and Smartwool may be just the place for you.

 

To learn more about our values and our culture, visit www.icebreaker.com or www.smartwool.com.

 

Senior Manager, Regional Merchandise, AMER (Smartwool & icebreaker)

 

What will you do?

 

The Senior Manager, Regional Merchandise helps guide the Americas merchandising strategy for Smartwool and icebreaker, connecting consumer and marketplace insights to clear seasonal assortment direction.

This role partners closely with regional and global teams to support strong product choices, commercial alignment, and seasonal readiness across key channels. The position reports to the General Manager, AMER for Smartwool & icebreaker.

A day in the life of a Senior Manager, Regional Merchandise at Smartwool & icebreaker looks a little like this:

You’ll spend your time shaping the regional assortment point of view, using performance insights and partner input to guide seasonal choices, support key milestones, and help teams stay aligned on what matters most for the Americas business.

• Review product and marketplace performance to identify risks, opportunities, and shifts in consumer demand
• Partner with Wholesale, Retail, eCommerce, Planning, Marketing, and Global Product teams on seasonal priorities and decisions
• Build assortment frameworks that clarify category roles, channel needs, price architecture, and key product stories
• Bring regional recommendations into line reviews, product briefs, account conversations, and GTM milestones
• Use sell-through, SKU productivity, and partner feedback to improve assortment clarity, productivity, and execution over time

 

 

Key Deliverables for this Role

Americas Merchandising Strategy

• Develop and evolve the Americas merchandising point of view by combining consumer, marketplace, account, competitive, and performance insights
• Translate regional opportunities and business needs into clear seasonal recommendations for global and regional partners
• Balance brand positioning, commercial goals, and channel needs when shaping assortment direction

Assortment Planning & Productivity

• Build seasonal assortment frameworks that define what shows up by category, channel, account, and price point
• Partner with Planning to evaluate breadth, depth, SKU productivity, franchise health, and the balance of carryover, refresh, and innovation
• Use productivity reviews and post-season recaps to simplify choices, strengthen winners, and reduce unnecessary complexity

Regional Input & Product Execution

• Bring regional insights, account feedback, and sell-through learnings into global line reviews, product briefs, and seasonal hindsight discussions
• Identify needs for SMUs, capsules, or customer-specific initiatives, and align with global partners on business rationale, feasibility, and timing
• Partner with Planning and Finance on pricing, margin, and assortment trade-offs that impact seasonal decisions
• Support clear product stories, value propositions, and selling tools for key seasonal and account moments

GTM Readiness & Cross-Functional Alignment

• Help prepare teams for GTM milestones by ensuring seasonal priorities, assortment choices, and product stories are clear and connected
• Coordinate input and decisions across Sales, Marketing, DTC/eCommerce, Planning, Finance, and Global Product partners
• Communicate priorities, risks, and changes in a way that helps teams make timely decisions and avoid late rework

 

What Success Looks Like

Success measures will vary by season & category, but commonly include:

• Revenue & margin delivery for the Americas assortment plan
• Sell-through improvement and stronger franchise health
• Higher SKU productivity (e.g., fewer low-performing SKUs; stronger concentration in winners)
• Improved assortment clarity by channel/account (right segmentation and differentiation)
• On-time completion of GTM milestones and high-quality line review contributions
• Strong cross-functional alignment and clear decision-making (reflected in fewer late changes/rework)

What do you need to succeed?

We all have unique skills that we bring to work and celebrate every day. For this role, there are foundation skills you’ll need to succeed and excel. Additionally, while formal education in a related field is great to have, we are most interested in your 7-10 years of experience in merchandising, buying, category management, or product line/assortment-related roles (outdoor or adjacent industries preferred)

The foundation skills and experience you will need in this position are

• Proven ability to build and execute regional assortments that reflect consumer, marketplace, and channel needs
• Strong analytical mindset, with comfort using Excel/BI tools, sell-through analysis, SKU productivity, recaps, and assortment optimization
• Product and brand judgment, including competitive research, trend synthesis, and the ability to connect product choices to brand consistency
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across matrixed regional and global teams
• Ability to prioritize the biggest opportunities, make clear recommendations, and keep work moving across seasonal timelines

There are also a few skills that are not required but preferred.

• Apparel experience in performance categories (hike/snow/run) and familiarity with specialty + key-account ecosystems
• Experience with GTM calendars, line reviews, and product briefing processes

Travel is expected for key milestones, line reviews, and account/market visits (~20–30% depending on season and business needs). 

Hiring Range:

$112,320.00 USD - $140,400.00 USD annually

Incentive Potential: This position is eligible for additional compensation awards that may include an annual incentive plan, sales incentive, or commission potential. Specific details of the additional compensation eligibility for this position will be provided during the recruiting and interview process.

Benefits at VF Corporation: You can review a general overview of each benefit program offered, including this year's medical plan rates on www.MyVFbenefits.com  and by clicking Looking to Join VF? Detailed information on your benefits will be provided during the hiring process.

Please note, our hiring ranges are determined and built from market pay data. In determining the specific compensation for this position, we comply with all local, state, and federal laws.

At VF, we value a diverse, inclusive workforce and we provide equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. All qualified applicants for employment will be considered without regard to an individual’s race, color, sex, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by federal, state or local laws. If you require accommodations during the application process, please contact us at peopleservices@vfc.com. VF will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals to the extent required by applicable law.

Pursuant to all applicable local Fair Chance Ordinance requirements, including but not limited to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, VF will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.