Hybrid VP, Merchandising

at Little Sleepies

• Job title: VP, Merchandising
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: $225,000 - $250,000 per year
• Degree requirement: No Education Requirement
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Los Angeles, United States

About the role

• VP of Merchandising leading end-to-end merchandising and demand planning strategies for a fast-growing apparel brand. Responsible for category expansion and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead long-range assortment architecture aligned to company growth priorities.
• Establish clear category roles, depth strategies, and SKU productivity standards.
• Drive strategic expansion beyond core franchises, with focus on Newborn and Day/Play.
• Identify whitespace and adjacency opportunities within apparel.
• Partner closely with Product to shape a multi-year roadmap grounded in customer insight and disciplined planning.
• Translate customer and market insights into scalable category growth strategies.
• Lead successful introduction and scaling of new apparel categories.
• Balance innovation with inventory discipline and lifecycle management.
• Own demand planning across channels.
• Lead OTB strategy and optimize buys to improve inventory turn and SKU productivity.
• Strengthen forecast accuracy across new launches, replenishment, and seasonal products.
• Establish clear inventory health metrics and decision frameworks.
• Own and lead all licensing partner relationships.
• Develop licensed assortment strategies aligned to brand positioning and growth priorities.
• Partner with licensors on launch calendars, category expansion opportunities, and performance reviews.
• Develop differentiated assortment strategies across DTC, retail, and wholesale.
• Support retail expansion with thoughtful allocation and channel planning.
• Partner closely with the Sr. Director of E-commerce to align assortment strategy with digital execution.
• Build and lead a high-performing merchandising and planning organization.
• Drive alignment across Product, Marketing, Retail, and Operations.

Requirements

• 12–15+ years of progressive merchandising leadership within apparel.
• Proven track record of successfully leading category expansion within an apparel brand.
• Experience managing licensed product lines and external licensing partnerships.
• Deep expertise in DTC merchandising; OMNI and wholesale experience preferred.
• Ownership of OTB, demand planning, and inventory productivity at scale.
• Strategic, data-driven leader with executive presence and cross-functional influence.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off, vacation
• Sick days
• Paid holidays
• Short and long-term disability
• Life insurance
• 401(k)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Home office stipend
• Internet stipend
• Company discount
• Team building activities
• Company-issued computer