CSC Generation

Director

• Develop and own the long-range merchandising vision and seasonal strategies for assigned areas, aligned with company goals and customer insights.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of merchants; provide clear goals, coaching, and feedback to build future leaders and bench strength.
• Partner closely with Planning to deliver divisional sales, margin, and inventory goals across stores and e-commerce.
• Use data and analytics to inform strategy, course-correct in season, and identify new growth opportunities.
• Represent assigned departments in cross-functional forums and enterprise projects (omni-channel initiatives, private brand strategy, promotional planning, space and visual strategy, Go To Market (GTM) planning).
• Contribute to strategic planning and manage key elements of the divisional P&L, including sales, markdowns, and vendor funding; identify risks and opportunities proactively.
• Champion the smart use of AI and automation to improve merchant productivity to free the team up to spend more time on strategy, product and the customer.
• Build and execute merchandise strategies across all channels, including: Assortment architecture and line planning.
• Private brand vs. national brand mix, exclusivity strategies, and key item focus.
• Seasonal “big ideas” and storytelling that differentiate Sur La Table in the market.
• Partner with Planning on OTB, inventory flow, and markdown strategies to ensure healthy inventory and an on-brand, profitable assortment.
• Lead pricing and promotion strategy for assigned areas; test and refine promotional offers based on performance.
• Maintain a sharp view of the competitive landscape, emerging trends, and customer preferences to continually evolve the product mix.
• Source and maintain relationships with high-quality, cost-effective vendors; negotiate pricing, terms, and exclusives to maximize profitability and supply reliability.
• Leverage data insights to refine promotional, pricing, and inventory strategies.
• Ensure a cohesive omni-channel experience by aligning assortments, pricing, and storytelling across stores, surlatable.com, and culinary programs.
• Partner with Visual Merchandising and Creative to bring seasonal stories to life through in-store presentation, digital merchandising, photography, copy and packaging.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Culinary on campaigns, events, and class tie-ins that showcase key products and drive engagement.

Director, Divisional Merchandising Manager