Merchandising Lead - New York, 10019

Merchandising Lead - New York, 10019, United States of America

Famehouse, a division of UMG, is the preeminent leader in D2C solutions in music, defining & delivering the industry’s best-in-class service to connect artists with their fans. Established & headquartered in Philly, Famehouse powers eCommerce for UMG’s labels, artists, and Bravado, along with a select roster of 3rd party clients. Our success & culture is fueled by collaboration—both within FH and with our partners. We are passionate about the impact of eCommerce for artists, providing a full service solution to grow an artist’s owned business including strategy, creative, storefront merchandising, fulfillment, customer service, technology, and more.

How we LEAD:
Merchandise and commerce are a part of the fabric of music culture. For artists, it’s a way to develop and further articulate their brand. For fans, it’s another pathway to connecting with an artist and the culture they represent.

The Merchandising Lead owns the end-to-end merchandising strategy across a portfolio of key artists. You will be responsible for building and executing assortment strategies, pricing architectures, and inventory plans, while also serving as a trusted advisor to artists and their teams—often in high-profile, fast-paced, and high-pressure moments. Success in this role requires comfort operating with both data-driven rigor and relationship-based influence.

How You'll CREATE:

Merchandising Strategy
● Build seasonal and ongoing assortment strategies aligned to brand, consumer demand, and financial targets
● Develop and manage pricing architectures, including initial pricing, margin targets, and promotional considerations
● Oversee demand forecasts, inventory plans, and buy quantities to optimize revenue, margin, and sell-through
● Analyze sales performance, conversion, and inventory health; identify risks and opportunities
● Apply insights from consumer behavior, trends, and historical data to inform future assortments

Artist Partnership & Account Leadership
● Act as the primary merchandising partner for assigned artists and management teams
● Translate artist vision into commercially viable merchandise assortments
● Present clear, data-backed recommendations and guide artists toward the best paths for success
● Balance creative ambition, timelines, operational constraints, and financial outcomes

Product & Cross-Functional Collaboration
● Partner closely with design, product development, sourcing, marketing, and ecommerce teams
● Influence product direction using performance insights, fan data, and market trends
● Ensure assortments are right-sized, on-brand, and launch-ready
● Support go-to-market and launch strategies tied to tours, releases, drops, and promotional moments

Milestone Management & Execution
● Own key merchandising milestones from concept through launch
● Ensure timelines are met across multiple workstreams in a fast-moving environment
● Proactively identify risks and resolve issues to keep programs on track
● Drive post-launch reviews and apply learnings to future programs

Bring Your VIBE:
● 12+ years of experience in merchandising, buying, or planning, ideally within a large retail or ecommerce organization
● Demonstrated expertise in assortment planning, pricing strategy, and inventory forecasting
● Strong financial and analytical skills; comfortable working with sales, margin, and inventory metrics
● Experience managing external partners, clients, or cross-functional stakeholders
● Ability to operate effectively in ambiguous, high-pressure, and highly visible situations
● Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Core Skills & Competencies
● Strategic assortment and line planning
● Pricing and margin management
● Demand forecasting and inventory optimization
● Consumer- and data-driven decision making
● Stakeholder influence and account management
● Calm, persuasive communication under pressure
● Strong organizational and prioritization skills