Director of Merchandising

About the Role:

We are seeking a highly strategic and collaborative Director of Merchandising to lead category strategy from concept through go-to-market execution. This role will play a critical role in shaping the product assortment, identifying whitespace opportunities, and building commercially successful product strategies across a growing multi-category business. 

The ideal candidate has deep expertise in assortment strategy within a fast-growing, multi-channel DTC brand and possesses a strong balance of analytical rigor, consumer intuition, and cross-functional leadership. This role requires a highly proactive and entrepreneurial mindset, with the ability to influence senior leadership, build alignment across teams, and operate effectively in a dynamic growth environment.

Core Responsibilities

Category Strategy & Assortment Planning

• Partner with the Head of Product & Merchandising to define the assortment strategy across multiple product categories, identifying opportunities for growth, innovation, and building customer LTV.
• Build and maintain line plans that support balanced assortments across key classifications, price points, and customer segments.

Product Creation & Commercialization

• Partner closely with Design and Product Development to ideate and develop new product opportunities, tied directly to assortment strategy and strategic growth plans.
• Collaborate with Sourcing / Product Development to align product strategies with production capabilities and timeline requirements.
• Establish retail pricing strategies and margin architecture across new product initiatives.
• Ensure all product specifications, merchandising details, and assortment data are accurately created and maintained within systems and development tools.
• Keep a finger on the cultural pulse and competitive landscape. Translate trends and white space opportunities with a Lola lens rather than chasing or copying them.

Business Planning & Opportunity Sizing

• Partner with Finance and Planning to evaluate and size new product opportunities and growth initiatives.
• Utilize sales data, customer insights, and market trends to inform assortment decisions and investment priorities.
• Develop category hindsight and forward-looking recommendations to optimize productivity and inventory efficiency.

Go-to-Market Leadership

• Partner with Brand Marketing, Performance Marketing, and Operations to develop comprehensive go-to-market strategies for product launches and seasonal drops.
• Ensure alignment between product storytelling, launch timing, inventory readiness, and marketing objectives.
• Support campaign planning with compelling product narratives and assortment positioning.

Performance Analysis & Lifecycle Management

• Analyze product performance post-launch, evaluating success against financial and customer metrics.
• Identify opportunities to accelerate performance through pricing actions, marketing support, product refinements, or lifecycle management strategies.
• Present category insights and recommendations to senior leadership on a regular basis.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as a highly collaborative partner across Product, Design, Finance, Planning, Marketing, Operations, and Executive Leadership teams.
• Build alignment and consensus across stakeholders while balancing creative vision, operational realities, and financial objectives.
• Mentor and influence cross-functional teams through strong communication, organization, and leadership presence.

 

Based full-time in New York City, working in-person from the Lola Blankets office. Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed — mills, factories, trade shows, and partner meetings.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of merchandising experience leading categories at a fast-growing, multi-category, multi-channel DTC brand.
• Proven track record developing and scaling commercially successful product assortments.
• Strong understanding of assortment planning, pricing strategy, margin management, and product lifecycle management.
• Experience partnering closely with Design, Product Development, Planning, and Marketing teams throughout the product creation process.
• Strong analytical capabilities with experience leveraging sales performance, customer insights, and market trends to drive decisions.
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills, with the ability to build consensus among senior stakeholders.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a proactive, solutions-oriented approach to leadership.
• Highly organized and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Business, Fashion, or related field preferred.
  
  

What We Offer:

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive benefits package (health, dental, vision, PTO)
• 401K with company match
• Flexible remote work environment
• Paid time off and holidays
• An opportunity to make a direct impact on a high-growth, design-forward brand
• A collaborative, passionate, and purpose-driven team

Why Join Us?

This is a rare opportunity to shape the product identity of a brand at an inflection point — a creative leadership seat with real ownership, real resources, and the space to build something category-defining. If you believe softness can be a statement and that the most interesting brand in home textiles hasn’t been built yet, we’d love to meet you.