Director of Merchandising

SUMMARY 

At Magnolia, the Director of Merchandising, will play a critical role in shaping and executing a compelling product strategy that reflects the brand's design vision while driving business results. You will bridge the creative with the commercial—translating product ideas into curated, profitable assortments that connect with our guests’ lifestyle, aesthetic, and evolving needs. This role blends strategic leadership, analytical acumen, market savvy, and inspired storytelling. You will be the conduit between design, planning, sourcing, and marketing, ensuring we build thoughtful, meaningful collections that inspire our customers and deliver against our growth goals. This position works from Magnolia Headquarters in Waco, Texas. It reports to the Executive Vice President of Retail and has supervisory responsibilities. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Build and lead the long-term category strategy across all divisions to support 5-year growth targets* 
• Own and deliver seasonal and annual merchandise lineplans, balancing innovation with core business drivers* 
• Develop and manage strategic assortment lifecycles (core, carryover, seasonal intros)* 
• Determine category investment priorities—what to grow, maintain, or decline—based on performance and white space* 
• Identify and act on macro trends, customer data, and market shifts to maintain relevance and competitive advantage.  
• Collaborate with Planning to monitor and optimize financial targets for inventory levels, margins, and sales performance, including Open to Buy planning* 
• Roll up sales performance into actionable insights, identifying risks, opportunities, and emerging patterns 
• Lead with taste. Curate cohesive assortments that reflect seasonal stories and cross-category themes 
• Translate seasonal vision into merchandise strategies, visual assets, and store experiences 
• Identify assortment gaps and build vendor relationships to source artisan or third-party product where direct development isn’t optimal  
• Align cross-functional teams on seasonal priorities, timelines, and product storytelling to influence go-to-market strategy  
• Guide content teams (photo, marketing, creative, visual merchandising) with product priorities and merchandising narratives, building layered storytelling that inspires the guest through tools like how-to guides, capsule collections, and bundle strategies 
• Shop competitors and attend trade shows to gather trend intel, supplier opportunities, and inspiration 
• Be the strategic liaison between Design, Product Development, Planning, Visual Merchandising, Marketing, and Retail 
• Partner with Product Design to deliver meaningful, elevated products that reflect Magnolia’s unique perspective 
• Mentor and manage a team of merchants, encourage calculated risk-taking in new ideas and provide coaching on merchandising strategies 
• Cultivate a culture of creativity, accountability, and data-informed decision-making 
• Perform other duties as assigned 

*Metrics evaluated on Performance Review 

COMPETENCIES 

• Teamwork: Foster a team environment supporting diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Build a team that exemplifies Magnolia cultural and operating values. Lead department to ensure members are engaged and actively contribute. Mentor and develop managers to build a strong team environment. Teach and lead your team in identifying areas of strength and development to maximize team effectiveness. Ensure necessary training and tools are available for the professional development of the team. 
• Critical Thinking: Build and adhere to annual financial plans, metrics, budgets, and resource allocations to meet annual fiscal expectations. Utilize critical thinking and analytical skills to maintain the bottom line. 
• Expertise: Maintain a thorough understanding of your area and communicate the importance of accurate and timely work. Foster managers' abilities to lead and connect their employees with the resources and training needed. Lead by example. 
• Communication: Create a team environment of open communication. Encourage team members to share ideas, thoughts, and concerns. Utilize strong written and verbal communication skills to communicate with other leaders and employees across the organization. Discuss business strategy and provide clear direction. 
• Guest Focus: In all strategic and operating plans ensure a personalized and guest-centric experience is a top priority. Set the standard for this through exemplary leadership. 
• Strategy and Goal Setting: Approach change with positivity and curiosity, leading through ambiguity. Create quarterly and annual goals and establish metrics and actions needed to achieve success. Evaluate objectives and assess potential risks and make well-informed decisions that lead to growth and align with organizational goals and values. 
• Hard skills: Passionate about product with experience leveraging market trends, data, and a critical eye to anticipate customer needs (combining both the “science” and “art” of merchandising), Expertise in crafting merchandising strategies and coordinating cross-functional partnerships to drive alignment, best-in-class product, and business growth. Proactive, results-driven, and excited to lead in a fast-paced, evolving environment  

ELIGIBILITY QUALIFICATIONS 

• Bachelor's degree from a 4-year college or university preferred 
• 8+ years experience in merchandising or buying with a strong foundation in home decor or adjacent lifestyle categories 
• 5+ years of managerial experience preferred 

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands and arms to reach, handle, feel; utilize fine motor dexterity of fingers; talk or hear and taste or smell. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk. The employee is frequently required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.   

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  

Magnolia is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances. 

This job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by an employee in this classification. It is not to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications of employees assigned to this job. Management has the right to add to, revise, or delete information in this description at any time.