Job Description
Category Merchandiser - Knits & Fleece Tops
Department: Product and Brand Services (PBS)
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Employment: Full-Time
Wage Range: $35-$38 an hour
Reports to: Product Merchandising Manager
Location: Zumiez Home Office - Lynnwood, WA (In-Office)
Effective Date: 07/15/2026
Zumiez and Product and Brand Services (PBS)
Zumiez is a leading specialty retailer of apparel, footwear, accessories, skateboards, and snowboards for young men and women who want to express their individuality through the fashion, music, art, and culture of action sports, streetwear, and other unique lifestyles. Headquartered in Lynnwood, Washington, Zumiez operates over 700 stores in North America, Europe, and Australia. We operate under Zumiez in North America, Blue Tomato in Europe, and Fast Times in Australia.
The Zumiez Product and Brand Services (PBS) team is responsible for over 30 unique brands spanning various categories, including men's and women's apparel, accessories, and snow/skate hardgoods. These brands are comprised of owned and licensed brands.
Position Purpose
The Category Merchandiser is responsible for driving growth across Tops, Tees, Knits, Fleece, Owned Blanks, and Direct-to-Garment (DTG) programs within our owned and licensed brand portfolio. By connecting trend insights, customer demand, business performance, and vendor capabilities, this role identifies product opportunities and accelerates speed-to-market.
Working cross-functionally with Design, Buying, Production, and support teams, the Category Merchandiser translates key insights into scalable product strategies that support category growth, customer relevance, and business performance.
While Knits, Tees, and Fleece are the primary focus, this role remains flexible to support additional categories and emerging opportunities as needed.
Job Duties & Responsibilities
- Identify emerging trends across silhouette, fit, fabrication, wash, print, and embellishment, with a primary focus on Knits, Tees, and Fleece, translating insights into actionable product opportunities that drive category growth, customer relevance, and speed-to-market.
- Research aspirational brands, competitors, retailers, cultural shifts, and global market trends to identify opportunities that can scale across owned and licensed brands while maintaining distinct brand positioning.
- Drive innovation within printable blanks and Direct-to-Garment (DTG) programs by identifying trend-right product, fabrication, silhouette, and print opportunities that increase speed, flexibility, and business growth.
- Combine trend research, customer insights, sales performance, and key business metrics across Zumiez, Blue Tomato, and Fast Times to evaluate opportunity size, category impact, and growth potential.
- Partner with Design, Sourcing, and vendor partners to leverage existing capabilities, new developments, and inventory opportunities that accelerate speed-to-market and simplify product development.
- Establish and lead a consistent cross-functional forum and tools for aligning on category priorities and product opportunities, recommended action points and risk assessments.
- Help teams move faster by reducing complexity, improving communication, and creating clarity around priorities, ownership, and decision-making.
- Build and present recurring sales recaps and performance insights to inform decisions across Merchandising, Design, Buying, Graphics, and Sourcing.
- Perform special projects and additional duties assigned to support evolving business priorities.
Requirements:
- 3-5 years of experience in merchandising, buying, planning, or product design—ideally with a focus on private label or vertical retail
- Bachelor's degree in merchandising, business, fashion, or a related field preferred
- Experience with knit/fleece product categories or print/direct to garment programs a plus
- Strong data analysis and retail math skills, with the ability to translate sales performance and trend forecasting into product and category strategy
- Working knowledge of apparel development, sourcing, production timelines, and margin architecture
- Proficient in Excel, Word, and Outlook, along with relevant merchandising/data tools
- Excellent verbal, written, and visual communication skills, with the ability to present strategy and insights to cross-functional leaders
- Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, with the ability to give and receive constructive feedback
- Analytical, detail-oriented problem-solver with strong follow-through, urgency, and organizational skills in a fast-paced environment
- Strong product sensibility with a bias for action and entrepreneurial spirit in identifying and capitalizing on trends
- Ability to travel approximately 1–2 weeks per year
Physical Demands and Work Environment
Ability to sit/stand in a stationary position in an office environment for extended periods and work on a Mac or PC without limitations. Must be able to distinguish colors and inspect material on product.
Benefits
- Basic life insurance and supplemental voluntary life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Paid Parental Leave
- Paid Sick Leave, following an initial wait period
- Paid Vacation, following an initial wait period
- Employee Assistance Program
- Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Zumiez merchandise discount
- 401(k) plan after meeting eligibility requirements
- Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP) after meeting eligibility requirements
- Compensation for Role in Addition to Base Salary: Bonus Eligibility
- On-site skate park, on-site cafeteria
This job description is not all-inclusive and is only intended to describe the general nature of the work. All job
responsibilities are essential job functions. Job responsibilities and requirements are subject to modification
to accommodate individuals with disabilities reasonably. The Company reserves the right to modify the job
as it deems necessary for proper business operations.
Qualifications
Category Merchandiser - Knits & Fleece Tops
Department: Product and Brand Services (PBS)
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Employment: Full-Time
Wage Range: $35-$38 an hour
Reports to: Product Merchandising Manager
Location: Zumiez Home Office - Lynnwood, WA (In-Office)
Effective Date: 07/15/2026
Zumiez and Product and Brand Services (PBS)
Zumiez is a leading specialty retailer of apparel, footwear, accessories, skateboards, and snowboards for young men and women who want to express their individuality through the fashion, music, art, and culture of action sports, streetwear, and other unique lifestyles. Headquartered in Lynnwood, Washington, Zumiez operates over 700 stores in North America, Europe, and Australia. We operate under Zumiez in North America, Blue Tomato in Europe, and Fast Times in Australia.
The Zumiez Product and Brand Services (PBS) team is responsible for over 30 unique brands spanning various categories, including men's and women's apparel, accessories, and snow/skate hardgoods. These brands are comprised of owned and licensed brands.
Position Purpose
The Category Merchandiser is responsible for driving growth across Tops, Tees, Knits, Fleece, Owned Blanks, and Direct-to-Garment (DTG) programs within our owned and licensed brand portfolio. By connecting trend insights, customer demand, business performance, and vendor capabilities, this role identifies product opportunities and accelerates speed-to-market.
Working cross-functionally with Design, Buying, Production, and support teams, the Category Merchandiser translates key insights into scalable product strategies that support category growth, customer relevance, and business performance.
While Knits, Tees, and Fleece are the primary focus, this role remains flexible to support additional categories and emerging opportunities as needed.
Job Duties & Responsibilities
- Identify emerging trends across silhouette, fit, fabrication, wash, print, and embellishment, with a primary focus on Knits, Tees, and Fleece, translating insights into actionable product opportunities that drive category growth, customer relevance, and speed-to-market.
- Research aspirational brands, competitors, retailers, cultural shifts, and global market trends to identify opportunities that can scale across owned and licensed brands while maintaining distinct brand positioning.
- Drive innovation within printable blanks and Direct-to-Garment (DTG) programs by identifying trend-right product, fabrication, silhouette, and print opportunities that increase speed, flexibility, and business growth.
- Combine trend research, customer insights, sales performance, and key business metrics across Zumiez, Blue Tomato, and Fast Times to evaluate opportunity size, category impact, and growth potential.
- Partner with Design, Sourcing, and vendor partners to leverage existing capabilities, new developments, and inventory opportunities that accelerate speed-to-market and simplify product development.
- Establish and lead a consistent cross-functional forum and tools for aligning on category priorities and product opportunities, recommended action points and risk assessments.
- Help teams move faster by reducing complexity, improving communication, and creating clarity around priorities, ownership, and decision-making.
- Build and present recurring sales recaps and performance insights to inform decisions across Merchandising, Design, Buying, Graphics, and Sourcing.
- Perform special projects and additional duties assigned to support evolving business priorities.
Requirements:
- 3-5 years of experience in merchandising, buying, planning, or product design—ideally with a focus on private label or vertical retail
- Bachelor's degree in merchandising, business, fashion, or a related field preferred
- Experience with knit/fleece product categories or print/direct to garment programs a plus
- Strong data analysis and retail math skills, with the ability to translate sales performance and trend forecasting into product and category strategy
- Working knowledge of apparel development, sourcing, production timelines, and margin architecture
- Proficient in Excel, Word, and Outlook, along with relevant merchandising/data tools
- Excellent verbal, written, and visual communication skills, with the ability to present strategy and insights to cross-functional leaders
- Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, with the ability to give and receive constructive feedback
- Analytical, detail-oriented problem-solver with strong follow-through, urgency, and organizational skills in a fast-paced environment
- Strong product sensibility with a bias for action and entrepreneurial spirit in identifying and capitalizing on trends
- Ability to travel approximately 1–2 weeks per year
Physical Demands and Work Environment
Ability to sit/stand in a stationary position in an office environment for extended periods and work on a Mac or PC without limitations. Must be able to distinguish colors and inspect material on product.
Benefits
- Basic life insurance and supplemental voluntary life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Paid Parental Leave
- Paid Sick Leave, following an initial wait period
- Paid Vacation, following an initial wait period
- Employee Assistance Program
- Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
- Zumiez merchandise discount
- 401(k) plan after meeting eligibility requirements
- Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP) after meeting eligibility requirements
- Compensation for Role in Addition to Base Salary: Bonus Eligibility
- On-site skate park, on-site cafeteria
This job description is not all-inclusive and is only intended to describe the general nature of the work. All job
responsibilities are essential job functions. Job responsibilities and requirements are subject to modification
to accommodate individuals with disabilities reasonably. The Company reserves the right to modify the job
as it deems necessary for proper business operations.
