Job Description

About Christy Sports:

At Christy Sports, we believe Outside is Better. It’s not just a motto, it’s a fact. It makes people happier, healthier, and more connected. That’s why we go out of our way to help people experience the mountain lifestyle by building authentic relationships, offering humble expertise, and sharing a genuine love for what we do. Driven by our unmatched passion for the outdoors, we are always advancing. In-store and online, within our industry, and with the communities we serve, we bring a spirit of innovation to every aspect of what we do. We were founded in Colorado in 1958, but we’ve been chasing adventure for much longer. Skiing and snowboarding aren’t just a job for us, it’s a lifestyle. No matter your level, we strive to give you the best experience possible and invite you to experience the joy of mountain life and sport with us.

Headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, Christy Sports is one of the leading outdoor specialty retailers in the nation with more than 50 locations in Colorado, Utah, Washington, and Montana. Christy Sports is a leading provider of Rental and Equipment Services. During the winter off-season, the Company operates highly professional outdoor businesses including Patio Furniture & Mountain Biking to inspire further and enable Christy Sports guests’ healthy lifestyles, and to leverage its operational infrastructure and passionate employee base.

Share the stoke for the Christy Sports Values.

We are welcoming - We meet people where they are without judgement. Whether they're seasoned veterans, first-timers, locals, or vacationers, they trust us to set them up for success with quality equipment and great service.

We are ambassadors of lifestyle - We love what makes the mountain lifestyle special: the people, the environment, and the communities. We want our guests to discover and love the mountain lifestyle as much as we do.

We are rooted in experience - By keeping the history of our roots alive, we maintain the quality service, authenticity, and expertise that our guests value and what made us special in the first place.

We are one team - We make our company a great place to work by collaborating, problem-solving, being accountable, and recognizing our accomplishments. We are each unique contributors to a greater whole.

We are always evolving - Our customer* expectations continue to evolve. To meet their needs, we must evolve to stay relevant. We embrace change and always look for the next evolution of what we can do. *Internal & External

Purpose:

The Category Merchandising Manager shapes the Men's Apparel business through assortment strategy, vendor partnerships, and category performance. Working cross-functionally, this role develops and executes assortment strategies that align with customer preferences, regional and store specialty needs, and financial objectives while delivering an exceptional customer experience. The Category Merchandising Manager leads the end-to-end buying process, including gathering regional and store feedback, writing orders, managing allocations, negotiating vendor partnerships, and collaborating with Planning, Marketing, Stores, Digital Content, and other cross-functional teams to ensure successful execution. This role establishes seasonal priorities, monitors category performance, and adjusts strategies based on sales, margin, inventory, and market trends to achieve revenue, profitability, and inventory goals while continuously improving the Men's Apparel business.

Your responsibilities include:

• Develop and execute Men's Apparel assortment strategies that align with customer preferences, regional and store specialty needs, and budget goals, ensuring an exceptional customer experience.
• Cultivate strategic vendor partnerships, negotiate favorable terms, and identify opportunities to improve assortment performance, profitability, and long-term business growth.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with Planning, Marketing, Stores, Digital Content, and Operations to ensure seasonal assortment strategies are successfully executed across the organization.
• Influence depth and breadth of the assortment in partnership with Planning and Stores, maintaining our specialty presence.
• Own and prioritize the complete buying cycle, ensuring timely execution, operational excellence, and alignment with seasonal business objectives while meeting vendor deadlines and maximizing financial opportunities.
• Establish consistent merchandising processes and manage all administrative functions that support accurate, timely, and efficient execution of the buying cycle.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to develop and execute pricing, promotional, and markdown strategies that maximize sales, profitability, and inventory productivity.
• Monitor industry trends, customer behavior, competitive activity, and product innovation to proactively identify opportunities that strengthen category performance and customer relevance.
• Monitor category performance through sales, margin, inventory, and productivity metrics, making data-driven adjustments to assortment, pricing, inventory, and promotional strategies to achieve financial and business objectives.
• Build collaborative partnerships with stores and regional teams to gather feedback, align assortment strategies, and continuously improve customer experience across all markets.
• Prioritize seasonal initiatives and business opportunities to ensure team efforts remain aligned with company goals, financial objectives, and customer needs.
• Perform other related duties and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

• 5 years' experience in buying, merchandising, or a related field, with a strong track record of successfully managing product assortments and vendor relationships; outdoor apparel category experience preferred.
• Proven negotiation skills that have resulted in increased margin, assortment access, or marketing benefits.
• Strong analytical skills that have resulted in better product buying decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional partners, prioritize competing business needs, and drive execution across multiple teams.
• Clear understanding of apparel trends, fit, fabrication, and seasonal buying cycles.
• Ability to work well under pressure while remaining flexible and adaptive to changing priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel as needed.
• Keen attention to detail and strong organization is a must.
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office products, especially Excel.

The Perks and Benefits: (* Benefits for Year-Round Full-Time Employees)

• Free Employee Ski Pass
• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance*
• Employer Paid Basic Life Insurance and AD&D*
• Voluntary Life Insurance (Employee/Spouse/Child)*
• Health Care and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts*
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with Company Match
• Paid Time Off*
• Paid Sick Time (State applicable)
• Paid Parental Leave*
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability*
• Employee Discounts (ski, retail, outdoor industry and much more!!)

Equal Opportunity Employer:

Christy Sports is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status. If you need assistance or accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.

The budgeted range is: $75,000 - $90,000 annually. Actual pay will be adjusted based on experience.

**Bonus eligible based upon company performance indicators

WORKING CONDITIONS

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 75 pounds. (Request help with heavy or awkward boxes/products). Specific vision abilities required by this job include Close vision, Distance vision, Peripheral vision, Depth perception and Ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs and ladders, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to walk.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.