Apply on Employer Site

Fanatics · 11 hours ago

Director Buying & Planning- Core Events

Jacksonville, FL

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

Fanatics is a leader in licensed sports merchandise, committed to innovation and fan engagement. The Director of Buying and Planning - Core Events will define and execute a merchandising strategy, oversee the Ecommerce assortment strategy, and lead a team of merchants to drive profitable growth and deepen emotional connections with fans.

eSportsManufacturingRetailSporting GoodsSports

Responsibilities

Define and execute a merchandising strategy that supports Fanatics’ brand and financial goals — spanning Core, Fashion, Seasonal, and Event-Driven (Hot Market) product lifecycles

Build a balanced, fan-first assortment that blends product accessibility with exclusivity — grounded in trend insights, data, and emotional fan connection

Shape the Fanatics point of view in the category: what we stand for, what we offer, and how we differentiate

Own the category’s 'Good, Better, Best' framework and lifecycle plan to ensure clarity across vertical and market brands

Partner closely with Product Development to lead vertical brand strategy and influence the design, positioning, and cadence of Fanatics-owned product

Serve as the face of Fanatics to key brand partners and vendors — building collaborative relationships that support category growth and exclusivity

Lead negotiations to secure favorable terms, exclusive product access, and long-term scale

Represent Fanatics’ merchandising vision externally, positioning the brand as a category leader and fan-first innovator

Curate the vendor matrix to eliminate redundancy, elevate product storytelling, and optimize productivity

Own divisional financial performance — including sales, gross margin, markdowns, turn, and inventory productivity

Partner with Planning to build receipt plans, drive OTB strategies, and manage in-season performance

Use insights to inform buy depth, exit strategies, pricing actions, and risk mitigation

Build clear business cases for growth investments, always balancing creativity with commercial rigor

Lead, coach, and develop a high-impact team of buyers and category merchants — modeling ownership, curiosity, and customer-centric decision-making

Set clear expectations, build strong merchant acumen, and cultivate strategic thinking across the team

Foster a culture of bold leadership, collaboration, and accountability — creating space for diverse perspectives and high performance

Build Championship Teams: Prioritize talent development, clear accountability, and a winning mindset

Obsessed with Fans: Center decisions on delivering incredible value, emotion, and innovation to fans

Limitless Entrepreneurial Spirit: Encourage risk-taking, learning agility, and new ideas that challenge the status quo

Determined and Relentless Mindset: Demonstrate urgency, resilience, and an unwavering drive to win

Stay deeply connected to the voice of the fan — leveraging social, trend, and transactional signals to anticipate demand and evolve product direction

Actively monitor the competitive landscape and marketplace dynamics to ensure relevance and speed

Be the category expert across vertical and market brands — understanding trend, brand equity, product architecture, cost of goods, and vendor capabilities

Qualification

Merchandising strategyFinancial performance managementCategory leadershipVendor relationship managementTeam leadershipCommercial creativityFan-centric mindsetOperational acumenStrategic thinking

Required

Deep senior-level experience in Merchandising, with a proven track record of owning category strategy and performance in complex, omnichannel retail environments

Demonstrated leadership of both vertical/private brand and market vendor businesses

Strong financial and operational acumen — confident managing OTB, turn, AUR, and margin levers

Strategic thinkers with commercial creativity — able to define a compelling category vision and drive it through execution

Experienced people leader who builds talent, leads through change, and holds high standards

Fan-centric mindset with passion for product, speed, innovation, and culture