Merchant - Footwear & Accessories - Men's

J.Crew gets you dressed every day, for every occasion. 

Since 1983, we’ve been creating classics that feel familiar and refreshingly new, crafted with unbeatable quality and distinctive point of view—it’s no wonder we’ve been in your closet for four decades and counting.

Today, we continue to do the classics our way, inspiring not only how you shop but how you define your personal style. Our commitment runs deeper than just making great clothes—we’re proud of our role in getting you dressed with confidence, character, and celebrating a distinctly American sensibility that makes us who we are. 

Our dedication to Diversity, Equity, Belonging & Sustainability has been celebrated with industry recognition, reflecting our commitment to fostering an inclusive and sustainable workplace.

The Merchant, Footwear & Accessories (3rd Party Collaborations) is a key merchant role on the J.Crew men's team, responsible for owning the end-to-end product strategy for our footwear and accessories categories. This role blends creative vision with analytical rigor, partnering closely with Design, Planning, Marketing, Visual, and our third-party buying team to bring compelling assortments to life both in-house and through strategic brand collaborations that resonate with the J.Crew customer. We welcome candidates from diverse professional backgrounds who bring curiosity, a strong point of view, and a passion for product.

Pre-Season 

• Understand trend analysis, competition, and translate trend to commercial big ideas, identifying the next big thing 
• Present pre-season strategy to cross-functional team 
• Partner with planning to strategize budget and departmental opportunities 
• Analyze seasonal and hindsight information, trends, product assortment, and competition to develop the strategy 
• Participate in Design Board Reviews and provide feedback on silhouette, fabric, and color based on hindsight/strategy 
• Build Roadmap for design articulating newness needs by month with AUC targets, as well as clear direction on carry forward products (where updates or new colors are needed) 
• Market research: analyzing branded menswear space, identifying trends and new upcoming brand opportunities
• Present pre-season brand matrix strategies in collaboration with planning teams & 3rd party buyers

In Season 

• Approve product fit and details on key products/buys and ensure product execution meets the design aesthetic as well as commercially acceptable quality standards 
• Drive partnership with planning and allocation on reviewing sales, receipts, markdown cadence and style color counts 
• Analyze the competitive environment and use knowledge to positively impact results, making recommendations to leadership 
• Utilize product strategies and analytical results to plan all merchandise buys, in accordance to budget, for each quarter and present the line at assortment and investment reviews 
• Partner with third-party team on assortment to ensure a cohesive product buys and representation
• Manage PO placement & open-to-buys for branded partnerships. 
• Ability to evaluate financial and business indicators, evaluate reports and translate the data into actionable information to drive results 
• Partner with marketing, styling, and visual to ensure key items and big bets are elevated and supported by the cross functional team 
• Communicate big brand collaboration initiatives to cross functional partners and be a conduit between buying and marketing teams

Required

• 6+ years of experience in a merchant or buying role within Men's apparel, footwear, accessories, or fashion retail
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into clear, actionable strategies
• Strong business acumen with a demonstrated understanding of retail financial metrics and buying principles
• Self-motivated, highly organized, and comfortable managing multiple priorities simultaneously
• High taste level with a genuine passion for fashion and an eye for trend-right, commercially viable product
• Proven cross-functional collaboration skills with the ability to influence and partner across design, planning, and marketing teams

Preferred

• Experience in Men's footwear, accessories, or third-party buying, with familiarity across brand partnerships and collaboration strategy
• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising, Business, or a related field is a plus, but not required

We welcome you to apply, even if you don't check all the boxes. Our passion is scouting life-long learners who are driven by curiosity, and who feel connected to our brands and share our desire to make an impact. We’re always seeking bright new talent who leverage their unique experiences to discover, grow and evolve with our teams.