Posted 4 months ago

Divisional Merchandise Manager, Ski & Snow Hardgoods

VancouverRemoteFull-time

AI Summary

Owns the ski and snow hardgoods assortment at Backcountry, defining category strategy, vendor partnerships, and full lifecycle management to drive sell-through and gross margin.

About this role

Adventure is our Culture. Join a team that celebrates a lifestyle as bold as the terrain we love. At Backcountry, we are rooted in adventure, recognition, and wellbeing on and off the mountain. We spotlight employee stories, celebrate milestones, and offer exclusive outdoor perks. Whether you are at HQ, in a retail store, or remote, you will be part of a team that thrives on energy, exploration, and connection.

Reports to: VP, Merchandising Hardgoods

Location: British Columbia (Remote)

What you get to do every day:

As our Divisional Merchandise Manager, Ski & Snow Hardgoods, you will own one of Backcountry's most commercially significant and passion-driven categories — defining and executing the full assortment strategy across resort ski, backcountry/touring, and snowboard. This role exists to bring sharper category vision, stronger vendor partnerships, and more disciplined financial stewardship to a highly seasonal, high-stakes business unit. You will lead a merchandising team, partner cross-functionally with Inventory Planning, Finance, and Digital, and represent Backcountry at the highest levels of the global snow industry.

At 6–12 months, success means a clearly differentiated assortment that outperforms on sell-through and gross margin, a team that is aligned, accountable, and growing, and vendor partnerships that have unlocked exclusive or SMU product unavailable to competitors. You will be the definitive internal authority on the ski and snow hardgoods market.

This is a lean team. You will own a lot, move fast, and make decisions with full end-to-end responsibility.

What You'll Do

Category Strategy & Market Leadership

Define and execute a multi-year strategy across ski, snowboard, and backcountry hardgoods

Leverage deep knowledge of the global vendor and brand landscape to identify opportunities and emerging trends

Translate regional customer needs (e.g., East vs. West mountains) into differentiated assortment strategies

Drive top-line growth, gross margin, sell-through rate, and inventory productivity in partnership with Inventory Planning and Finance

Assortment & Lifecycle Management

Build tiered assortments that serve multiple customer segments across price points and expertise levels

Curate a balanced mix of full-price, off-price, and closeout product to maximize lifecycle value

Lead end-of-season closeout buying strategies to optimize inventory turns and minimize risk, partnering with Inventory Planning and Finance to align on OTB, receipt timing, and payment structure

Ensure assortments drive units per transaction (UPT) through thoughtful cross-category integration

Vendor Strategy & Differentiation

Develop and deepen strategic partnerships with key ski and snow brands through on-site meetings, regular business reviews, and new product evaluations

Lead business development initiatives with vendors to unlock exclusive and differentiated opportunities

Create SMUs and exclusive assortments that set Backcountry apart from competitors

Maintain a strong pulse on competitive positioning and evolving brand strategies

Retail & Customer Experience

Champion the end-to-end customer journey across digital and retail touchpoints

Partner with cross-functional teams to build and scale demo fleet and seasonal rental programs

Ensure seamless integration of hardgoods with accessories, travel gear, and adjacent categories

Cross-Functional Partnerships

Partner with Inventory Planning to align open-to-buy, manage receipt flow, and optimize in-season reorder and markdown decisions

Collaborate with Finance, Marketing, and Digital/UX teams to align category investments with financial targets, campaign timing, and on-site merchandising execution

Leverage sell-through data, digital conversion metrics, and customer demand signals to inform assortment decisions, identify risk, and surface opportunities in real time

Team Leadership

Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing merchandising team

Establish clear goals aligned to business outcomes and hold the team accountable for results

Foster a culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous improvement

Required Qualifications

Deep expertise in ski and snowboard hardgoods, with a strong point of view on product and trends

Strong understanding of the global snow market, vendor landscape, and brand ecosystem

Proven ability to translate regional nuances (East vs. West, resort vs. backcountry) into winning assortment strategies

Extensive experience managing highly seasonal businesses, including lifecycle and inventory planning

Demonstrated success building assortments across multiple price tiers and customer expertise levels

Experience across full-price, off-price, and closeout channels with a focus on end-of-season optimization

Background in retail service models, including demo fleets and rental programs

Experience developing SMUs, exclusives, and differentiated assortment programs with key vendors

Strong track record of building strategic brand partnerships and long-term vendor relationships

Understanding of adjacent categories including snow accessories, travel, and gear ecosystems

Proven ability to influence the full customer journey and drive metrics such as UPT and conversion

Experience leading and developing high-performing merchandising teams

Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with Inventory Planning, Finance, and Digital to align assortment decisions with OTB, margin targets, and digital performance

Deep familiarity with ski industry vendor dating programs and time-sensitive off-price buying windows

Analytical fluency with sell-through analysis, conversion metrics, and demand forecasting to drive data-informed buy decisions

Preferred Qualifications

Experience managing ski or snow hardgoods at a multi-channel retailer with both digital and physical store presence

Established relationships with major ski and snowboard hardgoods brands (e.g., Salomon, Atomic, K2, Burton, Black Diamond)

Experience scaling demo fleet or rental programs across multiple locations or seasons

Familiarity with e-commerce merchandising tools, digital conversion analysis, and on-site product presentation

Previous experience developing or managing SMU programs at volume with national or global brands

Why Join

The people who do best here are builders. They take ownership, move fast, and want to see the direct impact of their work.

Executive Access: Work directly with brand CEOs and senior Backcountry leadership, solving real category challenges and earning mentorship from top operators in outdoor retail.

AI-First Skill Building: Get hands-on with the most advanced AI and analytics tools on the market — from automation to demand forecasting — and build a modern skillset that sets you apart in any retail environment.

Accelerated Career Path: High performers are quickly entrusted with expanded scope, new challenges, and leadership opportunities across CSC Generation's portfolio of brands.

Competitive Benefits: Paid time off policies, 401(k)/RRSP match, medical/dental/vision and a variety of supplemental policies, and employee discounts across our portfolio of brands.

Interview Process

Recruiter Screen: A 30-minute conversation with our recruiting team to learn about your background, share more about the role, and confirm mutual fit.
Hiring Manager Interview: A deep-dive conversation with the VP, Merchandising Hardgoods focused on your category expertise, vendor strategy experience, and approach to seasonal business management.
Category Strategy Exercise: A short take-home exercise to understand how you think about assortment architecture, vendor prioritization, and financial trade-offs in a highly seasonal category.
Cross-Functional Panel / In-Person Interview: Interviews with Backcountry leadership across Merchandising, Inventory Planning, and Finance — conducted in-person or via video.
Reference Checks: Conducted in parallel with the final stages where possible.
Offer: We move quickly for the right candidate.

Skills

Category StrategyDemand ForecastingDemo Fleet ManagementLifecycle ManagementRetail MerchandisingSeasonal Inventory PlanningSell-through AnalysisSki & Snowboard HardgoodsSMU / Exclusive Program DevelopmentVendor Partnerships