Divisional Merchandise Manager, Ski & Snow Hardgoods

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 devel