Director of Merchandise

Job Description 

Position Title: Director of Merchandise
Location: Niseko, Japan

Reports to: President

Contract Term: Year round, Full-time
Salary: Competitive, based on experience

About us: 
Rhythm is about creating epic experiences for our customers, which starts with our people. We live by our values and put people first. We take pride in creating working and living environments that foster innovation, adventure, and balance. Working at Rhythm is more than a job, it's an experience you will have forever.

Position Summary: 

Rhythm is looking for a Director of Merchandise to own and elevate our end-to-end product organization across planning, buying, procurement, and merchandising.

This is a real commercial leadership role. You’ll own the P&L for Rhythm’s product program, set the assortment strategy, and be accountable for revenue growth, margin performance, and inventory productivity. You’ll use data to drive those decisions, building the analytics habits and planning discipline that keep the organization sharp season over season.

As a member of Rhythm’s leadership team, you’ll work closely with the President and senior leaders to translate long-term business strategy into clear commercial direction and contribute to broader company priorities beyond the product organization.

The role is rooted in Niseko. Relocation support is available, and we’re open to some remote flexibility for the right person.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

Own Our Product Strategy and Commercial Performance

• Define and lead Rhythm’s product and assortment strategy in alignment with company growth plans and long-term business objectives
• Own the P&L for Rhythm’s product program, including revenue growth, margin performance, and inventory productivity
• Establish merchandise budgets, financial targets, and forecasts in collaboration with finance and senior leadership
• Translate customer insights, sales performance, and market trends into clear, actionable product direction; build the practices and systems that keep data at the center of planning decisions

Lead Our Go-to-Market Strategy

• Run the seasonal planning and go-to-market process across all product categories and departments
• Drive tight alignment between planning, procurement, merchandising, retail operations, logistics, and marketing
• Oversee the full product lifecycle from strategic planning through in-season execution and exit

Build & Manage Key Partnerships

• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with key global brands and suppliers
• Lead commercial negotiations and identify opportunities for exclusive programs and long-term collaboration

Build & Lead the Team

• Design and evolve the structure, systems, and workflows that enable the product organization to scale with the business
• Develop senior leaders across Planning, Procurement, and Merchandising, ensuring clear accountability and strong cross-functional alignment
• Foster a high-performing team culture built on trust, collaboration, and continuous improvement
• Bring collaborative energy and leadership to Rhythm’s leadership team, contributing to broader business strategy and priorities
  

What you need to succeed:

You will be building on a strong foundation. The right leader will honor the work to date, and leave this function meaningfully better than they found it.
Commercial and Product Expertise

• Proven leadership experience in merchandising, planning, product management, buying, or retail operations at a senior level
• Strong commercial acumen across merch planning, inventory strategy, and retail financial drivers
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use data (sell-through trends, inventory aging, customer behavior) to drive planning decisions and hold teams accountable for results
• Demonstrated ability to translate long-term business vision into seasonal execution, with a sharp eye for market trends and customer behavior
  Experience in the outdoor, action sports, or lifestyle retail space is a strong advantage

Exceptional Leadership

• A track record of building and leading high-performing cross-functional teams
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the presence and credibility to influence at every level of the organization
• Ability to challenge and develop leaders while maintaining a healthy, high-trust team culture

Drive to Achieve Impact

• Strategic thinker who moves fluidly between big-picture direction and operational execution
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use data to drive decision-making
• Comfortable navigating complexity and leading through ambiguity
• Experience working in or with international markets; genuine enthusiasm for mountain life and the community that comes with it