Product Manager, Merchandising (Youth & LOVB Inc.)

League One Volleyball (LOVB) is a mission-led sports performance and media enterprise focused on transforming women's sports, particularly volleyball. The Product Manager, Merchandising will oversee the product strategy and execution for the Youth and LOVB Inc. segments, aiming to create compelling assortments that cater to athletes and fans while driving revenue and brand affinity.

Responsibilities:

• Own seasonal product strategy and line architecture for Youth and LOVB Inc
• Build assortments that ladder across price tiers (good/better/best) and distribution channels
• Identify whitespace opportunities across youth athletes, families, and community-driven consumers
• Partner with design and brand teams to ensure product aligns with LOVB’s voice and aesthetic
• Drive category-level revenue, margin, and sell-through performance
• Develop pricing strategies and margin targets aligned with overall P&L goals
• Partner with planning to forecast demand and manage inventory flow
• Analyze performance and optimize assortments based on real-time insights
• Own day-to-day relationships with domestic and international vendors
• Manage product development timelines from concept through production and delivery
• Negotiate costs, MOQs, and pricing to meet margin targets
• Ensure product quality, consistency, and on-time delivery across all channels
• Partner with vendors on innovation, materials, and construction to elevate product offering
• Act as the primary point of contact for troubleshooting production or delivery challenges
• Lead product lifecycle from concept through launch across digital and in-venue channels
• Collaborate with marketing on product storytelling, launches, and key moments (tournaments, camps, national events)
• Ensure strong product representation across website, pop-ups, and partner channels
• Partner closely with youth programming and LOVB Inc. stakeholders to align product with program needs
• Collaborate with league/team merchandising counterparts to ensure cohesion across the ecosystem
• Work cross-functionally with design, marketing, and operations to deliver a seamless consumer experience
• Develop a deep understanding of the youth athlete and family consumer
• Monitor trends in sport, retail, and culture to inform product direction
• Gather feedback from events, athletes, and community touchpoints to continuously improve product

Requirements:

• 5-7+ years of experience in merchandising, product management, or retail (preferably in apparel or sports)
• Direct experience working with vendors, factories, or manufacturing partners required
• Strong business acumen with experience managing or influencing P&L performance
• Proven ability to build assortments and drive product strategy
• Experience owning product development timelines end-to-end
• Strong negotiation and relationship management skills
• Analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into actionable insights
• Passion for sports, youth culture, and building community-driven brands
• Thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities
• Solutions-oriented and able to identify when to escalate issues or challenges
• Strong collaborator with excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Capable of working independently while effectively partnering with a distributed, remote team
• Positive, proactive, organized, and creative - brings fresh ideas to problem-solving
• Highly adaptable and eager to learn in a rapidly evolving environment
• Ability to operate a computer and use a keyboard, mouse, and video conferencing tools
• Ability to clearly communicate via video, phone, and written channels
• Occasional travel may be required for site visits and events