Assistant Buyer, Plush - San Diego SSC

The Opportunity

Event Network creates retail experiences inside some of the country's most memorable cultural, educational, and entertainment destinations. As an Assistant Buyer, you will help bring merchandising strategies to life by supporting product assortment planning, vendor communication, inventory allocation, and the day-to-day execution of compelling assortments across our locations.

This role is ideal for a curious, organized, and commercially minded individual who is passionate about product and understands the importance of delivering the right assortment to the right guest at the right time. You will support the Buyer with business analysis, product execution, vendor follow-up, and actionable recommendations that help drive sales, per cap, margin, SKU productivity, and inventory health.

CURIOSITY Learn the guest, product, and business. Ask questions, build category knowledge, and stay open to new ideas that strengthen your merchant perspective.

GENEROSITY Be a dependable partner to Buyers, vendors, and cross-functional teams. Communicate clearly, share information freely, and help keep work moving forward.

CREATIVITY Bring energy and fresh thinking to product, problem-solving, and assortment execution. Look for practical ways to improve details and support the team’s goals.

Merchant Mandate

Support the Buyer in executing product vision, assortment plans, and inventory strategies across assigned categories. Use business analysis, strong organization, and proactive follow-up to help ensure accurate orders and timely delivery to stores.

Core Responsibilities

Support Assortment Planning and Buying

Support the Buyer with assortment planning, product selection, buying activities, and financial performance management for assigned categories.
Help execute assortment plans aligned with guest needs, partner identity, category direction, sales goals, SKU targets, inventory objectives, and cost of goods sold targets.
Maintain strong product knowledge and an understanding of guest demographics to support relevant and compelling assortments.
Assist with order placement, item setup, vendor follow-up, product information, and other activities needed to execute assortments accurately and on time.

Analyze Performance and Drive Recommendations

Regularly analyze sales, sales per visitor, SKU count, inventory, margin, cost of goods sold, and other business performance metrics.
Identify business successes, risks, and opportunities, and provide actionable recommendations to the Buyer.
Help the business achieve assortment and inventory targets while improving revenue, margin, and productivity.
Help monitor inventory health and product performance by store, department, and category, escalating concerns and opportunities as they arise.
Contribute product performance feedback, market insights, and trend analysis to inform new product development.

Coordinate Vendor and Cross-Functional Execution

Support vendor communication and follow-up to ensure product, order, pricing, delivery, and assortment needs are addressed.
Work closely with DMMs, SMMs, GMMs, the Creative Center of Excellence, Planning, Purchasing Operations, and store teams to coordinate priorities and support timely product delivery.
Foster productive relationships with internal partners and vendors through clear communication, responsiveness, and dependable follow-through.
Partner with the Merchandise Coordinator to provide direction and help resolve item setup, purchase order, invoicing, and other operational challenges.

Ensure Accuracy and Timely Follow-Through

Organize and prioritize multiple projects, deadlines, product details, and follow-up activities in a fluid retail environment.
Produce accurate work efficiently and on time across assortment planning, reporting, purchase orders, vendor communication, and business analysis.

Skills and Qualifications

3+ years of experience in retail merchandising.
Passion for product and a strong understanding of guest demographics, retail environments, and assortment planning.
Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret business performance data and recommend actions.
Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to prioritize work, manage deadlines, and track multiple details simultaneously.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Strong communication, relationship-building, and interpersonal skills
Resourceful, proactive, adaptable, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, fluid environment.
Reliable, detail-oriented, and committed to producing accurate and efficient work
Collaborative team player who takes ownership, learns quickly, and follows through.

Physical Requirement

The physical demands described below are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made as appropriate.

The role involves frequent sitting, standing, walking, and handling of products or samples; occasional reaching, stooping, kneeling, crouching, lifting, and moving of merchandise samples and materials; and travel as needed to stores, markets, trade shows, and vendors, and for product development.

THE EXPERIENCE MATTERS.

For our guests. For our partners. For our teams.

Pay range: $30-31/hour