Assistant Merchant

Role overview

Bath & Body Works is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where people feel they belong and can grow. The company focuses on building great customer experiences, developing strong talent, and contributing positively to communities and the environment.

The Assistant Merchant supports creative product development efforts, helps maintain seasonal line plans, and coordinates testing approaches while sharing updates with cross-functional partners for assigned categories. This role contributes to sales and profit growth by helping bring new products to market, reviewing consumer insights to support brand priorities, and assisting with in-store product launches.

What you'll do

• Support the Senior Merchant or Merchant in executing brand strategy and planning activities such as new product development, pricing, promotions and sampling, internal training, competitive benchmarking, performance review, and post-launch analysis.
• Prepare internal presentations for leadership and partner teams, from early concept development through document drafting and meeting material preparation.
• Coordinate new product development work accurately, including project paperwork, design requests, product briefs, sampling and gift set documentation, costing analysis, and communication with partner teams.
• Help align product descriptions, claims, and visual direction.
• Work with Commercialization Services to track timelines, raise issues early, and help keep deliverables on schedule.
• Assist in building a seasonal line plan that reflects the brand and supports the overall merchandise strategy.
• Review data in weekly business meetings and bring forward insights, customer feedback, and store merchandising opportunities.
• Support meeting preparation, sample handling, report review, and analysis, while offering your point of view and recommendations based on current results and category strategy.
• Study competitor assortments, pricing, and promotional approaches.
• Visit stores regularly to gather feedback from customers and sales associates.

Experience and qualifications

This position calls for 1 to 3 years of relevant experience in brand development, merchandise buying, and/or retail management. Candidates should bring strong analytical ability, retail math skills, business awareness, and a genuine interest in products and customer satisfaction. Success in this role also requires independence, accuracy, the ability to influence others, problem-solving skills, teamwork, and comfort working in a fast-changing environment with multiple priorities.

Proficiency with systems and common office software is expected, especially Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Education

A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and work experience is required.

Core competencies

• Lead with curiosity and humility
• Build strong teams for both today and the future
• Influence and inspire with vision and purpose
• Observe, engage, and connect
• Pursue operational excellence
• Deliver business results

Benefits

• Medical, pharmacy, dental, and vision coverage, along with access to an onsite wellness center and pharmacy at the Columbus, OH home office
• 401(k) with company match and an associate stock purchase program with discount
• Complimentary mental health and wellbeing support through an employee assistance program
• Paid time off and paid parental leave, plus family and lifestyle benefits such as family-building support, childcare discounts, and home, auto, and pet insurance
• Tuition reimbursement and scholarship opportunities for post-secondary education
• 40% merchandise discount and gratis

Additional information

The responsibilities listed here describe the general scope and level of this position and are not meant to include every duty or skill that may be required.

Applicants with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories will be considered in line with applicable state and local fair chance requirements, including those in Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and San Francisco.

This employer is an equal opportunity employer and does not make decisions based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Reasonable accommodations are available for associates and applicants with disabilities.

Only individuals authorized to work in the United States will be hired.

The hiring window closes once all openings have been filled.