Sporting Life

www.sportinglife.ca

1 Job

569 Employees

About the Company

The Sporting Life is invigorating, fun, and satisfying; its ski, après ski and everything in between. It is beach time with the kids or spin class at the club. From perfecting your swing to getting back on the old bike, the Sporting Life is hiking the trails of Algonquin or lounging on a boat in the Andaman Sea. The Sporting Life is the good life, and our customers are living it! Sporting Life is a place where our customers can find the best, quality, brand name fashion and sports equipment that supports the active and energetic lifestyle that our customers live and love. Sporting Life opened in 1979 with the belief that we could offer quality products and well-known brands that enhance our customer’s active lifestyle. Sporting Life has experienced consistent growth over the years, which can be attributed to innovation and excellent customer service, becoming a respected retailer who is known for top-of-the-line sports equipment and fashion.

Listed Jobs

Company Name: Sporting Life
Job Title: Vice President, Merchandising Apparel
Job Description: Job title: Vice President, Merchandising Apparel Role Summary: Lead Sporting Life’s apparel vision, strategy, and execution, driving profitable growth, brand elevation, and inventory performance across all apparel categories while maintaining premium vendor relationships. Expactations: • 12+ years of progressive retail merchandising experience in apparel (fashion, sport, outdoor, lifestyle). • Deep expertise in trend analysis, product sourcing for technical performance and comfort. • Proven track record of delivering sales, margin, and inventory productivity goals. • Strong leadership background managing sizeable high‑performing merchandising teams. • Financial acumen with demonstrated ability to meet budget, forecast, and profitability targets. • Ability to partner cross‑functionally with Planning, eCommerce, Marketing, and Store Operations. Key Responsibilities: • Develop and execute a cohesive apparel merchandising strategy aligned with premium positioning. • Lead seasonal and long‑range line planning, open‑to‑buy, pricing, and markdown optimization. • Forecast emerging trends and adjust assortments to stay fresh and distinctive. • Partner with Planning & Allocation to optimize inventory flow and sell‑through. • Build and sustain long‑term relationships with global and emerging premium apparel brands. • Identify new brand opportunities that complement heritage partners. • Inspire and manage a high‑performing merchandising team, fostering collaboration and accountability. • Coordinate with Finance on budgets, forecasts, and performance reporting. • Ensure cross‑functional alignment of product storytelling, marketing initiatives, and store presentation. Required Skills: • Advanced apparel merchandising strategy and line plan development. • Consumer insight and data analytics integration. • Vendor partnership development and negotiation. • Team leadership and talent development. • Strong communication and collaboration across functional teams. • Financial planning, budgeting, and performance analysis. • Trend forecasting and product curation for technical performance. Required Education & Certifications: • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Fashion Merchandising, or related field (preferred). • Professional certification in merchandising or product management (e.g., CMFA, BASM) is a plus.