Creative Merchandising Specialist

At Backcountry, our mission is to connect people to their passions. Our four online stores—Backcountry, Competitive Cyclist, MotoSport and, SteepandCheap—aim to supply our customers with the gear, knowledge, and inspiration necessary to get out there and chase down life’s greatest moments. We do this by providing the biggest and best assortment of premium outdoor products, superior shopping experience, personalized Gearhead expertise, lightning-fast and accurate fulfillment, and inspirational, informative, and community-centered content.

The Creative Merchandising Specialist is a pivotal member of the Backcountry Creative team, responsible for leading the organization, coordination, and creative presentation of product across all marketing, photo, and video shoots. This role blends deep product knowledge with creative vision, ensuring every product is showcased accurately and aspirationally in alignment with the Backcountry brand. The ideal candidate is highly organized, proactive, and collaborative, with a proven track record of driving operational efficiency, cost savings, and creative excellence.

This role is challenging – above and beyond the day-to-day responsibilities, you’ll have a big role within a fast-paced team.

This position will report into the Production Manager.

• Product Coordination & Management
• Oversee the full lifecycle of product samples (hardgoods and softgoods) for all studio and location shoots, including ordering, receiving, organizing, prepping, packing, and returning.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Buying, Production, and Creative teams to ensure timely and accurate product selection for all marketing initiatives.
• Troubleshoot shipping issues, manage logistics, and work closely with the warehouse to guarantee timely delivery and return of featured products.
• Maintain meticulous sample inventory, prioritizing sample usage to minimize owned inventory and maximize return rates.
• Creative Merchandising & Presentation
• Lead the creative merchandising and presentation of products across all visual content, ensuring product representation is accurate, aspirational, and fully aligned with brand identity and campaign objectives.
• Step into styling, assistant, and product direction as needed to support evolving team needs and ensure shoot success.
• Collaborate with photographers, art directors, producers, and content creators to elevate the visual storytelling of each campaign.
• Process Optimization & Strategic Planning
• Proactively identify and implement workflow improvements to streamline operations, reduce costs, and increase efficiency across all campaigns.
• Strategically rework sample flow and product processes to maximize SKU efficiency and minimize inventory usage.
• Analyze and report on key metrics, including cost savings, SKU efficiency, and inventory return rates, to drive continuous improvement.
• Cross-Functional Leadership & Product Strategy
• Lead product strategy across all marketing, photo, and video shoots, leveraging deep product expertise to ensure alignment with brand vision and cross-functional goals.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external partners to support seamless execution of all photo and video shoots.
• Expand ownership of the product coordination process, supporting team growth and proactively identifying new opportunities for efficiency, cost savings, and creative excellence.
  
  

What you bring to the role:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred.
• 3+ years of experience in merchandising, product coordination, or visual merchandising—preferably in the outdoor or retail industry.
• Demonstrated ability to lead creative merchandising and styling for marketing campaigns.
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Proven track record of driving operational efficiency and cost savings.
• Deep knowledge of outdoor apparel and gear, including technical features and current trends.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and other project management tools.
• Ability to perform under pressure, prioritize competing tasks, and adapt to changing priorities.
• Ability to lift and move boxes up to 50 lbs as needed.
• Passion for the Backcountry brand, its products, and its customers.
  
  

What’s in it for you? Joining Backcountry isn’t just about having a seat at the table—it’s about helping redesign the table entirely. You’ll be challenged, stretched, and supported as you grow faster than you thought possible. In addition to competitive compensation, we offer: 

• Executive Access: Work directly with brand CEOs and senior leadership, solving real business problems and earning mentorship from top operators. 
• AI-First Skill Building: Get hands-on with the most advanced AI tools in the market. From automation to prompt engineering, you’ll build a modern tech stack that sets you apart in any industry. 
• Accelerated Career Path: High performers are quickly entrusted with greater responsibility, new challenges, and leadership opportunities across our portfolio of brands. 
• Competitive benefits: Paid time off policies, 401(k)/RRSP match, medical/dental/vision and a variety of supplemental policies, and employee discounts at our portfolio companies
  
  

What our interview process looks like:

• Step 1: If you align with our vision and meet the qualifications, we’ll reach out to schedule a conversation and introduce Backcountry. 
• Step 2:You’ll complete a short AI or product-building challenge so we can understand how you approach problems and execution. 
• Step 3:Participate in deep-dive interviews with Backcountry leadership focused on your experience, product mindset, and operational thinking. 
• Step 4: Offer. We’ll move fast for the right candidate. 
  
  

The CSC family of brands provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, provincial, state or local laws.

The CSC family of brands is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact [email protected] .