Assistant Merchandise Planner

About New World Creation Inc. of New York dba Smoke Rise New York

Smoke Rise is a New York streetwear brand founded in 2009, designing fashionable, accessible apparel across denim, outerwear, knits, wovens, athleisure, and accessories for the everyday consumer. We place the customer at the heart of everything we do — dreaming big, embracing trends and creativity, and continuously raising the bar while learning from our mistakes. We lead with integrity, trust, and respect to achieve the best outcomes as one team.

Position Summary

The Assistant Merchandising Coordinator supports the Merchandising team in managing the seasonal line plan, product data and style setup, market research, and cross-departmental coordination between Design, Sales, and Production. This role is highly detail-oriented and systems-driven, ideal for someone early in their career who wants to build a foundation in wholesale apparel merchandising.

This position works closely with Design, Sales, and Production teams to ensure all style information — including style numbers, descriptions, fits, colors, fabrics, and product details — is accurate, complete, and properly entered into the company's system to support timely style master setup and product development.

Key Responsibilities

Line Planning & Product Data

● Assist in building and maintaining the seasonal line plan/assortment matrix

● Track style counts, delivery dates, and category breakdowns against line plan targets

● Set up and maintain style masters in the ERP/PLM system, ensuring all required fields — style number, proto number, description, category, fit, color, fabric, theme, and status — are complete and accurate prior to submission

● Cross-check style data for consistency across Master Line Sheets, CADs, tech packs, and sample records, resolving discrepancies before they reach downstream teams

● Maintain up-to-date logs tracking color, fit, fabric, and sample status changes throughout development

● Partner with Design, Technical Design, and Production to source missing information and correct data errors

● Own updates to existing style master records as styles evolve through development and production

Market and Competitive Research

● Assist with research on current market trends, colors, fabrics, silhouettes, washes, graphics, and consumer preferences

● Review competitor products, retail assortments, pricing, and seasonal direction

● Prepare basic research reports, product comparisons, and presentation materials

● Help identify commercial opportunities and potential product gaps

Cross-Functional Coordination

● Liaise between Design, Production, and Sales to ensure style information, samples, and timelines stay aligned

● Track sample status (development samples) and follow up on delays

● Assist in preparing materials for trade shows, showroom setup & samples, seasonal presentations, and buyer meetings

Reporting & Analysis

● Pull and organize sell-through, reorder, and inventory reports as directed

● Assist in tracking best-sellers and slow-movers to inform future buys/line planning

● Support ad hoc reporting requests from Merchandising leadership

Administrative

● Maintain organized digital files for line sheets, tech pack references, and seasonal archives

● Support calendar management for key merchandising milestones and deadlines

● Uphold confidentiality of pricing, product roadmaps, and customer/account information per company policy

Qualifications

Required

● 1–3 years of experience in merchandising, buying, or a related apparel/wholesale role (internships count)

● Strong Excel skills (pivot tables, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP comfort a plus)

● Highly organized with excellent attention to detail and follow-through

● Ability to manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced wholesale environment

● Strong written and verbal communication skills

Preferred

● Familiarity with PLM/ERP systems and NuORDER or similar B2B wholesale platforms

● Interest or coursework in merchandising, business, or fashion

● Experience in denim/apparel wholesale a plus

● Bachelor's degree in Merchandising, Business, Fashion, or a related field

Key Competencies

● Detail-oriented and highly organized

● Strong analytical/numerical aptitude

● Proactive communicator across departments

● Comfortable with data entry and systems-heavy workflows

● Team-oriented, eager to learn

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $50,000–$55,000, commensurate with experience.

● Health, dental, and vision benefits

● PTO per company policy

● Summer Fridays

● Optional Lunch 3x/week

Pay: $50,000.00 - $60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Health insurance
• Paid time off

Work Location: In person