Senior Merchandiser

About us

Twelve is a creative firm specializing in branded merchandise and packaging for some of the world's most coveted brands.

About the role

The Senior Merchandiser is the end-to-end commercial and operational owner for assigned development and production programs within our Asia Buying Office. This role drives execution across the full product lifecycle—owning vendor strategy, sample governance, production risk management, and on-time, on-quality delivery.

This individual acts as the critical link between Asia-based vendors and global product development and account teams, ensuring alignment on cost, feasibility, quality, and speed.

Key responsibilities

Project Ownership & Vendor Strategy

• Serve as the primary point of contact between Asia vendors and global cross-functional teams (Product Development, Account Management, Sourcing)
• Translate product requirements into clear vendor direction, proactively resolving technical and feasibility challenges.
• Own vendor alignment on cost, timelines, and production feasibility; escalate risks early with proposed solutions
• Partner with Sourcing to expand and optimize the vendor network based on capability, cost, and category needs.
• Collaborate with Compliance on factory risk assessments, including capacity and complexity evaluations.

Sample Governance & Speed to Market

• Own the end-to-end sample process (proto through PPS), ensuring speed, accuracy, and cost control.
• Validate sample costs upfront and ensure alignment with internal teams and vendor agreements.
• Conduct in-region sample reviews to ensure adherence to specifications prior to global shipment—reducing iteraIon cycles and freight waste.
• Implement and maintain structured sample tracking, tagging, and archiving systems.
• Ensure proper allocation and reconciliation of sample costs upon order conversion.

Production Execution & Risk Management

• Actively manage production timelines, maintaining real-time visibility into status, risks, and dependencies.
• Proactively communicate updates and mitigation plans to cross-functional stakeholders.
• Partner with vendors and internal teams to resolve quality or production issues quickly and effectively.
• Ensure all pre-shipment requirements are met, including final inspections, quality standards, and documentation compliance.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Drive alignment across Product Development, Compliance, Quality, Operations, and Finance at key project milestones.
• Lead production readiness and risk review meetings, ensuring clear accountability and next steps.
• Build and maintain strong vendor relationships, holding partners accountable to performance, quality, and timelines.
• Support Finance in tracking sample costs, freight, duties, and related expenses.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business Management, or related field.
• 5+ years of merchandising experience with strong exposure to product development and production in Asia.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex projects across multiple stakeholders and timelines.
• Strong understanding of U.S. and European product safety and packaging standards.
• Experience in beauty, mass retail, or consumer goods categories preferred.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and proactive, with the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (particularly Excel).
• Fluent in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin (written and spoken).
• Willingness to travel within China as needed.