Merchandise & Retail Operations Manager

Job Purpose

SXSW is seeking a Merchandise and Retail Operations Manager to lead the full lifecycle of SXSW’s branded merchandise, driving revenue growth through on-site sales, e-commerce, and strategic wholesale partnerships. You will oversee operational excellence across the business, with a focus on forecasting accuracy, inventory optimization, and high-quality reporting. By cultivating strong vendor relationships and innovative brand collaborations, you will expand SXSW’s reach and build year-round fan loyalty. We are looking for a disciplined leader ready to transform our retail operations into a world-class experience.

Duties & Responsibilities

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Drive annual merchandise revenue by setting sales targets and executing disciplined year-round planning to meet financial goals.
• Oversee end-to-end retail operations, including demand forecasting, SKU management, pricing strategies, and inventory accuracy across all sales channels.
• Manage the full production lifecycle by sourcing vendors, negotiating quotes, and monitoring lead times to ensure high-quality delivery within established deadlines.
• Execute on-site merchandise operations for the annual conference and festival, including staff coordination, point-of-sale readiness, and real-time inventory replenishment.
• Analyze sales performance through weekly reporting on sell-through, margins, and inventory turns to implement corrective actions when revenue targets are at risk.
• Expand year-round distribution by identifying and securing new sales channels, such as local retail placements, national outlets, and wholesale partnerships.
• Lead strategic merchandise collaborations with external brands and artists from initial partner selection through product launch and launch coordination.
• Collaborate with internal departments, including Finance for budgeting and Marketing for promotional launches, to ensure brand consistency and operational compliance.

On-site Responsibilities

• Lead on-site merchandise operations during the annual conference and festival, including inventory control, replenishment, vendor coordination, and issue resolution.
• Ensure all merchandise locations are operationally ready across POS setup, inventory, staffing coordination, and daily reporting.
• Support onsite collaboration activations and partner moments tied to merchandise as applicable.

Qualifications & Skills

Qualifications include:

• 4+ years of experience in merchandise operations, retail operations, ecommerce operations, or consumer products, with event merchandising experience a plus.
• Demonstrate operational track record: forecasting accuracy, inventory control, vendor management, and production timeline adherence across multiple concurrent product lines.
• Illustrate experience growing sales through e-commerce and additional channels, including retail, wholesale, pop-ups, and brand partnerships.
• Strong vendor negotiation skills with comfort managing quotes, lead times, and production constraints, and a track record of holding vendors accountable.
• Proven analytical skills with the ability to use sell-through, margin, inventory turn, and forecast data to drive decisions and catch problems early.
• Exceptional project management skills with the ability to manage multiple product launches and deadlines simultaneously without dropping details.
• Highly developed communication skills with the ability to coordinate effectively across internal teams and external partners.
• Creative sensibility with the ability to guide product direction, with operations and margin remaining the priority.
• Familiarity with e-commerce platforms and POS systems, with comfort in learning internal tools quickly.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully:

• Prolonged periods of sitting and/or standing while working at a computer.
• Ability to lift up to 40 pounds occasionally for merchandise boxes and onsite replenishment.
• Ability to work extended hours during peak season and onsite event operations.
• Ability to move throughout venues and onsite work locations, including walking and standing for extended periods.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work Location & Schedule

The position is full-time and located in Austin, Texas. Core business office hours are from 10 am—6 pm Monday through Friday. You must be available to work additional hours from January through March, including evenings and weekends. You must also be available for the March event, which will have extended working hours onsite.