Merchandise Assistant Jobs
Merchandise Assistant jobs are open across retail, fashion, and consumer goods, at every level from entry-level to senior assistant, with specializations in inventory planning, buying support, and visual merchandising. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 30+ Merchandise Assistant jobs
Pay is based on several factors which vary based on position. These include labor markets and in some instances may include education, work experience and certifications. In addition to your pay, Target cares about and invests in you as a team member, so that you can take care of yourself and your family. Target offers eligible team members and their dependents comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more, to help you and your family take care of your whole selves. Other benefits for eligible team members include 401(k), employee discount, short term disability, long term disability, paid sick leave, paid national holidays, and paid vacation. Find competitive benefits from financial and education to well-being and beyond at https://corporate.target.com/careers/benefits.
ALL ABOUT TARGET
Working at Target means helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. We bring that vision to life through our values and culture. Learn more about Target here.
ALL ABOUT GENERAL MERCHANDISE
Experts of operations, process and efficiency who enable a consistent experience for all of our guests.
Teams in General Merchandise (GM) and Food & Beverage (F&B) prioritize guest experience while blending completion of tasks that ensure product is fresh, available and easy to shop – replenishment, pricing and signing, setting, and maintaining the sales floor and the backroom. The GM and F&B teams also execute inbound, outbound, and fulfillment responsibilities.
At Target, we believe in our leaders having meaningful experiences that help them build and develop skills for a career. The role of a General Merchandise & Food Sales Executive Team Leader can provide you with the skills and experience of:
Guest service fundamentals and experience building and managing a guest-first culture on your team
Retail business fundamentals, including: department sales trends, inventory management, freshness and quality, guest shopping patterns, pricing and promotions strategies
Leading a team, setting and planning department(s) monthly/quarterly workload to support business priorities and managing a team to deliver on sales goals
Knowledge of the competition; leveraging insights to drive business objectives
Managing team leaders and creating business specific strategies and goals, coaching and training to build a team of talented experts.
Recruiting, selecting and talent management of hourly team members and leaders
As a General Merchandise & Food Sales Executive Team Leader, no two days are ever the same, but a typical day most likely will include the following responsibilities:
Consistently delivers guest experience commitments
Holds TLs accountable to deliver exceptional guest experiences through consistent accountability, team development, training and recognition.
Celebrates outstanding guest experiences across teams and ensures recognition is consistent and meaningful.
Reviews area guest, financial, and team metrics to identify gaps and understand team behaviors.
Celebrates wins, sets clear priorities, and leads actions that drive results and enhance the guest experience.
Partners across teams to create an easy, inspiring and friendly guest experience.
Oversee all GM & Food backroom and sales floor areas, review all reporting to identify gaps and develop a plan to resolve including completion validation.
Build a team to lead the execution of daily/weekly workload to deliver on department and store sales goals and guest engagement, including: merchandising, signing, setting and updating merchandise salesfloor displays, sampling, receiving products, restocking shelves, organizing backrooms, and price change for GM & Food areas.
Drive total store sales, demonstrate how you, your team and your departments contribute to and impact total store profitability.
Model creating a welcoming experience by greeting guests, acknowledging when guests need assistance and thanking them for choosing Target
Assess, Plan, and validate best practices to determine operational opportunities educating your team on gaps to address via team onboarding, learning, and required trainings.
Manage Food & Beverage business, food services (if applicable), and alcohol sales.
Enable efficient delivery to our guests by leading pick, pack and ship fulfillment work (if applicable) and assess reporting in fulfillment to identify gaps and assist to develop a plan.
Develop a strategy and utilize your workload planning tools to complete all scheduled workload ensuring your areas are guest ready at all times.
Conduct regular check-ins with your team to guide appropriate completion of tasks and workload given resources and priorities.
Drive a culture centered in food safety; train, validate and coach team to deliver proper execution on all food safety standards and cleaning routines.
Lead the development of partnerships with vendors to ensure clear expectations are established and brand standards are met.
Lead the understanding of how operational procedures, like merchandise set-up, product capacities and salesfloor quantities impact shortage, profitability, instore replenishment, inventory and pricing accuracy including adherence to regulatory compliance.
Lead prioritization and conduct regular check-ins with your team to guide appropriate completion of tasks and workload given resources and priorities.
Know and assess the competition; leverage guest insights and feedback to drive the business and be the destination of choice for our guests.
Manage a consistent experience for our guests by ensuring product is in stock, fresh, available, food safe, and accurately priced and signed on the sales floor with minimal disruption to the guest.
Assess all GM and Food & Beverage backroom and sales floor areas, walk Food & Beverage Standards to assess priorities in food and review GM/Food reporting to identify gaps and develop a plan to resolve.
Anticipate short-term and long-term staffing needs and manage talent planning and recruitment.
Establish and maintain a culture of accountability through clear expectations and performance management.
Demonstrate inclusivity by valuing diverse voices and approaches, being authentic and respectful, and creating equitable experiences.
Demonstrate a culture of ethical conduct, following all Target policies and safety procedures, adhere to role-specific guidelines (e.g., food safety, pricing), and help maintain a safe, compliant workplace by reporting and correcting hazards, lead and hold the team accountable to work in the same way.
Lead an instore security culture by focusing on deterrence, response and resolution in order to improve physical security processes.
Lead merchandise protection strategies across the total store, including ordering, storage and application as directed by best practices.
As a key carrier, implement all safe and secure training and processes.
Address all store emergency and compliance needs.
Regularly assume store-level leadership on duty (LOD) responsibilities to enable the guest experience for the store during assigned shifts
All other duties based on business needs.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
This may be the right job for you if:
You enjoy interacting and helping others - including guests that shop our store and fellow team members you work with.
You thrive in a fast-moving, highly active and physically demanding role, where teamwork, flexibility, and creative problem solving are key to success.
You are open to working a variable work schedule with varying hours, days or shifts (including nights, weekends, holidays, closing shifts and other peak shopping times).
The good news is that we have some amazing training that will help build upon the skills you already have to succeed as a General Merchandise & Food Sales Executive Team Leader. But, there are a few things you should have from the get-go:
4-year degree or equivalent experience
Strong interest and knowledge of the Food & Beverage business
Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Strong business acumen
Comfortable dealing with ambiguity
Manage conflict, lead and hold others accountable
Strong cognitive skills, including problem analysis, decision making, financial and quantitative analysis
Relate well with and interact with all levels of the organization
Learn and adapt to current technology needs
Manage workload and prioritize tasks independently
We are an awesome place to work and care about our teams, so we want to make sure we are clear on a few more basics that we expect; specifically, the ability to
Access all areas of the building to respond to all guest or team member issues
Interpret instructions, reports and information
Scan, handle and move merchandise efficiently and safely, including occasionally lifting or moving merchandise up to 44 pounds without additional assistance from others.
Accurately handle cash register operations as needed
Climb up and down ladders using 3 points of contact always
Ability to work in an environment that could range from 34°F to -10°F as needed
Flexible work schedule (e.g., nights, weekends and holidays); reliable and prompt attendance necessary.
Benefits Eligibility
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
In compliance with state and federal laws, Target will make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please reach out to candidate.accommodations@HRHelp.Target.com. Non-accommodation-related requests, such as application follow-ups or technical issues, will not be addressed through this channel.
Pay is based on several factors which vary based on position. These include labor markets and in some instances may include education, work experience and certifications. In addition to your pay, Target cares about and invests in you as a team member, so that you can take care of yourself and your family. Target offers eligible team members and their dependents comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more, to help you and your family take care of your whole selves. Other benefits for eligible team members include 401(k), employee discount, short term disability, long term disability, paid sick leave, paid national holidays, and paid vacation. Find competitive benefits from financial and education to well-being and beyond at https://corporate.target.com/careers/benefits.
ALL ABOUT TARGET
Working at Target means helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. We bring that vision to life through our values and culture. Learn more about Target here.
ALL ABOUT GENERAL MERCHANDISE
Experts of operations, process and efficiency who enable a consistent experience for all of our guests.
Teams in General Merchandise (GM) and Food & Beverage (F&B) prioritize guest experience while blending completion of tasks that ensure product is fresh, available and easy to shop – replenishment, pricing and signing, setting, and maintaining the sales floor and the backroom. The GM and F&B teams also execute inbound, outbound, and fulfillment responsibilities.
At Target, we believe in our leaders having meaningful experiences that help them build and develop skills for a career. The role of a General Merchandise & Food Sales Executive Team Leader can provide you with the skills and experience of:
Guest service fundamentals and experience building and managing a guest-first culture on your team
Retail business fundamentals, including: department sales trends, inventory management, freshness and quality, guest shopping patterns, pricing and promotions strategies
Leading a team, setting and planning department(s) monthly/quarterly workload to support business priorities and managing a team to deliver on sales goals
Knowledge of the competition; leveraging insights to drive business objectives
Managing team leaders and creating business specific strategies and goals, coaching and training to build a team of talented experts.
Recruiting, selecting and talent management of hourly team members and leaders
As a General Merchandise & Food Sales Executive Team Leader, no two days are ever the same, but a typical day most likely will include the following responsibilities:
Consistently delivers guest experience commitments
Holds TLs accountable to deliver exceptional guest experiences through consistent accountability, team development, training and recognition.
Celebrates outstanding guest experiences across teams and ensures recognition is consistent and meaningful.
Reviews area guest, financial, and team metrics to identify gaps and understand team behaviors.
Celebrates wins, sets clear priorities, and leads actions that drive results and enhance the guest experience.
Partners across teams to create an easy, inspiring and friendly guest experience.
Oversee all GM & Food backroom and sales floor areas, review all reporting to identify gaps and develop a plan to resolve including completion validation.
Build a team to lead the execution of daily/weekly workload to deliver on department and store sales goals and guest engagement, including: merchandising, signing, setting and updating merchandise salesfloor displays, sampling, receiving products, restocking shelves, organizing backrooms, and price change for GM & Food areas.
Drive total store sales, demonstrate how you, your team and your departments contribute to and impact total store profitability.
Model creating a welcoming experience by greeting guests, acknowledging when guests need assistance and thanking them for choosing Target
Assess, Plan, and validate best practices to determine operational opportunities educating your team on gaps to address via team onboarding, learning, and required trainings.
Manage Food & Beverage business, food services (if applicable), and alcohol sales.
Enable efficient delivery to our guests by leading pick, pack and ship fulfillment work (if applicable) and assess reporting in fulfillment to identify gaps and assist to develop a plan.
Develop a strategy and utilize your workload planning tools to complete all scheduled workload ensuring your areas are guest ready at all times.
Conduct regular check-ins with your team to guide appropriate completion of tasks and workload given resources and priorities.
Drive a culture centered in food safety; train, validate and coach team to deliver proper execution on all food safety standards and cleaning routines.
Lead the development of partnerships with vendors to ensure clear expectations are established and brand standards are met.
Lead the understanding of how operational procedures, like merchandise set-up, product capacities and salesfloor quantities impact shortage, profitability, instore replenishment, inventory and pricing accuracy including adherence to regulatory compliance.
Lead prioritization and conduct regular check-ins with your team to guide appropriate completion of tasks and workload given resources and priorities.
Know and assess the competition; leverage guest insights and feedback to drive the business and be the destination of choice for our guests.
Manage a consistent experience for our guests by ensuring product is in stock, fresh, available, food safe, and accurately priced and signed on the sales floor with minimal disruption to the guest.
Assess all GM and Food & Beverage backroom and sales floor areas, walk Food & Beverage Standards to assess priorities in food and review GM/Food reporting to identify gaps and develop a plan to resolve.
Anticipate short-term and long-term staffing needs and manage talent planning and recruitment.
Establish and maintain a culture of accountability through clear expectations and performance management.
Demonstrate inclusivity by valuing diverse voices and approaches, being authentic and respectful, and creating equitable experiences.
Demonstrate a culture of ethical conduct, following all Target policies and safety procedures, adhere to role-specific guidelines (e.g., food safety, pricing), and help maintain a safe, compliant workplace by reporting and correcting hazards, lead and hold the team accountable to work in the same way.
Lead an instore security culture by focusing on deterrence, response and resolution in order to improve physical security processes.
Lead merchandise protection strategies across the total store, including ordering, storage and application as directed by best practices.
As a key carrier, implement all safe and secure training and processes.
Address all store emergency and compliance needs.
Regularly assume store-level leadership on duty (LOD) responsibilities to enable the guest experience for the store during assigned shifts
All other duties based on business needs.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR
This may be the right job for you if:
You enjoy interacting and helping others - including guests that shop our store and fellow team members you work with.
You thrive in a fast-moving, highly active and physically demanding role, where teamwork, flexibility, and creative problem solving are key to success.
You are open to working a variable work schedule with varying hours, days or shifts (including nights, weekends, holidays, closing shifts and other peak shopping times).
The good news is that we have some amazing training that will help build upon the skills you already have to succeed as a General Merchandise & Food Sales Executive Team Leader. But, there are a few things you should have from the get-go:
4-year degree or equivalent experience
Strong interest and knowledge of the Food & Beverage business
Strong interpersonal and communication skills
Strong business acumen
Comfortable dealing with ambiguity
Manage conflict, lead and hold others accountable
Strong cognitive skills, including problem analysis, decision making, financial and quantitative analysis
Relate well with and interact with all levels of the organization
Learn and adapt to current technology needs
Manage workload and prioritize tasks independently
We are an awesome place to work and care about our teams, so we want to make sure we are clear on a few more basics that we expect; specifically, the ability to
Access all areas of the building to respond to all guest or team member issues
Interpret instructions, reports and information
Scan, handle and move merchandise efficiently and safely, including occasionally lifting or moving merchandise up to 44 pounds without additional assistance from others.
Accurately handle cash register operations as needed
Climb up and down ladders using 3 points of contact always
Ability to work in an environment that could range from 34°F to -10°F as needed
Flexible work schedule (e.g., nights, weekends and holidays); reliable and prompt attendance necessary.
Benefits Eligibility
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
In compliance with state and federal laws, Target will make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please reach out to candidate.accommodations@HRHelp.Target.com. Non-accommodation-related requests, such as application follow-ups or technical issues, will not be addressed through this channel.
Merchandise Assistant Jobs by Experience Level
See All 30 Merchandise Assistant Jobs
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Find Merchandise Assistant JobsMerchandise Assistant Job Market
Who's Hiring
- Target21
- Perfect Game2
- Free People1
- Hill House Home1
- Natural Grocers1
Top Industries Hiring
- Retail
What Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in merchandise assistant jobs.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Excel including pivot tables and VLOOKUPs
- Experience with retail inventory management or planning systems
- Bachelor's degree in merchandising, fashion, business, or a related field
- Strong attention to detail for purchase order management and data entry
- Ability to analyze sales reports and communicate findings to buying teams
- Familiarity with vendor communication and product lifecycle processes
Tips for Your Merchandise Assistant Job Search
Tailor your resume to buying cycles
Merchandise assistants work in fast-moving seasonal rhythms, so your resume should show experience with purchase orders, assortment planning, or sell-through analysis tied to specific seasons. Hiring managers want proof you understand how retail timelines drive day-to-day priorities.
Highlight proficiency in planning tools
Many postings screen for candidates comfortable with retail planning software, open-to-buy spreadsheets, or inventory management systems. Name the specific tools you have used, even if only in an academic or internship setting, rather than listing generic software skills.
Apply early to roles that fit
Migrate Mate lists merchandise assistant openings from across the United States in one place, so you can find roles that match and apply directly to each listing.
Target postings by product category
Merchandise assistant roles in apparel, home goods, and beauty each require different category knowledge. Filter your search by department or product type and customize your cover letter to show familiarity with that category's vendors, margin expectations, and customer base.
Prepare for case-style interview questions
Interviewers often walk candidates through a mock scenario, like explaining how you would respond to an overstocked item or a late vendor shipment. Practice talking through your reasoning on inventory decisions out loud before your interview, not just reviewing general answers.
Negotiate start date around go-live periods
Retail companies frequently lock hiring managers out of onboarding new staff during major floor resets or holiday go-live windows. If your target start date falls near a peak period, ask your recruiter upfront so your offer timeline is realistic and avoids last-minute delays.
Merchandise Assistant Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
Which companies are hiring the most merchandise assistants?
Target, Perfect Game, and Free People are hiring the most merchandise assistants right now, with openings concentrated in Texas, California, and Maine, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. Retail chains, department stores, and specialty brands account for the majority of active postings.
How many merchandise assistant jobs are remote?
About 0% of merchandise assistant openings are fully remote or hybrid as of November 2026, though the role is predominantly office or distribution-center based. Sub-areas like data entry, reporting, and vendor communication tend to be the most compatible with remote or hybrid arrangements, while floor planning and sample coordination generally require in-person presence.
How do you become a merchandise assistant?
Start by completing a degree or coursework in merchandising, retail management, fashion, or business, then build hands-on experience through internships in buying, planning, or store operations. Develop proficiency in Excel and retail planning tools, since most postings test those skills early. Applying to entry-level assistant or coordinator roles at retail or consumer goods companies is the most direct path in.
Can you get hired as a merchandise assistant with little experience?
Yes, many employers hire merchandise assistants with limited professional experience if you can demonstrate relevant skills from internships, coursework, or retail floor work. Showing you can manage spreadsheets, track inventory, or communicate with vendors, even in a school project or part-time retail role, addresses the core of what hiring managers need at the assistant level.
What does the merchandise assistant interview process look like?
Most merchandise assistant interviews include an initial recruiter screen, a hiring manager interview focused on your experience with data, planning tools, and vendor coordination, and sometimes a practical exercise like analyzing a small sales dataset or prioritizing a mock purchase order. Some employers add a panel interview with members of the buying or planning team before extending an offer.
Where can I find and apply to merchandise assistant jobs?
You can find and apply to merchandise assistant jobs on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from across the United States in one place. Find roles that match your experience and category interest, then apply directly to each listing from the page.
See All 30 Merchandise Assistant Jobs
Find roles that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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