Director Of Merchandising Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Director of Merchandising roles attract H-1B visa sponsorship from major retailers, e-commerce companies, and consumer goods firms. Most require a bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or a related field, and USCIS classifies merchandising leadership as a specialty occupation. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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INTRODUCTION
This position is designated as a hybrid role based out of our headquarters near Portland, Oregon. The current expectation is for employees to work onsite four days per week, subject to change based on business needs. This in-office requirement may be adjusted at the discretion of the company.
ROLE AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The International Distributors - Regional Merchandising Director leads the Apparel Merchandising team in the continued development and growth across channels. Creates strategies focused on delivering consumer right assortments across the marketplace matrix, balancing brand-heat initiatives with volume-driving items. Supports the regional GM through the Go-to-Market process leading the product handover to sales. Builds strong partnerships with channel leaders to effectively influence, define, and implement segmentation strategies necessary to maximize revenue and profitability.
HOW YOU’LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE
- Develops and communicates the global Merchandising plan and vision to members of senior management for approval, including long and short-term goals and global brand product strategy. Maintains positive open lines of communication with all management, staff, and other departments in order to contribute to the smooth flow of information and efficient operation of the organization.
- Ensures proper Merchandising resources are employed to execute against brand strategy. Leads the creation of regional Merchandising strategies, both seasonal and long term, including line pricing, product flow, product segmentation and product differentiation across all categories.
- Owns Sales meeting product content and execution planning, process, communication, and presentation seasonally. Collaborates with Sales management for the budget, intended outcome, and coordination of agendas, timing, samples and presentation format. Participates in other global sales meetings as well.
- Delivers presentations for Sales meetings, articulating focused strategies for successful product introductions.
- Partners with global product and other category merch on short and long-term directional vision. Works to align regional growth goals and consumer trends with broader objectives. Ensures that key stakeholders in the regions are consulted during key checkpoints. Influences with data and storytelling to secure regional needs.
- Partners with Finance to manage margin and profitability for seasonal product line to hit seasonal targets. Leads workstreams with Costing, Global Merch, and Finance with the regional Merchandising team to identify strategies and tactics to deliver upon profitability goals each season. Builds team expertise using analytical workstreams and market/consumer knowledge.
- Works with senior leadership to influence decisions and inspire change at scale. Possesses a growth mindset with strong learning agility and team-oriented leadership style.
YOU ARE
- Translates company strategy into functional and team goals, monitors progress, removes barriers, and identifies and allocates resources. Acts as a change catalyst to meet evolving business needs. This may include organizational, financial, and labor/cost management.
- Creates a high-performance culture by setting clear performance objectives, providing ongoing feedback, and developing talent to build new skills and capabilities.
- Drives team engagement and promotes an inclusive work environment using effective communication, team building, and collaboration practices.
- Maintains efficient operations in compliance with regulations, policies, and safety standards.
YOU HAVE
- Bachelor's or masters degree, or applicable certification or equivalent experience.
- Typically requires 10 years functional experience in merchandising leadership.
- Experience managing high level individual contributors and subordinate managers/sr. managers.
- Provides leadership and direction through multiple managers/sr. managers.
Columbia Sportswear Company is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. Columbia Sportswear is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. If you need reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please notify your recruiter.
At Columbia Sportswear Company, we’re proud to offer regular full-time employees a benefits package that includes a variety of services and products to help make your life and work more rewarding. Our benefit programs contribute to overall employee well-being by aligning those programs with the fundamental elements of well-being: physical, social/emotional, financial, career and community. Benefits that can protect your family’s financial future and help you save money through our 401k plan plus a generous company match. Columbia offers medical, dental, vision, life Insurance, disability, flexible spending accounts, health savings account, and an assortment of voluntary benefit offerings (accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and legal services). In addition, Columbia offers EAP + which is free and confidential 24/7/365 counseling services. We have extensive wellness benefits, employee discounts and a generous time off program available.
If you need an accommodation/adjustment to successfully complete and submit your application, please reach out to AskHR@columbia.com with the Subject: Applicant Assistance Requested.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Director Of Merchandising Jobs
Target enterprise retailers and e-commerce companies first
Large retailers and e-commerce companies sponsor H-1B visas far more consistently than boutique brands. Companies with dedicated HR and legal teams process sponsorship regularly and understand the LCA and I-129 filing requirements for senior merchandising roles.
Lead with category ownership and revenue impact
Hiring managers sponsoring a Director of Merchandising need to justify the role's specialty occupation status. Quantify your impact: units managed, revenue driven, margin improvements. Concrete numbers make the LCA prevailing wage case easier to support.
Clarify your degree field early in the process
USCIS scrutinizes whether your degree directly relates to merchandising. A degree in business, marketing, retail management, or economics aligns cleanly. If your degree is in an unrelated field, be prepared to document relevant coursework or professional experience.
Expect the O-1A as a realistic alternative if H-1B lottery fails
Directors with industry awards, speaking engagements, published work, or media coverage may qualify for the O-1A visa. This cap-exempt category bypasses the H-1B lottery entirely, making it a practical fallback for senior professionals with a strong track record.
Understand that the LCA is the employer's first step
Before USCIS sees anything, your employer files a Labor Condition Application with the Department of Labor certifying the offered wage meets prevailing levels. For Director-level roles, that prevailing wage is typically set at a senior wage tier.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with active sponsorship history
Not every company that posts a Director of Merchandising role will sponsor visas. Browse Migrate Mate to filter specifically for sponsorship-confirmed openings and avoid wasting applications on employers who will not support the H-1B process.
Director Of Merchandising jobs are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Director Of Merchandising JobsFrequently Asked Questions
Is Director of Merchandising a specialty occupation for H-1B purposes?
Yes, in most cases. USCIS evaluates whether the role normally requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field. Director of Merchandising roles at established retailers and e-commerce companies routinely meet this standard, particularly when the job description specifies a degree in business, marketing, or retail management. Roles where any general degree is accepted carry slightly more risk of a Request for Evidence.
What visa types can a Director of Merchandising use to work in the U.S.?
The H-1B is the most common path. Directors with significant industry recognition, publications, or awards may also qualify for the O-1A, which has no lottery and no annual cap. Australians should consider the E-3, which offers a dedicated 10,500-slot annual allocation and is far less competitive than the H-1B. L-1A is available if you're transferring within a multinational company in a managerial capacity.
How likely is an employer to sponsor a Director of Merchandising?
Sponsorship likelihood is higher at the Director level than for mid-level merchandising roles. Senior positions are harder to fill domestically, and large retailers have existing immigration infrastructure. Companies that have sponsored H-1B visas in prior years for merchandising or supply chain roles are your strongest targets. Browse Migrate Mate to identify employers with verified sponsorship history in this category.
Does my degree field matter for getting an H-1B as a Director of Merchandising?
It matters significantly. USCIS looks for a direct connection between your degree field and the duties of the role. Degrees in business administration, marketing, retail management, supply chain, or economics align well. A degree in an unrelated field does not automatically disqualify you, but your employer will need to provide additional documentation, and the petition carries a higher chance of receiving a Request for Evidence.
Can I negotiate visa sponsorship as part of a Director of Merchandising offer?
Yes, and at the Director level you have more leverage than most candidates. Raise sponsorship early in final-stage conversations rather than after an offer is extended. Frame it as a logistical question: ask whether the company has sponsored H-1B or other visa categories before and whether their legal team is set up to file. Most companies with international hiring experience treat this as routine at the Director level.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Director Of Merchandising jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.
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