Merchandising & Buying Recruiters
Buyers, merchandise planners and merchandising directors who decide what goes on the shelf, at what price, and how much stock to hold behind it.
A strong buying team decides what your customers see, what it costs, and how much margin you keep. When a senior buyer or merchandising leader leaves, or when growth demands a new category expert, the wrong hire costs far more than the search itself, in lost sales momentum, weakened supplier terms, and assortments that miss the season. SundryHall is a specialist recruitment agency focused on consumer goods and retail, and we help brands, retailers, and distributors hire the commercial talent that drives their assortments, their pricing, and their profitability.
Buying, merchandising, and category management sit at the center of commercial performance. The people in these roles negotiate with suppliers, build the assortment architecture, set entry and exit price points, manage open-to-buy, and own the markdown decisions that protect gross margin. Because the impact of each hire is measured in sales and margin rather than headcount, the quality of the shortlist matters more here than almost anywhere else in the business.
Our approach is built around the way these teams actually buy and sell. We take a detailed brief covering the category, the supply base, the margin and volume expectations, and the systems and reporting the role relies on. We then map the relevant market (competitors, adjacent categories, suppliers, and distributors) and approach people directly rather than waiting for applications. Candidates are assessed on commercial evidence: the assortments they have built, the negotiations they have led, the margin and sales performance they can speak to, and how they have handled difficult supplier or stock situations.
We recruit for retailers, brands, manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors across food and beverage, CPG, household goods, health and beauty, fashion and footwear, home and furniture, toys, consumer electronics, and general merchandise. That spread matters, because strong buying and merchandising talent frequently moves between categories and channels (from grocery to discount, from mall-based chains to pure-play ecommerce, from branded supplier to private-label retailer), and the best candidate for a brief is often not the most obvious one.
Timing is the other factor we plan around. Buying and merchandising calendars run to seasons, trade shows, line reviews, and critical path deadlines. A vacancy left open through a line review or a peak selling period creates problems that last well beyond the hire itself. We build search timelines around those fixed points.
Whether you are replacing a senior buyer, appointing your first head of category, or adding merchandising leadership ahead of growth, SundryHall can help you find and secure the commercial talent your assortments depend on.
What buying and merchandising recruiters actually do
Buying and merchandising recruiters exist because generalist hiring methods rarely surface the right people for these roles. A head of buying needs commercial judgment, supplier relationships, and category instincts that take years to build. A merchandising director needs to read sales data, manage seasonality, and keep stock aligned with the plan. These skills are specific, and the people who hold them are usually employed, busy, and not scanning job boards, which is why advertised vacancies alone so often produce thin applicant pools for these positions.
A merchandising recruitment agency identifies, approaches, and assesses these professionals on your behalf, so your internal team can stay focused on the season while a structured search runs in the background. The practical effect is that you meet a small number of well-qualified candidates instead of filtering a large volume of unsuitable applications.
Who we work with
We work with consumer-facing businesses across the United States. That includes grocery and specialty retailers, fashion and apparel labels, beauty and personal care companies, food and beverage brands, and ecommerce and D2C businesses. We support hiring managers, HR and talent acquisition leaders, founders, and executives who need credible commercial hires at management level and above.
Typical roles include heads of buying, senior buyers, category managers, merchandising managers, planning leaders, and director or VP-level appointments across buying and merchandising functions. Whether you are appointing your first head of buying, replacing a departing category manager, or strengthening bench depth ahead of a growth phase, we work to the same standard of commercial judgment.
If you are unsure whether your position fits our scope, ask us directly and we will give you a straight answer before any commitment is made.
Buying and merchandising roles we recruit
The selection below covers buying and merchandising leadership across fashion, grocery, home goods, beauty, and multi-channel retail. It is not exhaustive, so contact us about any related commercial position you do not see listed here. Online merchandising roles are covered by our ecommerce recruiters.
Senior and head buyers
Commercially sharp buyers who can own a category end to end: building supplier relationships, negotiating cost prices and terms, and shaping assortments that sell through at the margin the business needs. We recruit both specialists who have grown up in a single product area and broader operators ready to take on a larger buying team.
Category managers
Professionals who combine hard analysis with genuine commercial instinct to grow category revenue and margin. These hires typically own assortment architecture, pricing and promotional strategy, and the supplier plan for their area, working closely with merchandising, marketing, and supply chain colleagues.
Merchandising managers and directors
Leaders who plan stock, manage receipts, and keep availability and markdown under control. We recruit across the merchandising structure, from managers running a department or category through to directors accountable for open-to-buy, weekly sales and inventory planning, and the overall stock investment across the business.
Planning and allocation leaders
These leaders own merchandise planning, forecasting, and allocation across stores and channels. Strong candidates here balance systems and data fluency with the commercial judgment to call stock into the right place at the right time, supporting both store sales and ecommerce fulfillment.
Executive commercial appointments
Director and VP-level hires where discretion, network reach, and careful assessment matter most. These searches are run confidentially, with a mapped shortlist of leaders drawn from across the market rather than whoever happens to be actively looking, and with structured assessment of commercial results and leadership style.
How a merchandising search runs
Every merchandising search follows a structured, transparent process that is agreed with you before any sourcing begins. We work on contingent, retained, or exclusive terms depending on the seniority and urgency of the position, and we set clear milestones at the outset so progress stays visible from briefing through to placement. The six steps below describe how a typical search runs, from defining the mandate to checking in once your new hire has started.
Scope the role
We begin by defining the mandate with you in detail, covering the commercial context behind the vacancy, reporting lines, the skills and experience that genuinely matter, and realistic salary positioning for the market. Getting this right at the start prevents wasted time later and gives us a brief we can take confidently to candidates.
Map the market
Next we identify exactly where the right candidates sit, drawing on our established sector network, our candidate database, and targeted headhunting of people who are not actively looking. This mapping gives you a clear picture of the available talent pool, including competitor organizations and adjacent retail sectors worth approaching.
Approach and assess
We engage candidates discreetly, protecting both your confidentiality and theirs. Each person is screened for capability, motivation, and cultural fit, then interviewed against the criteria agreed with you in step one, so only genuinely suitable people progress.
Present a shortlist
You receive a short, well-evidenced shortlist with clear written reasoning for each candidate. We explain strengths, any areas to probe in interviews, and salary expectations, so your interview time is spent on people who can realistically do the job.
Manage the offer
We manage the offer stage end to end, handling salary negotiation, notice periods, and counter-offer risk through to a signed acceptance. Keeping a third party between the two sides at this point reduces the chance of a late collapse and keeps the relationship positive.
Follow up after placement
Our involvement does not stop at acceptance. We stay in contact after the start date to support a smooth onboarding, gather feedback from both sides, and confirm the hire is settling in as expected.
Why choose a specialist merchandising recruitment agency
Because SundryHall recruits exclusively in consumer goods and retail, we understand selling cycles, seasonal pressure, open-to-buy planning, and the difference between a buyer who can negotiate and one who can build an assortment. That context shapes every shortlist we present, because we screen for the commercial instincts the role actually depends on: margin ownership, supplier relationships, assortment architecture, and sell-through performance.
Sector focus also means we can advise before we search. Salary benchmarking, talent mapping, and competitor organization analysis are part of how we help you define the role realistically, so the position you take to market is one the market will actually fill. HR and talent acquisition teams can use this insight to set budgets, plan succession, and pressure-test job specifications before a search goes live.
The result is a shorter, more confident process. Instead of screening a long list of loosely relevant applications, hiring managers see a small number of merchandising, buying, and planning leaders who have already been assessed against the commercial realities of the role, and who understand the category, channel, and selling rhythm they would be joining.
What you can expect from working with us
A search usually starts in one of three situations: a role has stayed open far longer than planned, a previous agency delivered volume instead of genuine fit, or the search is too sensitive to advertise at all. In each case our commitment is the same: a focused shortlist of credible candidates, clear communication at every stage, and a process that respects both your time and your candidates' experience. Quality of shortlist over volume is the operating principle, because your interview hours are the scarcest resource in any search.
In practice, that means you should expect a small number of well-evidenced profiles rather than a long list to sift through, an honest view of the market when the brief needs adjusting, and regular updates even in the weeks when there is little to report. Candidates receive the same consideration: a clear picture of the role, timely feedback, and a professional experience that reflects well on you whether or not they are appointed.
For senior and confidential mandates, our executive search capability adds an extra layer of rigor. We run discreet approaches, manage stakeholder alignment, and protect your employer brand throughout. Executive search is also the right route when the person you need is running a competitor's category and will never apply to a posted role, since reaching them requires a direct, carefully managed approach and a level of confidentiality that an advertised campaign simply cannot offer.
Engagement conditions
We focus on management-level, senior, and executive positions within consumer goods and retail. We do not handle entry-level, junior or staff-level positions or internships, and we do not place temporary, hourly or staff-level contract workers; contract and interim appointments at manager level and above run through our interim practice. If a mandate sits outside our specialty, we will tell you plainly. Fees and terms are agreed in writing before the search starts, with clear milestones so you always know where it stands.
Frequently asked questions
How is a specialist agency different from a generalist recruiter?
Specialist recruitment means the consultant running your search already understands the sector, the current salary bands, and the active candidate pool. You spend less time briefing and more time interviewing people who genuinely fit the role, because the shortlist reflects real market availability rather than whoever happened to apply to a job ad. A generalist recruiter has to learn your market during the search; a specialist starts with those relationships already in place.
How long does a typical search take?
Timelines depend on seniority, location, and market conditions. Executive search mandates generally take longer than management-level hires, because the candidate pool is smaller, approaches are more considered, and start dates often wait on bonus or equity vesting. We agree realistic expectations with you at the scoping stage, keep you updated as the search progresses, and do not quote a generic figure that ignores the specifics of your role.
Do you work outside Atlanta?
Yes. Atlanta is our headquarters, alongside offices in Marlborough, Massachusetts; Parsippany, New Jersey; and Cheyenne, Wyoming, and our coverage extends across the United States. We run searches wherever your buying or merchandising team is based, whether that is a headquarters in another state, a remote-first structure, or a role that spans multiple sites.
Can you help with salary benchmarking before we hire?
Yes. Benchmarking, talent mapping, and hiring process advice are available as part of a search engagement or as standalone advisory support. This is particularly useful when you need to test a budget, check a job specification, or understand who is available in your market before committing to a full search.
Start your search with SundryHall
If you have a buying or merchandising position to fill, or you want a realistic view of the market before you commit to hiring, talk to us. Whether you are replacing a departing buyer, appointing a first head of merchandising, or simply benchmarking salaries and candidate availability before you open a role, we will tell you what is genuinely achievable and what it is likely to take.
Call us at +1 888-202-9809 or email [email protected], and we will give you a straight answer on how we can help. There is no obligation to start a search.
Brief us on the role you need to fill
Tell us about the position, the location and the timeline. A consultant who works your sector will follow up to talk through how we would run the search.