Sephora Senior Merchant, Fragrance

About Sephora

Sephora is a global beauty retailer renowned for its curated assortment of prestige cosmetics, skincare, fragrance and wellness brands. As a retail innovator and consumer-facing arm within the LVMH stable, Sephora combines experiential retail, digital commerce and strong brand partnerships to shape trends and client discovery across markets.

Role & Responsibilities

• Define and execute category strategy for fragrance across Sephora at Kohl’s, including assortment architecture, launch cadence and lifecycle management.
• Source, evaluate and onboard new brands to address assortment gaps and evolving client needs.
• Build and manage strategic brand partnerships, leading commercial negotiations (margins, marketing support, training, sampling) and ongoing vendor relations.
• Develop and oversee launch strategies, in-store and digital activations, storytelling, fixture plans and planogram execution.
• Analyze category performance using data to identify trends, risks and opportunities; translate insights into commercial actions.
• Partner cross-functionally with Kohl’s and internal teams (visual merchandising, operations, marketing) to align on execution and business growth initiatives.
• Manage multiple projects and product launches simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery and retailer readiness.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of merchants and coordinators, fostering talent development and succession.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7 years of merchandising experience, preferably within beauty or a closely related retail category.
• Minimum 7 years of people leadership experience with demonstrated success developing and scaling teams.
• Proven experience owning category P&L responsibility and driving measurable financial results.
• Demonstrated success negotiating commercial agreements and managing brand partnerships.
• Advanced analytical capability with experience working with large data sets to inform merchandising decisions.
• Excellent communication, storytelling and stakeholder-influence skills.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.

Skills

Experience

At least seven years of progressive merchandising experience—ideally in beauty—with at least seven years of people leadership and a track record of owning category strategy and driving financial performance.

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Workplace

Compensation

The base compensation for this position ranges from USD 135,000 to USD 150,000 per annum.

Benefits

Medical, dental and vision coverage; employer-paid disability and life insurance; 401(k) with 4% match; FSA and HSA options; Student Debt Retirement plan (401k match eligible); PTO and protected leave; training and tuition reimbursement; 30% merchandise discount and product gratis opportunities; flash sale discounts on LVMH brands; access to Modern Health and Financial Finesse; volunteer and donation matching.

Culture

Sephora cultivates a fast-paced, inclusive culture centered on creativity, client obsession and continuous learning. As part of the LVMH family, the company emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, career development and a commitment to diversity and belonging.

About Cerulean

Cerulean is the definitive career portal for the global luxury industry. We match exceptional professionals with exclusive opportunities at the world's most prestigious brands. From haute couture and fine watchmaking to prestige beauty, hospitality, and boutique retail, Cerulean centralises luxury employment to help you find the career for which you were destined.