URBN Program Manager - Merchant Development Program

We are seeking an experienced merchant with strong facilitation skills and a passion for talent development to serve as dedicated program manager for our expanded Merchant Development Program. This role is central to developing the next generation of Assistant Buyers—bringing together structured learning, hands-on experiences, and cross-functional exposure. 

This is a highly collaborative, visible role that works across L&D, brand merchant teams, and HR Business Partners to ensure an impactful merchant experience. While content development is led by L&D, the Program Manager owns the participant experience, from cohort onboarding through graduation and onboarding into role. 

Program Facilitation & Cohort Experience 

• Lead facilitation for two cohorts per year across immersive and onboarding phases 
• Coordinate guest speakers, immersions, and experiential activities 
• Serve as primary point of contact for participants—coaching, supporting, and guiding their development 
• Ensure smooth transitions from classroom to role onboarding 

Business & Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Partner with merchant leaders and SMEs to ensure content stays relevant to evolving brand needs 
• Collaborate with HRBPs to ensure alignment with brand-specific structures, readiness, and onboarding success 
• Support onboarding managers and ensure handoff from program to job is well-supported 

Continuous Improvement & Development 

• Gather and synthesize feedback from participants, mentors, and leaders 
• Recommend updates to curriculum content and delivery format 
• Support ongoing merchant development outside of cohort cycles (e.g., brown bags, refreshers, or onboarding enhancements) 

A Sample Day in This Role Might Include: 

• 9:00am – Facilitate a session on planning tools, introducing concepts and guiding discussion 
• 10:30am – Meet with a planning SME to prep for their guest appearance later in the week 
• 11:30am – Check in with two participants who requested coaching on their capstone project 
• 1:00pm – Sync with the Talent Manager on upcoming updates to the curriculum 
• 2:00pm – Join a working group meeting with brand merchant leaders to review feedback 
• 3:30pm – Review post-session feedback and prepare insights for weekly stakeholder recap 

Key Metrics of Success 

• Participant experience scores (e.g., NPS or satisfaction ratings) 
• Readiness and success in role (manager feedback within first 60-90 days) 
• Program completion and project performance 
• Quality and consistency of facilitation across cohorts 
• Feedback from merchant SMEs and HRBPs on collaboration and execution 
• Continuous improvement: % of content or experience enhancements implemented per cohort 

• 7-10 years in buying, merchandising, or a merchant-adjacent function 
• Skilled facilitator and communicator—comfortable leading live sessions and engaging early-career talent 
• Experience mentoring, coaching, or developing others 
• Exceptionally organized and detail-oriented, able to manage multiple stakeholders and timelines 
• Comfortable navigating between centralized structure and brand-specific needs 
• Passionate about developing people and driving learning that sticks 

URBN offers comprehensive Perks & Benefits to employees. Availability and eligibility to specific benefits may be subject to your location and employment status. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, PTO, generous employee discounts, retirement savings and much more! For additional information visit www.urbn.com/work-with-us/benefits

URBN celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We are proud to provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression), religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship, service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other protected characteristic as established by law. We believe strongly in fostering a safe, fair and respectful work environment. To ensure compliance with our non-discrimination and anti-harassment policies, we offer anti-harassment training to managers and employees.