Category Merchant
Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future visa sponsorship.
General Summary:
Your merchandise planning, assortment planning, and category management experience along with your market and trend analysis experience make you a great fit for our Category Merchant position. Join our dynamic team today and find a rewarding career with a company that values you and all you bring to the table. As a Category Merchant, you’ll develop the assortment, execute the merchandising strategy, and implement merchandising plans for our stores. Your day-to-day job duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
Principal Duties & Responsibilities:
Category Strategy & Product Management
- Consulted on the definition of the Category Strategy for their respective Category and ensuring that this strategy aligns with the Corporate strategy and meets targeted financial objectives.
- Responsible for the assortment definition and product selection for the banners, channels, countries and departments they manage, ensuring that the assortment aligns with targets.
- Responsible for identifying, developing and procuring products to drive the success and performance of their assigned banners/channels/countries/departments (i.e. their “assigned responsibilities”).
- Responsible for collaborating with the Global Sourcing organization to identify new sources of supply, prepare for buying trips, select vendors, and negotiate costs for their assigned responsibilities.
- Consulted on all financial and assortment planning activities for their assigned responsibilities. Ensures plans align with the Category Strategy and business objectives, and that buys align with assortment targets.
- Responsible for signing off on all plan-o-guides, display guides, flow guides, and planners for their assigned responsibilities prior to communication to stores.
- Responsible for collaborating with the Global Sourcing organization to manage and direct relationships and performance of those vendors that support their assigned responsibilities.
- Responsible for the selection of all products from their assigned responsibilities that are included in a promotional program. Responsible for ensuring the products are appropriately represented in a promotion.
Business Performance & Team Leadership
- Responsible for conducting Weekly Business Reviews of their assigned responsibilities. Consulted on the Monthly P&L Performance Reviews of their assigned responsibilities.
- Consulted on activities related to leading, mentoring and providing guidance to the Category Team as well as training and developing the Merchandising organization.
- Responsible for identifying potential Merchandising business and systems improvement initiatives.
Minimum Requirements:
· 3 to 6 years’ experience at the Buyer level preferred with a large volume/specialty/mass retailer
· Bachelor's degree (BA / BA / BFA) or equivalent
· Retail/discount merchandising
· Merchandise planning, assortment planning, and category management experience
· Market and trend analysis experience
· Creativity – big idea development
· Proven vendor management skills (sourcing, relationship building, product pricing, product development); strong negotiating skills
Projected Salary Range: $130,000-$145,000