Associate Merchandise Manager (Overland Park, KS)

Westlake Ace Hardware•Overland Park, KS

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Merchandising Manager is responsible for developing merchandising strategies and delivering profitable sales results that support the identified business segments, Plumbing, Automotive, Carpet Cleaning/Bissell working closely with cross-functional partners throughout the organization.

Requirements

BS/BA Degree in Business Management preferred, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Interest or past work in Merchandising or Buying.
Solid understanding of retail operations, relationship sales skills, business fundamentals, merchandising strategies and assortment planning.
Knowledge of the neighborhood hardware store B2B and DIY customer.
Refined interpersonal skills to engage with others both written and verbal.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic business environment.
Demonstrated organizational skills and attention to detail.
Ability to work independently, be highly self-motivated.
Familiarity with modern marketing techniques in electronic, digital, and social media platforms.
Proven ability to successfully lead teams backed with strong project management skills.
Analytical thinker, team player, customer-focused, business minded.
Understanding of Microsoft 365 programs; Excel, Word, Teams, Power Point
Strong working knowledge of Excel (charts, VLOOKUP’s, data manipulation and macro execution).
Travel as required.
Standing, walking, lifting (up to 25lbs) and climbing

Responsibilities

Leads the category development for: Plumbing, Automotive, Carpet Cleaning/Bissell.
Develop quality product assortments that drive sales and profitable growth in the key categories, leveraging Ace planograms, assortments, and fixtures presentations where possible.
Provide strategic direction for the development of advertising and marketing initiatives to drive sales and transaction growth.
Identify localized opportunities to ensure a merchandise assortment that meets the needs of the varied consumer base where appropriate (B2B, DIY, Rural, Urban, etc.).
Supports assortment planning, pre-season ordering, and vendor management in conjunction Merchandising Manager.
Analyze and monitor sales, trends, and economic conditions within a specific category to anticipate consumer buying patterns.
Maintain strong understanding of the competition, the marketplace and industry.
Monitor competitors’ sales activities, product assortments, and pricing by reviewing daily/weekly print and electronic advertisements, as well as store visits.
Accountability and management of financial Key Performance Indicators for, Plumbing, Automotive, Carpet Cleaning/Bissell, including sales, net margin, sell-through and GMROI (gross margin return on investment) including development of semiannual forecasts to support Sr. Management planning activities.
Negotiate costs, discounts, rebates, VPP (Vendor Partnership Program) and freight terms for assigned categories.
Establish and maintain strategic supplier relationships, aligning suppliers, products, and services to meet the needs of the business.
Work in collaboration with inventory management to determine demand forecasts for everyday and promotional opportunities.
Attend trade shows to identify product opportunities and enhance business relationships.
Define and implement departmental strategic objectives with both short and long-term plans developed.
Strategic and tactical ownership, accountability, and execution for the assigned product category Line Review process.
Demonstrate effective presentation skills of merchandising strategies to ensure buy-in and engagement across the entire organization.
Serve as project manager for merchandising-driven initiatives in support of key categories.
Partnership and Collaboration with Cross-Functional Teams including Store Operations on the understanding of market and customer needs.
Inventory management to ensure optimal in-stock levels and exit strategies.
Marketing/Visual Merchandising to deliver improved in-store presentation, Point-of-Purchase materials, and marketing strategies.
Develop strong working relationships with Ace counterparts to fully leverage available product assortments, customer research and partner on strategic initiatives to further category performance.