Associate Merchant

Dollar Tree•Chesapeake, VA

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Merchant partners with Buyers to develop and execute merchandise strategies that drive sales, margin, and inventory productivity. This role is responsible for supporting assortment planning, vendor management, and business analysis within a specific category or department.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) preferred
3+ years of merchandising, buying, or retail experience (or 5+ years in combined planning/allocation roles)
Strong analytical skills with knowledge of retail math (sales, margin, inventory turns)
Experience with assortment planning and merchandising systems
Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and retail reporting tools
Strong communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills

Nice To Haves

Merchandising and product trend analysis
Financial acumen (sales, margin, inventory management)
Strategic thinking and execution
Vendor management and negotiation
Cross-functional collaboration
Customer-focused mindset

Responsibilities

Collaborate with Buyers to build merchandise assortments and category strategies that meet sales and profitability goals
Analyze sales performance, trends, margins, and inventory to identify risks and opportunities
Execute financial plans including sales, margin, and inventory targets; monitor variances and recommend actions
Assist in assortment planning, item selection, and pricing strategies for assigned categories
Support vendor relationships, including negotiations, product selection, and performance evaluation
Develop and execute promotional strategies and monitor results
Conduct competitive analysis by shopping stores and evaluating market trends
Provide insights to support micro-merchandising and localization strategies
Partner with cross-functional teams (planning, allocation, replenishment, marketing) to ensure execution
Identify replenishment opportunities and manage lifecycle of key items
Prepare reports, forecasts, and presentations for leadership