Category Merchant - Pets
About The Position
The Category Merchant sets the strategy and drives growth of the business for assigned categories, including product selection, vendor negotiation, promotions, and providing leadership to the merchandise team. This role is responsible for the performance of assigned categories, including driving growth, category profitability, and customer experience. The Category Merchant will also be responsible for product selection and the development of competitive merchandise assortment plans that achieve financial objectives. They will negotiate pricing and terms with new, existing, and prospective vendors, build strong relationships with the vendor community, and oversee the development of sales and margin plans and sales forecasts for assigned categories. Communication of merchandising strategies to cross-functional teams is key, as is maintaining an understanding of business operational goals and challenges. Price management for assigned categories, including price indexing and achievement of price targets, is also a core responsibility. Collaboration with the Marketing team to develop pricing, promotional, and campaign strategies, continuous monitoring of merchandising performance, and prompt reaction to business changes to capitalize on opportunities and mitigate risks are essential. This role also involves providing leadership and training to the merchandise team, offering frequent and actionable feedback, and establishing a reputation of credibility and responsiveness in the marketplace. Other duties as assigned.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in business or operations related field
- 4+ years related merchandising / category management experience
- Negotiation skills and decision-making ability
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Proven analytical and organizational skills
Nice To Haves
- Familiarity with AI tools, including ChatGPT
Responsibilities
- Responsible for the performance of assigned categories including driving growth, category profitability and customer experience.
- Responsible for product selection and the development of competitive merchandise assortment plans that achieve financial objectives.
- Negotiates pricing and terms with new, existing and prospective vendors.
- Builds strong relationships with the vendor community and exercises flexibility in approach to negotiations.
- Oversees the development of the sales and margin plans and sales forecasts for assigned categories.
- Communicates merchandising strategies to cross functional teams to ensure proper and timely execution of strategy.
- Connects strategies to business operations and maintains an understanding of business operational goals and challenges.
- Responsible for price management for assigned categories including price indexing and achievement of price targets.
- Collaborates with the Marketing team to develop pricing, promotional and campaign strategies for assigned categories.
- Continually monitors merchandising performance and promptly reacts to changes in the business to capitalize on opportunities and mitigate risks.
- Provides leadership and training to the merchandise team.
- Provides the team with frequent and actionable feedback and professional development opportunities.
- Establishes and maintains a reputation of credibility and responsiveness in the marketplace.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- Weekly Pay
- Free BJ’s Memberships
- Generous Paid Time Off (vacation, personal, sick days, holidays, bereavement, and jury duty leave)
- Flexible and Affordable Health Benefits (three medical plans, optional dental, vision, Health Savings Account (HSA), and flexible spending account options)
- 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with company match
- Employee Stock Purchase Plan
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
