Director Bedding Category Management & Merchandising

Ashley Furniture Industries•Everman, TX

10h

About The Position

The Director Bedding Category Management & Merchandising leads Ashley Retail’s national bedding category strategy and owns category sales, gross margin, profitability, inventory productivity, and market share performance. The role develops annual and multi-year growth strategies, assortment and pricing plans, merchandising standards, and performance measures across mattresses, adjustable bases, pillows, protectors, sheets, and sleep accessories. The director serves as the primary merchandising and category-management resource for Ashley licensees, providing data-driven recommendations, performance analysis, and strategic consultation. The role also leads and develops regional bedding merchants, manages relationships with manufacturers and suppliers, and turns market, customer, sales, and inventory insights into business initiatives. Frequent travel is required, and the position may require extended hours when necessary.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Merchandising, Retail Management, or a related field.
At least 8 years of experience in merchandising, category management, retail buying, or product management.
At least 5 years of leadership experience managing teams and business performance.
Strong attention to detail.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Excellent interpersonal skills.
Effective time-management and organizational skills.
Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
Knowledge of document management systems.
Analytical and problem-solving skills.
Ability to maintain confidentiality.
Working knowledge of continuous improvement.
Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously within established time constraints.
Proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite and internet use.
Ability to perform under strong demands in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to work professionally with customers and coworkers, treating them with enthusiasm and respect.
Empathy, understanding, and patience when working with employees and external customers.
Ability to respond professionally to difficult employee, vendor, or customer issues and inquiries.
Willingness to travel frequently.
Flexibility and willingness to work extended hours when necessary.
Competencies include ethics and values, integrity and trust, strategic thinking and business acumen, data-driven decision-making, relationship building and collaboration, organization and time management, attention to detail and accuracy, adaptability and problem-solving, customer focus, initiative, and self-motivation.

Nice To Haves

Bedding or home furnishings experience.

Responsibilities

Lead national bedding category strategy and own sales, gross margin, profitability, inventory productivity, and market share performance.
Develop annual and multi-year category growth strategies aligned with company objectives.
Identify opportunities to expand category penetration, improve assortment productivity, and increase customer attachment rates.
Establish and monitor KPIs for category effectiveness and business performance.
Develop and maintain national bedding assortment strategies across mattresses, adjustable bases, pillows, protectors, sheets, and sleep accessories.
Set national assortment standards while enabling localized market strategies where appropriate.
Lead line reviews, category evaluations, assortment optimization, and product lifecycle decisions, including introductions, exits, and refreshes.
Use sales, customer, inventory, competitive, and market data to inform assortment decisions.
Own category pricing strategy and recommend retail pricing that supports profitability and market competitiveness.
Manage margin targets, promotional planning, product mix optimization, and competitive pricing adjustments.
Develop enterprise-wide bedding merchandising standards, playbooks, floor placement guidelines, and space allocation recommendations.
Establish category storytelling and product presentation standards to improve customer engagement and conversion.
Partner with Retail Operations and Visual Merchandising to support consistent execution across locations.
Lead innovation in showroom merchandising and customer shopping experiences.
Serve as the primary merchandising and category-management resource for Ashley licensees.
Communicate national bedding strategies, assortment recommendations, and best practices to licensees.
Provide licensees with data-driven insights, performance analyses, and strategic consultations.
Identify and share best practices from top-performing markets and retail locations.
Lead and develop regional bedding merchants; establish performance expectations, development plans, and succession planning initiatives.
Coach teams on category management, assortment optimization, analytics, and merchandising practices.
Foster accountability, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, and coordinate initiatives across regions.
Build relationships with bedding manufacturers and strategic suppliers; lead vendor line reviews, negotiations, and strategic planning.
Evaluate product opportunities and industry trends, and partner with vendors on launches, training, marketing support, and promotions.
Ensure vendor strategies align with company growth objectives.
Analyze sales trends, consumer behavior, inventory productivity, and category performance metrics.
Monitor competitive retail environments and emerging sleep industry trends.
Develop executive-level reporting and strategic recommendations, translating data into actionable initiatives.
Maintain reliable attendance.
Participate in departmental meetings, training, and education; assist with training employees and providing backup.
Complete other assignments and special projects as requested.