Director, Merchandising & Category Management

The Boelter Companies, Inc.•Pewaukee, WI

13d

About The Position

For 95 years, Boelter has been helping our customers create unforgettable experiences. Our focus is to provide unparalleled service and high-quality products. Boelter takes your best and makes it even better. Boelter participates in every aspect of the restaurant supply, hospitality, and beverage industries. From designing commercial kitchens to delivering barware supplies, from installing food service equipment to staging the perfect tabletop - with our full spectrum of services and products - we bring inspiration to the table. Director, Merchandising & Category Management Belong to the Boelter community that brings people together... We value the individual where your unique perspective builds a stronger community and fuels our passion for authentic relationships. JOB SUMMARY The Director of Merchandising & Product Category Management is responsible for the overall strategy and execution of product assortment, promotion, pricing, and placement in all categories to maximize sales and profit. They will lead a product category team that is responsible for developing the strategy online and in print, defining product assortment and initiating relevant consumer marketing and promotions that drive customer leads and conversion. This position is also responsible for vendor programs and business planning of products and vendors presented within our channels, leveraging vendor relationships and established business, and developing strategies for growing marketshare and profitability.

Requirements

5+ years of product category experience required, with three or more years in a leadership role.
Must have demonstrated experience leading, developing, and managing teams, experience in managing remote teams preferred.
Experience in B2B ecommerce merchandising.
Leadership skills with the ability to motivate and develop staff to fullest potential while instilling a team environment both inside and outside of the departmental boundaries
Consistent and proven history in strategic vendor negotiations
Analytical and data driven- able to synthesize large amounts of data to actionable strategies- capable of data mining (Power BI or other reporting tools)
Must have strong analytical and quantitative skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously with competing timelines effectively.
Ability to plan, prepare, and execute strategic business plans.
Strong attention to detail that drives the big picture.
A track record of innovative thinking that drives growth through new revenue sources or significant share increases
Must be proficient with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), experience in Power BI preferred.
Must have excellent interpersonal and verbal and written communications skills and be able to professionally interact with others both internally and externally
Ability to travel as required

Responsibilities

Product strategy and development: Lead team in developing customer business strategies by category, refining assortments for each channel, identifying new product/category opportunities.
Leadership: Coach and develop team to achieve goals, foster an environment that promotes accountability, development, innovation, ownership, and high morale.
Profitability management: Target vendors for profitability improvements via contract negotiations, vendor consolidation/rationalization, stocking program creation, improved discount.
Leverage vendor programs for maximum profitability via opportunistic purchases and optimizing rebate yield potential.
Reporting & Analytics: Analyze performance against plans by category, vendor and channel.
Evaluate product performance and develop necessary strategies to meet overall sales and profitability targets
Channel Management: Develop product assortments that are relevant to ecommerce, sales, and marketplace customers; partnering with teams to ensure execution and availability for maximum sales and turnover. Work across all channels to improve customer experience, drive traffic, conversion, and enhance the brand image and vision. Work collaboratively to create a multi-channel cooperation and achieve overall financial goals for the brand.
Pricing & Promotions Strategy: Develop processes and practices around pricing promotions to meet sales and margin targets. Establishes pricing strategies by channel. Develop and implement product pricing strategies to maximize both competitive positioning as well as overall profitability.

Benefits

Medical & Prescription Drug
Dental
Vision
Flexible Spending
Health Savings Accounts
Long-Term Disability
Basic Life/AD&D
Supplemental Life/AD&D
Short-Term Disability coverage is provided via salary continuation at a rate of 60% of your base salary. You are eligible for this coverage after one year of employment.
401(k) contributions can start as soon as the first payroll of employment and include a company match.
Paid Time Off
Associate Perks immediately such as associate discounts at our stores.
We are proud to offer On Demand pay to their associates. Work today and get paid tomorrow!