Director, Trade Merchandising, North America

SharkNinja

112d • $190,530 - $232,870

About The Position

The Director of Trade Merchandising – North America is a key leadership role responsible for driving the strategic vision, planning, and execution of all in-store merchandising initiatives across the U.S. and Canadian retail landscape. The Director, Trade Merchandising role leads the development and implementation of customer-specific merchandising programs that enhance brand visibility, maximize retail presence, and accelerate conversion at the point of sale. Working closely with cross-functional teams - including Sales, Global Retail Excellence, Marketing, Creative, and Supply Chain - as well as with major retail partners, the Director, Trade Merchandising will lead a team responsible for creating differentiated and scalable merchandising solutions across channels including mass, club, specialty and home centers. As the Director, Trade Merchandising, you will bring a deep understanding of trade marketing dynamics, retail operations, and consumer behavior across North America.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or related field required; MBA preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in trade marketing, retail merchandising, or CPG sales with progressive leadership responsibility.
• Proven success in leading merchandising programs across North American markets, including both the U.S. and Canada.
• Experience partnering with major North American retailers (e.g., Walmart, Target, Costco, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowes, CTC, Sephora, Ulta etc.).
• Deep understanding of retail environments, shopper behavior, and merchandising strategies.
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management abilities.
• Data-driven with proven experience in performance measurement and ROI optimization.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; familiarity with retail execution platforms and merchandising software tools.
• Strategic, visionary thinker with a hands-on approach to execution.
• Agile and adaptable in a fast-paced, evolving market.
• Strong collaborator and influencer, both internally and externally.
• Results-oriented with a passion for retail excellence.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead the North American trade merchandising strategy aligned with brand, commercial, and retailer-specific objectives.
• Translate brand campaigns into in-store experiences that drive incremental sales and long-term brand equity.
• Lead the development of merchandising programs for both innovation launches and core SKUs, with focus on impact and scalability.
• Serve as the internal subject matter expert on in-store conversion and merchandising best practices across all North American retail channels.
• Serve as the key merchandising liaison with top national and regional retailers across the U.S. and Canada.
• Partner with sales teams to pitch and secure incremental in-store opportunities, including off-shelf displays, seasonal placements, and endcap takeovers.
• Build collaborative partnerships with retailer marketing teams to co-develop merchandising programs.
• Conduct regular field visits and retail audits to assess execution, gain competitive insights, and identify improvement opportunities.
• Work with brand and marketing teams to ensure alignment between national campaigns and in-store execution.
• Collaborate with Global Retail Excellence team to ensure flawless execution of merchandising programs across regions.
• Own and manage the North American trade merchandising budget, ensuring efficient use of resources and strong ROI.
• Lead agency and vendor relationships to produce and distribute merchandising materials, including negotiating contracts and service-level agreements.
• Ensure compliance with retail guidelines and operational execution within all merchandising programs.
• Define KPIs and track performance of merchandising activities against commercial and brand goals.
• Leverage sales data, shopper insights, and post-program analysis to optimize future initiatives.
• Build and present quarterly reports to senior leadership highlighting program impact, trends, and key opportunities.
• Build and lead a high-performing merchandising team with a focus on strategic thinking, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Foster a performance-driven culture with clear accountability and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Flexible spending accounts
• 401(k) retirement plan with matching
• Life insurance
• AD&D
• Short-term disability insurance
• Long-term disability insurance
• Generous paid time off
• Company holidays
• Parental leave
• Identity theft protection
• Pet insurance
• Pre-paid legal insurance
• Back-up child and eldercare days

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Bachelor's degree
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees