Manager, Digital Merchandising

Walgreens•Deerfield, IL

About The Position

Supports the implementation of Digital Commerce merchandising strategies to enhance the online customer experience, drive product discovery, optimize digital content and placements, and support promotional and marketing initiatives across assigned categories. Collaborates with cross-functional teams to plan and execute online merchandising strategy. Manages business performance through insight-led decision-making, category page optimization, digital campaign execution, visual merchandising, and supplier collaboration to drive engagement, conversion, and sales growth. Plans and develops sales, gross profit, inventory control, and merchandise turnover objectives for assigned online merchandise categories. Develops digital merchandising, marketing, and promotion plans to drive omni-channel revenue and profit, and helps ensure an aligned, digitally enabled end-to-end customer experience across assortment, price, and promotions. Manages supplier relationships and negotiates contracts, using market, competitive, and customer insights to inform strategy. Collaborates with Product Management on category-specific website functionality and recommends and manages new merchandising initiatives. Works with cross-functional teams on sales forecasts, gross profit levels, and strategies to mitigate loss or optimize profitability. Continuously evaluates digital merchandising practices, methods, and tools to improve business outcomes. Provides guidance and coaching to team members, allocates resources, and develops staff through onboarding, training, performance management, and open communication. Builds team morale, ensures appropriate staffing and competencies, and fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and at least 2 years of merchandising experience, or a high school diploma/GED and at least 5 years of merchandising experience.
At least 1 year of experience working with P&L concepts, including revenue, cost of goods sold, gross profit margin, operating expenses, and income.
Knowledge of customer-centric retailing principles and customer purchase behavior analytics, sourcing, supplier negotiations, visual merchandising, forecasting, and promotional strategy.
At least 2 years of experience developing strategic programs in digital merchandising, vendor relations, and retail marketing.
Experience establishing and maintaining relationships with people at all levels of an organization, in the business community, and with vendors.
Experience analyzing and reporting data to identify issues, trends, or exceptions, improve results, and find solutions.
Experience identifying operational issues and recommending and implementing solutions.
Experience with MS Office Suite.
At least 1 year of direct leadership, indirect leadership, and/or cross-functional team leadership.
Willingness to travel up to 10% for business purposes, within state and out of state.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or MBA.
At least 4 years of experience in one or more of retail, procurement/purchasing, merchandising, vendor relations, or retail marketing.
Experience directly managing people, including hiring, developing, motivating, and directing them.
Experience working in the digital space.

Responsibilities

Plan and develop sales, gross profit, inventory control, and merchandise turnover objectives for assigned online merchandise categories.
Develop digital merchandising, marketing, and promotional plans to drive omni-channel revenue and profit.
Ensure a consistent digitally enabled customer experience with aligned assortment, pricing, and promotions.
Manage day-to-day supplier relationships and negotiate contracts.
Use market, competitive, and customer insights to develop digital merchandising strategies.
Collaborate with Product Management to provide input on category-specific website functionality and capabilities.
Recommend and manage the development of new merchandising initiatives.
Maintain understanding of assortment, sales forecasts, gross profit levels, and digital merchandising and promotional programs.
Collaborate cross-functionally to project sales forecasts and gross profit levels and to mitigate loss or optimize profitability.
Share information across functions to improve workflows and cross-departmental processes and relationships.
Evaluate digital commerce merchandising practices, methods, and tools and improve deliverables to meet business needs.
Guide, direct, coach, and counsel team members; allocate resources to meet operating objectives.
Develop and mentor staff through onboarding, communication, training, development, and performance management.
Maintain employee morale and motivation, ensure appropriate staffing and competencies, and foster an inclusive workplace.