Manager, Merchandising, Fresh

SpartanNash•Byron Center, MI

About The Position

This role manages wholesale sales and gross profit for an assigned category and area. It establishes and maintains relationships with independent customers serviced by the Company, ensures execution of merchandising and marketing plans that drive sales, and provides staff assistance with sales calls, procurement, and merchandising. The manager oversees the fresh merchandiser team and quality assurance/inspection team, and is accountable for the department’s financial performance, staffing, training, performance management, career development, and goals. The role analyzes category and product data, advises Category Management on product assortment and selection, and collaborates with category and product development managers, procurement, industry partners, vendors, brokers, manufacturers, and distributors. It prepares weekly advertising programs, merchandising and pricing materials, and forecasts, while maintaining knowledge of industry trends and recommending improvements to programs and processes. Travel may be required up to 25%.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Merchandising, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
Five years of merchandising experience in the appropriate category.
Experience purchasing and negotiating in a retail or wholesale environment.
Two years of supervisory experience.
Excellent oral and written communication, financial acumen, strategic problem-solving, leadership, analytical, influencing, and negotiation skills.
Proven experience working across business units to leverage resources and capabilities to accomplish company goals.
Proficiency in MS Office, including Excel, Word, Access, and PowerPoint.
Ability to travel up to 25%.
May be required to lift and/or move 20 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Category Management and purchasing systems such as Biceps Purchasing System.

Responsibilities

Manage the assigned fresh merchandiser team and provide oversight to help achieve sales and gross profit goals and customer satisfaction.
Ensure the warehouse meets sales, expense, gross profit, and net profit objectives while monitoring sales and quality control teams.
Monitor and follow up on operating performance of stores in the local territory, including sales and profit performance of existing and new products.
Analyze and interpret product category data and train others to use data to increase sales and maximize profits.
Work with Company category/product development managers, industry partners, vendors, brokers, manufacturers, and distributors to support category management programs, including reset activities.
Advise the Category Management team on product assortment and selection using analysis, including recommendations to add new items or delete poor-performing items.
Serve as the local primary source of information for assigned categories and use that information to influence the team and improve results.
Manage area and category department financial budgets to meet or exceed sales, distribution, expense, gross margin, department profitability, and banner image objectives.
Prepare weekly advertising programs from cooperative submissions and prepare weekly merchandising, pricing, and forecasts for the buying and replenishment areas.
Partner with procurement to determine department assortments, product evaluation, advertising, merchandising programs, layout, and display standards.
Oversee the quality assurance/inspection team.
Manage department staffing, training, performance management, associate career development, and department goals; develop and monitor the department budget as required.
Maintain current knowledge of industry trends and best practices and recommend improvements to programs and processes.
Perform additional responsibilities as assigned.