Manager, Vendor Relations

SNDL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Manager, Vendor Relations translates merchandising and commercial strategy into supplier partnerships and trade programming for SNDL’s Cannabis Retail segment, supporting more than 120 Value Buds and Spirit Leaf stores. Reporting to the Senior Director, Category Strategy, this role serves as the day-to-day relationship lead for more than 50 suppliers and manages vendor partnerships throughout their lifecycle, with a focus on retail revenue and margin growth.

The position supports vendor relationship management and governance, including supplier onboarding, commercial negotiations, performance reviews, billing, collections, and issue resolution. It also develops and improves scalable vendor engagement and merchandising processes, reporting, scorecards, and business reviews, and helps coordinate in-store and digital merchandising and promotions. The role works closely with teams across category management, merchandising, planning and analytics, supply chain, store support and operations, marketing, loyalty, business technology, and finance.

The role is based on a hybrid basis at SNDL’s Toronto or Edmonton offices, with exceptional remote candidates in Ontario, Alberta, or British Columbia also potentially considered.

Requirements

• 5–8 years of experience in retail merchandising, category management, trade marketing, commercial management, or a related role.
• Experience working in a fast-paced retail and/or consumer goods environment.
• Proven experience managing external partnerships, negotiating commercial agreements, and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Proven experience building and refining scalable merchandising processes.
• Exceptional analytical skills and ability to turn large amounts of disparate data into clear, actionable insights.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, including experience with large datasets, financial analysis, and performance reporting.
• Strong financial acumen and a solid understanding of retail KPIs, metrics, and mechanics.
• High attention to detail, strong communication skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in cannabis.
• Experience working with Power BI.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary relationship lead for more than 50 vendors, managing onboarding, business reviews, commercial negotiations, billing, collections, and issue resolution.
• Identify, source, and set up new suppliers to address assortment gaps and changing customer needs, including negotiating commercial agreements such as master supply agreements and data program agreements.
• Analyze retail, category, and vendor performance data to develop insight-driven business reviews and vendor-facing data products, including dashboards and data program deliverables.
• Manage data program billing, prepare invoices, ensure timely vendor payments, and investigate discrepancies.
• Work with key vendors to refine joint business plans through regular touchpoints, including monthly reviews and biannual top-to-tops.
• Design and improve vendor engagement processes, governance frameworks, planning cycles, and performance review cadences to create a consistent, scalable partnership model.
• Develop reporting, scorecards, and business reviews to measure vendor performance and identify growth opportunities.
• Design and execute centralized merchandising processes and initiatives that bring disparate category plans together into cohesive execution.
• Represent the Merchandising team to support seamless execution of in-store and digital merchandising and promotions initiatives.
• Partner with Category Management, Merchandising Operations, Retail Planning & Analytics, Supply Chain, Store Support, Store Operations, Marketing, Loyalty, Business Technology, and Finance.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation, performance-based bonuses, and annual salary reviews.
• Comprehensive health and dental benefits, including a Healthcare Spending Account.
• Three weeks of paid vacation with annual rollover.
• Flexible, hybrid work arrangements.
• Recognition and rewards programs for individual and team achievements.
• Employee & Family Assistance Program (EFAP) with mental health, financial, and family support.
• Employee perks and discounts across fitness, wellness, lifestyle, retail, and everyday services.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed