Merchandise Category Lead - Engines & Components

Summit Racing Equipment • Tallmadge, OH

9d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Merchandise Category Lead is responsible for driving sales and profitability within an assigned product category by owning the product assortment strategy, optimizing brand programs and pricing, and supporting internal SKU rationalization standards. This role blends merchandising expertise with category specialization to guide brand performance and category growth. The Category Lead works closely with vendors to evaluate performance, recommend inventory strategies, and identify new brand opportunities that align with business goals. In partnership with cross-functional teams—including TDM and Marketing—the Category Lead ensures accurate, compelling product presentation across digital and print channels. Strong vendor relationships and data-driven decision making are key to delivering strategies that enhance the customer experience and elevate overall category performance.

Requirements

• Proven hands-on engine building experience
• Demonstrated knowledge of multiple engine platforms, including engine assembly, troubleshooting, and performance optimization.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in business, Marketing, Supply Chain, or a related field preferred.
• An equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience in merchandising, or product management may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Managing the product assortment and SKU mix within assigned brands, with a focus on category performance, profitability, and customer experience.
• Maintaining a strong awareness of product data on the part detail page—including attributes, digital assets, pricing position and other critical information—and communicating with internal teams and vendors to address any gaps or inaccuracies.
• Monitoring key inputs such as sales trends, vendor feedback, return rates, product availability, and competitive activity to guide decisions around SKU rationalization and brand optimization, and to support strategic growth initiatives.
• Supporting margin strategy by collaborating with Pricing and analyzing brand-level performance and competitor activity.
• Driving return on invested capital (ROIC) in their assigned category, including both financial and human capital.
• Evaluating the ROI of adding new SKUs, onboarding new vendors, and recommending stocking strategies.
• Considering the long-term profitability and resource efficiency of assortment decisions and vendor partnerships.
• Leading the evaluation of new brands based on industry trends, new manufacturers, employee suggestions, profitability goals, and category assortment fit.
• Communicating and collaborating with the Vendor Onboarding team to negotiate pricing and vendor programs.
• Determining initial stocking levels for new SKUs and brands, using trend analysis, vendor input, and category insights to ensure the right products are available for customers.
• Collaborating with vendors to review sales performance and identify opportunities for inventory expansion, while balancing strong in-stock availability with inventory efficiency.
• Recommending the most effective fulfillment method—stocking or drop ship—based on vendor capabilities and internal requirements.
• Preparing sales information for vendor meetings that lead to actionable plans for improving sales, service, and quality in support of category goals.
• Ensuring the accuracy and completeness of product content presented to customers.
• Partnering with the Tech Data Management (TDM) team to prioritize attributes, digital assets, and other data needs for website presentation.
• Participating in catalog and ADV processes by providing product picks for printed and digital marketing collateral.
• Supporting special projects tied to category initiatives, such as vehicle builds or event-related needs.
• Utilizing and analyzing department category reports and regularly communicating to the supervisor and department manager on YOY category and line-level performance, progress on rationalization efforts, resolution of assigned JIRA tickets (from Pricing/Costing and other teams), and status updates from weekly audits (e.g., SKUs hidden from web).
• Providing updates on vendor-level service issues being worked.
• Managing internal workflows in JIRA across Merchandising and cross-departmental projects.
• Using tools such as Microstrategy, main business system, and vendor portals to evaluate sales trends, margin data and stock status across assigned brands.
• Regularly updating and auditing product data using internal systems to identify and address missing or inaccurate product attributes, digital assets, or pricing issues.
• Working with a support team to onboard new SKUs.
• Reviewing all new brand recommendations submitted through JIRA and initiating onboarding requests by launching JIRA tickets to the Vendor Onboarding team when pursuing a new brand.
• Driving SKU and brand-level rationalization decisions, minimizing redundancy and aligning the assortment with category profitability and customer value goals.
• Recommending the removal or deactivation of underperforming SKUs or brands as necessary.
• Engaging in vendor meetings using prepared sales recaps and data-driven performance summaries to influence future product strategy and vendor support programs.
• Collaborating cross-functionally with Supply Chain and Inventory Planning to determine optimal stocking strategies and monitor inventory turns, overstock, and inventory feed compliance.
• Submitting stocking requests via JIRA ticket using standardized template.
• Supporting product content enhancements and web presentation initiatives by submitting TDM tickets and setting SKU priorities in Active Oscar, and reviewing weekly reports to monitor completion.
• Collaborating with the pricing team to support competitive strategies that balance margin and growth.
• Actively monitoring brand-level performance, spider data, margin trends, and competitor activity to identify pricing gaps or strategic opportunities.
• Managing JIRA tickets related to cost file analysis, reviewing potential new SKU submissions for fit and completeness.
• Participating in catalog and ADV processes by submitting product selections through structured and shared files, including print catalog updates, and product picks for advertisements.
• Supporting special projects tied to category initiatives, including vehicle builds or event-related support, by coordinating product selection, content accuracy, and vendor participation.
• Attending tradeshows as needed.
• Attending recurring one-on-one and department meetings to report on category performance and address ongoing issues or initiatives.
• Demonstrating strong proficiency in internal merchandising platforms (e.g., Active Oscar, Product Management, JIRA), and mentoring newer team members on standard workflows and best practices.

Benefits

• Initial training will be 100% on-site.
• Hybrid position with minimum 2 days on-site (Tuesdays & Wednesdays) after training period.
• Positive, productive atmosphere where people truly believe in what they are doing.
• Opportunity to provide the best experience possible to customers and fellow team members.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree