Program Merchant - Hardware & Fasteners

McCoy Corporation•San Marcos, TX

20h•Onsite

About The Position

This full-time Program Merchant role defines and manages strategic roles for and acts as the subject matter expert in assigned categories. The position involves negotiating merchandise program details to support store sales, including assortments, pricing, payment terms, and promotions. A key responsibility is the financial performance of assigned categories, focusing on Inventory Turnover, Gross Margin, GMROI, and Sales. The Program Merchant is also tasked with developing and executing marketing and advertising programs to support store sales efforts.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree (B. A.) from four-year college or university; or two to five years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations.
Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume.
Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Ability to utilize Microsoft Word & Excel, IBM Content Manager, MAC21, and other 3rd party software applications at an intermediate level.
Knowledge and understanding of basic and intermediate purchasing and merchandising principles.
Must maintain regular and acceptable attendance, at such level as is determined by management.
Must be regularly available and willing to work at least 8 hours per day, at least 40 hours per week or such other hours per day or hours per week as the employer determines are necessary or desirable to meet business needs.
Must be available and willing to work such weekends and holidays as the employer determines are necessary or desirable to meet its business needs.
Requires occasional travel with overnight stays.
Must meet driver’s license requirements as required by the Company.
Must be able to legally obtain a rental vehicle in all states in which the company does business.
Must have current auto liability insurance.

Nice To Haves

Prior experience working in the retail industry, preferably in the building supply industry.

Responsibilities

Supports store operations with negotiated programs within assigned categories.
Solicits Regional and Store Manager input regarding assigned categories by listening to problems, complaints and compliments. Acts to resolve problems, build on successes.
Meets periodically with existing vendors to plan and review existing programs. Communicates McCoy’s program requirements, program performance, store requests, assortment changes, etc.
Reviews pending changes in vendor product mix.
Prepares and presents Program Financial Reviews and analyses for Stock and Special Order sales in assigned categories. Includes discussion and analyses of program performance, specifically Turnover, Gross Margin, GMROI and Sales. Also includes vendor performance analyses regarding lead time, error rates, quality and customer service.
Prepares and presents Program Line Reviews for Stock and Special Order sales in assigned categories. Line Reviews include all areas of Program Financial Reviews, McCoy’s competitor analyses, and comparisons of existing programs to competitive programs in the category.
Negotiations during the Line Review incorporate store needs, strategic category goals, and corporate financial goals.
Develops and implements marketing and advertising programs to promote assigned product categories.
Responsible for negotiating and collecting co-op advertising funds to support marketing and advertising expense.
Reviews each campaign’s results for effectiveness and efficiency.
Meets with potential vendors of existing and new products.
Develops and implements new products/programs as needed to support stores’ sales’ efforts. Includes establishing performance goals, displays, set-up or resets, negotiated minimums, payment terms, negotiating costs, researching and establishing competitive retails, etc.
Communicates complete program, schedules, etc. to stores by working interdependently with Store Planning and all other involved departments.
Works interdependently with Inventory Management Replenishment Buyers and Store associates to ensure inventory levels are appropriate for each store and season in assigned product categories.
Contribute ideas or suggestions of changes to replenishment factors that need to be considered.
Responsible for keeping McCoy’s system information and vendor information synchronized.
Acts on store requested items in a timely manner.
Works interdependently with Junior Merchant(s) as available and with Merchandise Services to set up SKU information in McCoy’s system as appropriate.
Works interdependently with store personnel to ensure good financial and assortment decisions are made.
Understands, at the store level, competitive cost and retail situations.
Works interdependently with Pricing Team to suggest appropriate retail pricing.
Understands, at the national, regional and local levels competitive supplier costs. Acts to lower incoming costs wherever possible.
Visits retail stores on occasion to review product lines and placements.
Attends trade shows, vendor facilities and factories, and McCoy’s vendor show to visit with current vendors and prospective vendors on product lines.
Follows Standard Operating Procedures while carrying out the responsibilities of position.
Attends all team meetings and company training sessions as required.