Job Description:

The Director of Merchandising is responsible for developing and implementing merchandising strategies to maximize sales and profitability, while also managing team and vendor relationships. They lead in areas like category strategy, assortment development, promotional and pricing strategies. This incumbent leads and mentors a team of Category Managers and Category Analysts, responsible for maximizing the profitability of their respective product lines, as well as various support roles.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning:

• Develop and execute merchandising strategies to drive category growth and sales plans that align with company objectives, considering market trends, consumer preferences, and financial targets.
• Responsible for end-to-end project management (ie. owner of team collaboration to ensure strategies are met and projects are delivered on time and meet stated objectives)
• Arrange and participate in department meetings to develop strategies, troubleshoot, and actively pursue innovative ideas
• Oversee rationale and business cases for category development including financial feasibility, supplier selection, sales projections, pricing recommendations, marketing, merchandising and promotions.

• Develop and implement best practice processes and procedures for the team and the department
• Develop and management of overall Division(s) strategy.
• Responsible for category growth strategies and management of product life cycle.
• Develop strategy for existing product categories including recommended merchandising, pricing, promotions, and marketing to ensure continued growth and maximize sales potential.

Team Leadership:

• Lead, inspire, and develop a merchandising team, fostering a collaborative environment providing guidance, coaching, and development opportunities.

Vendor Management:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with external suppliers, negotiating favorable contract terms and pricing and ensure timely delivery of products.

• High level vendor negotiation including management of vendor agreements.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with manufacturers to ensure proper execution of product launches and optimum service levels are being met.

Product Development:

• Drive product development efforts, including identifying opportunities for new products and private label strategies.

Data Analysis:

• Analyze sales data, assortment gaps, customer insights and market trends to inform strategic decisions to create optimal product assortments that meet customer needs and maximize profitability.

• Intimate understanding of categories and interactions with infinity categories at retail, and in the eyes of the consumer.
• Continuously monitors customer and competitive intelligence and aids in the development of business opportunities.
• Develops a long-term brand roadmap to monetize market trends.

Profit and Loss Management:

• Own the P&L for assigned division(s) and categories, focusing on improving business terms and margins.

Innovation:

• Identify and cultivate opportunities to innovate and improve product performance within categories.

Cross-functional Collaboration:

• Work effectively with other teams, including operations, finance, marketing, supply chain, and pricing.

• Builds relationships and initiates processes with internal and external partners that facilitate cross-functional synergy and collaboration.

Required Skills and Experience:

• Undergraduate degree
• Minimum of 5 years buying experience gained in retail companies selling consumer products
• Leadership: Experience leading teams and developing high-performing individuals.
• Negotiation: Strong negotiation skills for managing vendor relationships and securing favorable business terms.
• Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Analytical Skills: Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to interpret data and make informed decisions.
• Merchandising/Retail Experience: Proven experience in merchandising, retail, or a related field.
• Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with the pet industry and its trends would be beneficial.