Divisional Merchandise Manager

Summary: The Divisional Merchandise Manager is responsible for leading and managing the merchandising strategy, assortment planning, inventory management, and vendor relationships for a specific division or category within the retail organization. This role involves collaborating with various teams to maximize sales, margin, and customer satisfaction.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities Responsible for all aspects of the specific Merchandise Departments as assigned:

• Strategic Planning and budgeting for assigned areas
• Strategic Planning specifically on: Sales strategies for departments and product categories
• Product Assortment strategies for departments and product categories
• Negotiations and program development with vendors
• Managing, directing, and developing staff
• Achieving Annual Performance Targets for each department on sales, margins, turns, and service level
• Oversight and guidance on supplier selection and negotiations
• Oversight and guidance on landed cost and pricing calculations
• Oversight and guidance on RSC product assortment
• Oversight and guidance on item selection for promotions
• Oversight and guidance on Market programs and specials
• Other related responsibilities as assigned
• Participate on special projects as assigned. Set objectives, determine action plans and set target completion dates.
• Assume a leadership role in the Division and the Company
• Assume a leadership role related to Merchandising topics with members and vendors
• Develop sales, gross profit and stock turn goals for departments annually
• Develop annual Key Initiatives for each Merchandising team

Supervisory Responsibilities: Directly supervises one or two employees. Monitors supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

Minimum Qualifications:

• BS degree in business or equivalent work experience
• 4 years merchandising work experience at the Assistant Buyer or Replenishment Manager level
• Ability to multitask and prioritize work assignments
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Word, Outlook, Power Point, and especially Excel)
• Excellent analytical skills, able to create, understand and effect business through spreadsheets
• Strong retail merchandising skills
• Understanding of retail math, price point analysis, inventory turns and margin

Preferred Qualifications:

• BS or Master’s degree in business management
• 5+ years retail buying experience
• 5+ years retail operations or merchandising experience
• Strong analytical math skills
• Passion for merchandise and ability to select successful and profitable items
• Able to build assortments through line reviews
• Creative thinker with an open mind who leverages collaboration
• Category line review experience
• Efficient team player with a strong work ethic

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this Job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus and work with computer systems as a primary job function. Physical presence at the worksite is required.

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.