Merchandising and Events Associate

Position: Merchandising & Events Associate

Location: Baxter, TN

Summary The Merchandising and Events Associate understands the importance of building strategic relationships with internal and external customers. Whether negotiating favorable contracts for samples, fixtures or event vendors or partnering with the sales and marketing team for their needs.

Job Duties and Responsibilities: ● Set and manage all budgeting for merchandising and display needs. ● Partner with Vendors to negotiate best pricing, lead-times, and terms. ● Evaluate spending while seeking ways to improve & enhance the quality of products purchased. ● Manage all timelines and stage gates related to fixture projects, constantly problem-solving issues and negotiating better solutions, alternatives, and workarounds with internal and external partners to ensure on-time and on-budget execution of the merchandising programs. Assist in sourcing new and alternative products and/or reliable Vendors. ● Partner with Procurement to conduct strategic sourcing projects including the preparation of Request for Quotation (RFQs) and evaluate responses to determine final supplier selection. ● Maintain electronic vendor files that contain contract documents, detailed specifications, insurance, communication, price changes, bid documents, renderings, engineering drawings, validation of inspection or quality assurance guarantees, and photos of each fixture that is supplied by the vendor. ● Owns relationship with promotional material vendors, supporting broader organization with merchandise needs. ● Manage production partners, such as printers and fixture fabricators, to engineer and produce required items to spec, and ensure quality control of final output ensuring that quality standards are met. ● Work with fixture vendors on design and sampling of any new fixtures or redesigning of existing fixtures. ● Maintain and manage vendor relationships that foster improved quality and service including issue resolution and alternative options for cost reduction or improved efficiencies. ● Review all prototypes and align with creative team on approval. ● Assist with planning and implementing new product releases. ● Organize and maintain sample collections and take the lead for the line review process. ● Collaborate with Operations on sample production for efficiency and ensuring on time product launch delivery. ● Review and modify when needed tech/spec sheet information for merchandising needs. ● Collaborate with Brand Manager for all requirements needed for all packaging needs. ● Develop, initiate, and manage go to market launch kits. ● Review orders with management to ensure accurate orders and timing. ● Facilitate joint meetings to assist in procurement forecasting, demand management, requirements’ development, and current inventory quantities. ● Assist in the development of new fixtures. ● Spearhead existing display fixture obstacles and challenges. ● Showroom sample ownership ● Collaborate cross functionally with marketing department for photography organization. ● Conducts short- and long-term planning and management for events and sales. ● Develops and manages the events budget, working closely with sales and marketing team members to execute plans and objectives. ● Builds relationships with events vendors, helping to strategically position favorably for industry events, also guiding on the right level of event participation. ● Owns and manages company events calendar in partnership with HR and ensures timely execution of activities. ● Work directly with sales and marketing team members to define event objectives and execute them against those objectives. ● Serve as project manager and on-site assistant for larger events, guiding agency, vendor partners, and team members as needed for the events. ● Added point of contact for event partners, including trade show booth vendors, speakers, and meeting planners ● Works with demand gen team and broader marketing team to support event campaign needs, as well as reporting metrics to gauge event success and ROI. ● Manages our smaller portable / pop-up booths, overseeing the ordering, scheduling, and shipping for these smaller assets. ● As we grow our events activities, serving as the project manager for our user conferences, guiding team members in execution of deliverables to ensure event success

Qualifications: ● Bachelor's degree in related profession. ● 1-2 years of product development/coordination experience. ● Experience managing multiple projects with deadlines. ● Proficient in Microsoft Suite, and Adobe Photoshop ● Strong communication skills when working with vendors and team. ● Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in projects. ● Ceramic Tile experience preferred. ● Ability to work as part of a team. ● Adaptable, flexible, and able to juggle multiple projects. ● Creative and innovative thinking skills. ● Knack for artistic design preferred.

Competencies: ● Detail-oriented and highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple projects concurrently. ● Ability to wear many hats, including sales (negotiations), marketing (strategically thinking about the best opportunities), and customer service (fostering relationships) ● Ability to work with diverse global teams. ● Self-starter with a positive, can-do attitude ● Willingness to travel (including internationally) as needed. ● Service oriented style with professional presentations skills ● Ability to improve the bottom line. ● Clear concise written and verbal communication skills ● Effective in providing exceptional customer service. ● Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and administrative skills

Physical Demands • Able to work in variable temperatures. ● Lift up to 50 lbs. ● Bend, sit or stand for long periods of time. ● Domestic travel Up to 30%