Director of Merchandising and Category Management

Director of Merchandising & Category Management

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Position SummaryThe Director of Merchandising & Category Management is responsible for developing and executing merchandising, assortment, pricing, promotional, and category strategies that drive revenue growth, profitability, and customer engagement. This leader oversees category performance across multiple product groups, develops strategic supplier partnerships, and collaborates cross-functionally to optimize customer experience, inventory productivity, and commercial performance.
Key ResponsibilitiesCategory Management & Assortment StrategyOwn category-level financial performance, including sales, margin, and customer penetration metrics.Define category roles, objectives, and growth strategies aligned with business goals.Develop and maintain annual category plans covering assortment, pricing, promotions, and growth initiatives.Lead category reviews using sales, margin, customer behavior, and performance analytics to inform assortment decisions.Manage SKU productivity and rationalization to optimize product selection, profitability, and inventory efficiency.Pricing & Promotional StrategyEstablish pricing frameworks and category pricing strategies that support market competitiveness and profitability.Oversee promotional planning, including product selection, discount strategy, and campaign execution.Develop promotional calendars and incentive programs designed to increase customer acquisition, retention, and average transaction value.Vendor & Supplier PartnershipsLead negotiations related to pricing, promotional support, trade funding, and strategic supplier agreements.Develop and manage collaborative business planning initiatives with key supplier partners.Foster strong vendor relationships to support category growth and innovation.Digital Merchandising StrategyOversee online product presentation, category structure, search optimization, and merchandising placement across digital channels.Drive cross-selling, upselling, and recommendation strategies that improve customer experience and basket size.Analytics & Business PerformanceUtilize sales, customer, and promotional data to identify growth opportunities and improve decision-making.Analyze category performance, pricing effectiveness, promotional ROI, and purchasing trends.Develop financial models and business cases to support merchandising strategies and investment decisions.Present insights, recommendations, and performance updates to senior leadership.Operations & Inventory OptimizationPartner with operations, supply chain, and inventory teams to align merchandising plans with business capacity and service requirements.Support inventory management initiatives that reduce waste, improve forecast accuracy, and protect profitability.Establish policies and processes that enhance product availability and customer satisfaction.Leadership & Team DevelopmentLead, mentor, and develop merchandising and category management professionals.Establish clear performance expectations, accountability measures, and development plans.Foster a collaborative, data-driven, and customer-focused culture.Partner cross-functionally with operations, marketing, finance, supply chain, technology, and commercial leadership teams.
QualificationsRequired ExperienceBachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Merchandising, Supply Chain, or a related field, or equivalent experience.8+ years of experience in merchandising, category management, consumer products, retail, e-commerce, or related industries.4+ years of people leadership experience managing cross-functional teams.Demonstrated success in assortment planning, category strategy, pricing, promotion management, and product portfolio optimization.Experience managing vendor relationships and commercial negotiations.Strong analytical and financial acumen, including experience interpreting sales and profitability metrics.Advanced proficiency in Excel and business intelligence tools.Experience partnering with technology, product, or systems teams to implement business solutions.
Preferred QualificationsExperience in e-commerce, direct-to-consumer, retail, grocery, consumer packaged goods (CPG), food service, or related industries.Knowledge of inventory management, forecasting, and supply chain operations.Familiarity with data visualization and reporting platforms such as Power BI, Tableau, or similar tools.Experience using data-driven insights to improve customer engagement and business performance. xzbcwsv
Benefits Include:Personal Time Off (PTO) is offered on an accrual basis up to 120 hours a year with an increase after tenure, 9 Paid Holidays, and up to 6 weeks of Paid Parental Leave (Washington State). PTO and holiday hours are prorated based on hire date within the calendar yearPaid Sick Leave where applicable by State lawBenefit offerings for full-time employment include medical, dental, vision, term life and AD&D insurance, short-term and long-term disability, additional voluntary benefits, and a 401k plan or a non-qualified deferred compensation plan
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