The Senior Category Merchandise Manager is responsible for the day-to-day management of multiple product categories. Their team will be responsible for vendor management, promotions, site merchandising, pricing, marketing, planning, etc. This position will lead and develop a team, overseeing and assigning daily responsibilities.
The Senior Category Merchandise Manager is also responsible for maximizing category sales and profitability by combining web-based merchandising, promotional strategy and category assortment planning. This position closely collaborates with a variety of teams to assist in communicating and executing long-term and seasonal ecommerce merchandising strategies as well as ensuring alignment between online and brick-and-mortar stores. They will own major projects that cross multiple business and team responsibilities.
Primary Job Functions
• Drive ecommerce sales and profitability for assigned category to ensure budgets are met or exceeded by developing a web-based merchandising strategy, identifying category expansion opportunities, and driving the category promotional strategy in alignment with national marketing, etc.
• Develop category strategy that meets company KPI’s for Inventory management, Forecasting and Inventory turns.
• Use website analytics to determine and implement appropriate competitive strategies. Continually monitor and analyze sell-through, taxonomy performance, and key merchandising programs to develop recommendations and make decisions regarding products and categories.
• Leverage competitive research and analyze consumer behavioral characteristics, fashion trends, retail landscape, and other relevant data to optimize product assortment within assigned category.
• Continually review and analyze online competitors for site merchandising, promotional execution and tactics, user experience, product representation and taxonomy to report findings and provide appropriate counter-strategies when needed.
• Manage merchandising and assortment planning for integrated marketing campaigns; drive promotional strategy for assigned category while maintaining national alignment.
• Manage team to ensure all aspects of the merchandising are on brand, employ best practices, have KPIs to benchmark performance and have the reporting capabilities needed to track performance. 8
• Negotiate costs for third-party vendors to ensure margin goals are met and pricing is competitive in the marketplace. 9. Lead and collaborate cross-functional teams, present to leadership and execute both long-term and seasonal ecommerce merchandising strategies.
• Lead business and technical teams to implement new site functionality and enhancements.
• Ensure digital focus and execution, as well as continuity between digital and brick-and-mortar spaces.
• Oversee the site search and filter programs to ensure accurate and complete product results.
• Manage employee performance and guide employees in making improvements to their performance through coaching, mentoring and administering performance reviews. Recommend, plan and/or implement employee training and skill development activities.
• Communicate company and departmental issues and goals and facilitate employee growth and development through weekly team meetings, regular individual employee meetings, coaching, training, and company-offered learning opportunities.
Job Qualifications
Education:
• Bachelor Degree in Business, Merchandising, Marketing, Mathematics, Retailing or related field, or equivalent work experience, Required. MBA preferred.
Experience:
• 8 years’ experience in traditional retail buying and/or site merchandising for a major department store, specialty retailer or ecommerce operation, Required
• Supervisory/Management experience required
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Applies knowledge of trends and user behaviors to understanding of internet as a commerce channel
• Strong knowledge in merchandising, pricing and assortment planning
• Strong proficiency in retail math, open-to-buy and system analysis
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Effective time management and organizational skills
• Work independently as well as in a team environment
• Document management system • Maintain confidentiality
• Working knowledge of Continuous Improvement principles
• Handle multiple projects simultaneously within established time constraints
• Proficient computer skills, including experience with Microsoft Office Suite, internet
• Strong skills in agility, along with the ability to pivot easily when directions and priorities changes on short notice
• Perform under strong demands in a fast-paced environment