Skills & Competencies for Merchandising Director

Merchandising Director job profile

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JOB SUMMARY for Merchandising Director

Directs and develops merchandising plans and operational systems to achieve financial objectives.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES for Merchandising Director

Utilizes sales, research, and trend analytics to develop strategies for merchandise categories and optimize product assortments. Develops merchandise plans and pricing that support key strategic initiatives, launches, top sellers, seasonal campaigns, and trends. Partners across functions to manage vendor relationships, identify new vendors, and negotiate favorable contract terms.

Merchandising Director SALARY RANGE

BASE 50%
$194,769
TOTAL 50%
$225,989
Job Level
M04
Job Code
SM15000256
Education/Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Reports To
Top Management

Merchandising Director Skills and Competencies List

Proficiency Levels and Behavioural Indicators
Salary.com identifies five increasing levels of proficiency for each skill/competency. Some jobs require only a relatively low level of proficiency in each skill/competency, while other jobs will require a more advanced level of proficiency in the same skill/competency. These levels rate the degree of proficiency (skill level, expertise) we expect the incumbent to perform in the given skill/competency for the given job. Note that we intentionally do not associate timeframes or years of experience in performing the skill/competency because that can be misleading. Proficiency levels identify what the incumbent knows and can do rather than how long they have been doing it. Also, note that the proficiency levels are cumulative, e.g., a level 4 proficiency implies the ability to perform all the behaviors at the lower levels.
Check each Merchandising Director skill and competencie below to view definitions.
INDUSTRY COMPETENCIES JOB FAMILY COMPETENCIES CORE COMPETENCIES
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6 hard skills or competencies (industry competencies) for Merchandising Director

1 Industry Competency – Retail Industry
Proficiency Level -4
Skill definition-Applying comprehensive knowledge of retail principles, inventory management, pricing strategies, and consumer behavior to effectively manage and operate retail businesses.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Names commonly used tools and systems for processing transactions and managing retail inventory levels.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Supports the implementation of standard procedures and store protocols to ensure smooth retail operations.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Works closely with merchandising teams to create visually appealing displays and maximize product visibility.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Supervises the team in conducting market analysis and competitor research to gain a competitive advantage.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Promotes the use of e-commerce platforms and retail channels to drive online sales and customer engagement.
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2 Industry Competency – Retail Strategy Management
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Developing and implementing retail strategies, to support the strategic decisions and actions that effectively enhance the sales and growth of an organization.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Names the various platforms and tools used to design, analyze and manage retail strategies.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Uses ethical retail strategies when managing the promotion of products and driving sales.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Utilizes various platforms for managing retail strategy, including digital marketing and social media.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Recommends changes to the existing retail strategic management to achieve sustainable growth of sales and customers.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Stays updated on the market dynamics and manages the flexibility of the existing retail strategies.
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3 Merchandising Director - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandising Director
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandising Director
Proficiency Level - 5

5 general skills or competencies (Job family competencies) for Merchandising Director

1 Job Family Competencies – Digital Marketing Strategy
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Researching, planning, implementing, and evaluating digital marketing activities to reach target audiences and achieve business goals.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Lists available tools and software for researching market trends.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Gathers data on current and previous digital marketing campaigns.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Documents a digital marketing action plan that outlines key activities, required resources and timeframes.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Defines performance indicators and evaluation criteria to measure the effectiveness of digital marketing activities.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Designs digital marketing strategies that guarantee consistent voice and branding across all platforms and channels.
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2 Job Family Competencies – Marketing Operations
Proficiency Level -4
Skill definition-Designing, executing, and optimizing systems, tools, and processes to ensure the smooth and efficient operations of marketing activities.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains roles and responsibilities performed under marketing operations function.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Conducts basic research to support the deployment of our marketing projects.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Partners with other teams in establishing and maintaining marketing operations standards.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Monitors emerging market trends to strategize ways to increase our market share.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Develops and executes innovative strategies to optimize the costs of our marketing activities.
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3 Merchandising Director - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandising Director
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandising Director
Proficiency Level - 5

13 soft skills or competencies (core competencies) for Merchandising Director

1 Core Competencies – Business Acumen
Proficiency Level -4
Skill definition-Insight into our organization's business, goals, and values. Ability to design and implement initiatives that facilitate successful outcomes.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Discusses the strengths and weaknesses of our products and services.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Explains advantages and disadvantages of different organizational structures from an efficiency perspective.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Demonstrates an innate sense of how to achieve positive results in the current environment.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Leverages the latest technologies and tools that enhance business analytics.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Conceptualizes new and creative business initiatives to boost business growth.
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2 Core Competencies – Business Performance Management
Proficiency Level -3
Skill definition-Applying business intelligence to monitor and manage overall business performance towards goals.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Explains the integral role business performance management plays in an organization.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Keeps a clear idea of work responsibilities and the standards of work expected of own business unit.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Encourages staff to create alternative ideas or solutions after an unsuccessful initial approach.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Manages the dashboard displaying the business performance via reports, KPIs, and other indicators.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Measures the efficiency and success of initiatives by monitoring reports, analytics, and KPIs.
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3 Merchandising Director - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandising Director
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandising Director
Proficiency Level - 5

Summary of Merchandising Director skills and competencies

There are 6 hard skills for Merchandising Director, Retail Industry, Retail Strategy Management, Merchandising, etc.
5 general skills for Merchandising Director, Digital Marketing Strategy, Marketing Operations, Promotion, etc.
13 soft skills for Merchandising Director, Business Acumen, Business Performance Management, Budgeting, etc.
While the list totals 24 distinct skills, it's important to note that not all are required to be mastered to the same degree. Some skills may only need a basic understanding, whereas others demand a higher level of expertise.
For instance, as a Merchandising Director, he or she needs to be skilled in Business Acumen, be skilled in Business Performance Management, and be skilled in Budgeting.

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