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%
$194,249
TOTAL 50%
$225,382
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)
Defines the importance of effective merchandising strategies in boosting retail sales and profit margins.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Assists customers with product inquiries by providing information about features, pricing, and availability.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Addresses intricate complaints and concerns effectively to ensure customer satisfaction and retention.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Contributes to the development of retail pricing strategies to maximize profitability and competitiveness.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Champions the adoption of predictive analytics to optimize pricing, inventory management, and marketing strategies.
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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)
Provides an overview of both traditional and non-traditional digital marketing types and channels.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Segments the online market and identifies the target audience accordingly.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Proposes effective digital marketing activities to drive targeted traffic to websites and generate sales.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Reviews the consistency of generated content and ensures alignment with the overall digital marketing strategy.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Integrates legal and ethical requirements and considerations into the planning process.
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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)
Lists the step-by-step procedures used in creating standard marketing operating procedures.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Supports the development of robust KPIs and scorecards for marketing performance monitoring.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Works with the cross-functional group to identify and resolve risks in marketing operations.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Plans and coordinates marketing programs to increase customer demand for our products and services.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Explores and forecasts data to determine trends for high-quality marketing operations solutions.
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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)
Names our key stakeholders from a business value chain perspective.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Supports the planning, implementation, and management of training programs that foster process improvements.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Participates in the redesign of organizational structures to reflect business priorities.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Trains others on various business and operation topics.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Forecasts the short-term and long-term impact of various business cases on P&L performance.
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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)
Names tools and systems used in managing business performance.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Suggests alternative solutions when the initial approach did not produce satisfying results.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Recommends performance benchmarks for our business units.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Reviews crucial data and goal progress to assess business performance.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Sets organizational goals and tracks progress using a business performance management system.
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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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