Skills & Competencies for Merchandising Supervisor

Merchandising Supervisor job profile

JOB SUMMARY for Merchandising Supervisor

Supervises merchandising operations and executes merchandising plans to deliver volume and profit goals.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES for Merchandising Supervisor

Implements merchandising plans for categories and locations. Collaborates with marketing, finance, and buying to work with new suppliers and produce product inventories that reflect consumer preferences and drive sales. Coaches and mentors merchandising staff to deliver product assortments that reflect branding, buying trends and support seasonal customer demand.

Merchandising Supervisor SALARY RANGE

BASE 50%
$96,016
TOTAL 50%
$99,985
Job Level
M01
Job Code
SM15000543
Education/Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Reports To
Manager

Merchandising Supervisor 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 Supervisor skill and competencie below to view definitions.

7 hard skills or competencies (industry competencies) for Merchandising Supervisor

1 Industry Competency – Retail Industry
Proficiency Level -2
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)
Explains how omnichannel retail provides consistent and convenient shopping experience for customers.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Follows the established merchandising guidelines when organizing product displays and storage.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Conducts regular retail audits to optimize operations, improve performance, and uphold standards.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Guides and mentors the staff in visual merchandising best practices to maintain consistent and high-quality displays.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Develops and implements new retail business models to enhance the customer experience and foster brand loyalty.
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2 Industry Competency – Merchandising
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Strategically planning, executing, and managing product merchandising, pricing, and promotions to increase customer engagement and maximize revenue.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the standards and procedures for creating visually appealing product displays.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Contributes to merchandise stocking and restocking planning, following standard rules and procedures.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Makes necessary adjustments to product pricing and merchandising to maintain profit margins.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Guides and trains retail teams on merchandising techniques and visual presentation strategies.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Designs and executes merchandise allocation strategies across a wide variety of retail organization types.
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3 Merchandising Supervisor - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandising Supervisor
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandising Supervisor
Proficiency Level - 5

4 general skills or competencies (Job family competencies) for Merchandising Supervisor

1 Job Family Competencies – Licensing Management
Proficiency Level -1
Skill definition-Ability to participate in and oversee the acquisition, tracking, compliance and optimization of licenses for various assets within our organization.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Lists the major activities involved in licensing management.
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Maintains up-to-date records of licensing agreements, renewals, and compliance activities.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Leads in discussions and negotiations regarding licensing terms.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Implements advanced automation solutions for meticulous licensing tracking.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Designs and develops compliance monitoring frameworks to mitigate risks and ensure adherence to licensing agreements.
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2 Job Family Competencies – Marketing Operations
Proficiency Level -2
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)
Compiles questionnaires, polls, surveys, and other data collection resources.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Manages analytics dashboards to measure the performance of our marketing channels.
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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)
Creates marketing plans to ensure campaigns meet standard processes and quality standards.
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3 Merchandising Supervisor - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandising Supervisor
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandising Supervisor
Proficiency Level - 5

12 soft skills or competencies (core competencies) for Merchandising Supervisor

1 Core Competencies – Business Acumen
Proficiency Level -2
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)
Communicates financial insights that positively influence the business plan development process.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Evaluates and explains the financial aspects of a business initiative to different teams.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Champions organizational change and digital transformation to drive higher business performance.
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2 Core Competencies – Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
Proficiency Level -2
Skill definition-Knowledge of and ability to apply a set of quantifiable measurements to determine how effectively an individual, team or organization is achieving a business objective.
Level 1 Behaviors
(General Familiarity)
Describes the concepts and purposes of Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
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Level 2 Behaviors
(Light Experience)
Follows up on regular action items related to KPI implementation.
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Level 3 Behaviors
(Moderate Experience)
Consolidates internal and external information to define and select applicable KPI.
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Level 4 Behaviors
(Extensive Experience)
Designs and develops KPI metrics and dashboards for various functions and purposes.
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Level 5 Behaviors
(Mastery)
Defines and modifies strategic KPIs to drive organizational objectives and priorities.
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3 Merchandising Supervisor - Skill and Competency
Proficiency Level - 3
4 Skill and Competency - Merchandising Supervisor
Proficiency Level - 4
5 Competency for - Merchandising Supervisor
Proficiency Level - 5

Summary of Merchandising Supervisor skills and competencies

There are 7 hard skills for Merchandising Supervisor, Retail Industry, Merchandising, Merchandise Quality and Compliance, etc.
4 general skills for Merchandising Supervisor, Licensing Management, Marketing Operations, Promotion, etc.
12 soft skills for Merchandising Supervisor, Business Acumen, Key Performance Indicators (KPI), Budgeting, etc.
While the list totals 23 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 Supervisor, he or she needs to be proficient in Business Acumen, be proficient in Key Performance Indicators (KPI), and be proficient in Budgeting.

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