Assistant Retail Product Merchant

Assistant Retail Product Merchant

JOB PURPOSE:  To deliver on the mission of Wilco by profitably providing superior customer service.

JOB SUMMARY: 

• Assist the Retail Product Merchant or Senior Retail Product Merchant with maintaining and developing a specific product category assortment. 
• Deliver operational support to meet sales dollar, margin dollar, margin rate, inventory turns, weeks of supply, and performance per square foot goals.
• Serve as the point person for gathering competitive intelligence, for vendor relations to include account/item setup and maintenance, and function as the internal liaison to company resources such as inventory, space planning, marketing, retail store operations, global sourcing, distribution logistics, finance and/or other functions as needed to execute the business plan for the assigned product category.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Provide operational support with vendor/product onboarding and maintenance to ensure all vendor and product programs (vendor setup, master data, vendor agreements, payment terms, EDI billing/invoicing, inventory position, rebate, pricing, marketing allowances, returns, etc.) are current within the Wilco system for all product within assigned categories.
• Assumes primary responsibility for all file maintenance of all SKUs under assigned categories.
• Evaluates brand and product performance utilizing existing tools such as PowerBI, to identify and recommend adjustments in product assortments to ensure progressive growth of product mix within an OPP, Good, Better, Best step selling framework.
• Improves sales/space performance within the product lifecycle onboarding and exit process to align with the budgeted unit flow, sales, margin and transaction targets within assigned categories.
• Compile, organize and maintain photos, files, information, and action items for future POGs beginning w/ assortment strategy concept through availability for sale.
• Support inventory management, store operations, global sourcing, and supply chain teams to secure uninterrupted product supply to maintain adequate stock levels to support customer demand for the assigned product category.
• Participate in the product assortment line review process by obtaining information, including competitive price shopping, to facilitate cost negotiation, forecasting, favorable terms, product specifications and delivery schedules.
• Explore new products to innovate and refresh product offerings by securing and evaluating feedback from stores, competitor assortments, and research of market trends/consumer demands.
• With guidance from the Retail Product Merchant or Senior Retail Product Merchant, create and/or review all product information for internal and external communications, including flyers, postcards, digital and other marketing materials to support the marketing planning process.
• Optimize marketing actions by analyzing/evaluating competitive activities on a regional/market basis; provide recommendations on appropriate activities to achieve increased market share.
• With guidance from the Retail Product Merchant or Senior Retail Product Merchant, develop product knowledge and product category training for store and internal associates.
• Demonstrate continuous effort to improve communications, and operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline processes and work cooperatively with other teams.
• Participate in product presentations, store meetings, video conferences, and store visits on a consistent basis to provide clarity and efficiency in product assortment plans.    
• Participates in trade shows or manufacturer site visits, where applicable.
• Responsible for achieving sales and gross margin budgets for assigned categories.

Special Skills/Training

• Proficient in MS Office (Teams, Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.)
• Awareness of Epicor inventory, POS systems or other related ERP functions.
• Skill to operate a computer, fax, copy machine and other automated office machines.
• Effective verbal and written communication.
• Ability to interact effectively with customers and co-workers.
• Strong understanding of farm store operations/merchandising.
• Developed merchant math skills such as IMU, MOQ, margin calculations, price sensitivity and sales/space analysis.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, decision-making, and leadership skills.
• Effective negotiation skills.
• Ability to develop tactics and manage execution to ensure deadlines are met.

Experience / Education

• Four-year degree preferred, or equivalent experience.
• Two plus (2 ) years of category management, sales analysis, inventory, or financial analysis experience preferred.
• Prior retail experience.

Physical Requirements

• Occasional bag/bale lifting.

Working Conditions

• Occasional travel to retail locations, and trade shows, including extended overnight. This job may be performed remotely, at a pre-approved office, including a home office. Regular work at the Mt. Angel office is required.

Salary : $51,958 - $57,720