Position:    Merchandise Manager 

Reports to:  Director of Merchandise 

Classification:    Full time - Salary  

Location:    Manchester 

Major Purpose: 
The Merchandise Manager is responsible for overseeing the selection and development of practical and hard-to-find products for multiple business channels to meet strategic goals and objectives.

The Merchandising & Materials Management Product Team’s mission is to effectively collaborate within both departments to drive successful Product Management that achieves company sales, profit, inventory and brand goals.  To this end, it is the Buyer’s responsibility to partner with the Sr. Forecaster to lead collaborative processes and decision-making.

Major Responsibilities: 

• Perform analysis to drive business processes and decision-making, guide department analysis
• Integrate market research, competitive analysis and trend analysis with business processes and decision-making
• Determine standard reporting needs for the department and work with Data Management (DM) on an ongoing basis
• Evaluate Merchandise ad hoc reporting needs, vet and request reporting from DM
• Review and approve seasonal offer report provided to CEO ("Bill's Packet")
• Lead Merchandising internal seasonal planning and analysis
• Perform seasonal planning and analysis with other departments
• Collaborate with Director of Merchandising to develop an in-depth rolling assortment plan
• Support Director of Merchandising in product approval process
• Ensure Merchandising is achieving acceptable new product success rates
• Ensure Buyers are optimizing the offer of customer suggested and private label products
• Ensure the New Product Checklist is followed to maximize profitability
• Oversee and approve pickup product selections, catalogue layout, assortment and flow
• Ensure Merchandising's vision is communicated to Creative through turnover and review process
• Ensure adherence to production schedule deadlines
• Support Director of Merchandising in setting margin goals and guidelines
• Oversee Margin process in Merchandising 
• Support budgeting, monitoring and managing returns to achieve company return and refund rate goals
• Directly supervise and ensure Buyers, Assistant Buyers and Returns Specialist meet expectations and company goals
• Ensure succession planning 
• Collaborate with the Manager Forecasting & Inventory Planning  to manage Product Teams
• Develop department budgets and ensure they are met
• Work with Buyers and customer requests database/web requests/web searches to source strong $ opportunity products.  This includes identifying vendors that can meet the needs of VCS (minimal development costs, low minimums etc).  Focus on Food and PC
• Work with Buyers on identifying products appropriate for private labeling and in securing new vendors to manufacture our PL products
• Work with Marketing and Buyers to identify segmentation opportunities
• Analyze Marketing and Trends Data (Product Opportunity Reports, Category Affinity Reports, Competitor Analysis, Customer Requests/Web Search Term Reports, Product and Category Demographics, etc) and work with Buyers to integrate learning into their offers
• Work with buyers on setting customer-perceived value pricing, analyzing impact of price increases on sales/profit and on determining actions based on post price increase analysis

Skills, Abilities, & Attributes

• Passion for VCS product and customers.
• Enthusiasm and tenacity for the “hunt” for product.  Persistent, with good follow-through.
• High energy, with the ability to motivate others in a team environment.
• Positive, team oriented attitude and manner.
• Outstanding negotiating skills.  
• Ability to think strategically and implement company strategy, goals and objectives.
• Ability to prioritize work in a multiple disciplined environment.
• Balance of analytical and creative skills.
• Ability and desire to work with people at all levels of the organization—working collaboratively, mentoring, teaching and learning.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including confidence in public speaking and presenting to groups.
• Attention to accuracy and detail with strong organizational skills.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field.
• 5-10 years experience in a Catalogue and/or Retail-merchandising environment.
• Experience managing a staff of 5+ members.

Interested candidates please contact Daire Gibney: dgibney@vermontcountrystore.com