Merchant – Rodent, Insect & Bagged Goods

The Job The Merchant (Rodent, Insect & Bagged Good) is responsible for all aspects of Ace and EJD assortment strategy, development and execution through to retail for a respective category.

This responsibility spans both B2C and B2B customer types.

The position provides leadership within the organization via a thorough understanding of the competitive marketplace and trends, opportunities for Ace retailers and EJD customers to grow via differentiated assortment and ability to articulate and drive an action plan to execute.

The merchant manages highly complex categories with high growth potential that require the highest level of strategic focus .

The merchant role is the core of driving the company’s promise of delivering consumer relevant, high quality, differentiated, localized assortments to Ace retailers and wholesale customers at the lowest cost.

What you’ll do Strategy and Business Planning Identify opportunities within strategic planning process to grow respective category in terms of sales and gross profitPresent plan to leadership for support and revisit throughout the year to report progress and shifts in executionManage category growth plan for Ace and EJD while achieving SKU productivity and ACENET Direct goals.Manage highly complex categories and execution (Level 3 POG) requiring cross-functional support Category Reviews Determine category selection and goals for assortments (both B2B and B2C)Determine vendor selection and lead all negotiation and program syncs on behalf of Ace and EJDLead wholesale and retail assortment and merchandising aides with category management and store developmentUnderstand and drive regional needs of category and build into category deliverables on an ongoing basisDevelop execution plan via incentives and marketing to drive adoption at retail Promotional Planning Plan and negotiate all vendor marketing assessmentsDevelop monthly promotional schedule of advertised categories/items across all mediums to drive awareness and increased transactions at retail Identify items, negotiate special pricing and terms, develop a retail placement and execution strategy, and present items to the promotions team for selectionOversee all promotional item submission forms, target pricing, correction notices and AD proofing Retailer Communication Attend retailer group meetings and targeted retail store visitsUtilize ACENET to communicate new programs, changes or issuesCoordinate with Merch CARE to prep Ace Care Center for calls and e-mails related to respective category Convention Planning Select vendors to attend semi-annual conventionPlan and execute all vendor programs including drop ship forms, Power Buys, Saving Showcase and New ArrivalsPlan merchant area theme and execution for respective category Inventory/Supply Chain Support Assist in diagnosing and resolving vendor service issuesAssist in inventory planning for promotional items Financial Management Manage and grow wholesale product gross profit rate via vendor extraneous income and SAP conditionsNegotiate and maintain New Store Allowance agreementsManage liability fund to fund category growth initiatives Team Management (based on category responsibility) Responsible for the hiring, training and development of team membersCommunicating roles and responsibilities, establishing goals, delegating workload, conducting annual performance reviews and support development Ace Merchant Competencies Product passion
– Natural and fanatical curiosity around product and retail marketplace, demonstrated and put into action.

Convertible to multiple categories based on changes in responsibilities.

Strategic thinking
– Ability to envision, create and present strategy to drive disruptive wholesale and/or retail growth in category sales and profit Results-oriented
– Ability to drive results to and above plan with full accountability, proactively shifting efforts as trends and business variables change Leadership
– Demonstrated and active leadership across the organization, vendors and retailers as authority in respective category.

Superior problem-solving skills.

Negotiation skills
– Superior negotiation skills with proven results leveraging company scale, business drivers and strategies Presentation skills
– Ability to plan, assemble and present with excellence strategy, execution and updates to leadership, across the organization, vendors and retailers What you need to succeed7 years of business experience3 years managing product categoriesExcellent problem solving skills requiredExcellent interpersonal skills requiredUnderstand financial measures that impacts corporationDemonstrate strong decision making skillsHighly creative, flexible and adaptable with good follow-throughVersatility to shift category responsibility every 3-5 yearsProven ability to multi-task projects and meet deadlinesExcellent verbal and written communication skills Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, Power Point,Knowledge of PCM, SAP and guided Ad-hoc reporting toolsAbility to travel 25%We want to hear from youWhen most people think of career opportunities with Ace Hardware, they often think of the helpful cashiers and sales associates at their local store.

However, have you also considered the people behind the scenes who select, promote, ship and process the invoices for more than 75,000 products?

Maybe you haven’t, but we’d like you to.

Because together we help our customers take care of their homes.

Come find out why a career with the Ace Hardware Corporation is one of America’s best kept secrets.Equal Opportunity EmployerAce Hardware Corporation and its subsidiaries are committed to a policy of promoting equal employment opportunities.

The company recognizes the importance of diversity and leveraging the skills and talents of all people to the mutual advantage of each individual and the organization.

The company is committed to the prevention of employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability and military or veteran status, sexual orientation or any other action covered by federal or applicable state/local laws.