Job Summary: Maximizes sales and profitability of a given area of business through developing and implementing a strategy, analysis, and appropriate reaction to sales trend.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Overall support of the designated departmental sales, gross margin, and turnover objectives for a worldwide retail organization.

• Analyzes market trends and offerings to develop, execute and maintain merchandise stock assortments, business strategies and goals for assigned merchandise departments.

• Negotiates with vendors to obtain most favorable prices and allowances to achieve sales and profit objectives for basic and advertised merchandise.

• Manages vendor performance.

• Responsible for the development, execution and maintenance of stock assortments.

• Global sourcing for private label, seasonal and basic merchandise as appropriate.

• Responsible for the development and execution of seasonal plans and buying strategies.

• Works with other cognizant codes to develop space allocation, adjacencies, seasonal merchandise, visual guidelines and planograms for store sets and renovations.

• Develops and executes advertising plan for assigned departments. Oversees order placement and tracking to ensure timely receipt of merchandise.

• Maximize coop of market development funds.

• Works closely with Divisional Merchandise Manager and Planner/Distributor to plan sales, gross profit and stock turn both annually and seasonally.

• Works closely with Divisional Merchandise Manager and Planner Distributor to analyzes financial performance using tools such as, but not limited to, Data Warehouse and Category Scorecard to ensure established goals are being met and takes appropriate corrective action when necessary.
• Works closely with Divisional Merchandise Manager and Planner/Distributor to determine and execute automated methods of replenishment

• Conducts store visits as appropriate to evaluate merchandise presentation, customer demographics, stock assortments and inventory levels. Works closely with store management to address and maximize business opportunities.

• Attends trade shows and markets as appropriate

• Works with Planner/Distributor to determine optimal order size, inventory levels and allocations needed to achieve merchandising and financial goals.

• Prepares merchandise information and training through written manuals, information bulletins and intranet.

• Responsible for the supervision and development of a subordinate staff consisting of Assistant Buyers, Merchandisers, Pricing Specialists as appropriate.

• Provides associate training seminars as appropriate.

• Performs other related duties as assigned.

• Maintain collaborate partnerships with vendors and internal and external colleagues.

The incumbent of this position must file a Financial Disclosure Report (OGE) Form 450, as required.

Total of 7 years of experience consisting of the following:

GENERAL EXPERIENCE: 3 years of general experience which was gained in administrative, merchandising, technical, or other responsible work, which enabled the applicant to gain a knowledge of merchandising and procurement practices; skill in dealing with others in person-to-person work relationships; and the ability to exercise mature judgment.

OR SUBSTITUTION OF EDUCATION FOR EXPERIENCE: 1 year of education above the high school level may be substituted for 9 months of experience, up to a maximum of a 4 year bachelor's degree for 3 years of general experience.

AND SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: 4 years of progressive experience which provided background in procurement practices, methods and procedures; developing and maintaining open-to-buy; selecting sources of supply; comparison shopping; review of merchandise for pricing, markdowns and stock rotation; planning and developing sales promotions and other merchandise controls; or similar work which demonstrated the knowledge and ability within the procurement operational area.