Director of Marketing and Merchandising Job Description

The Director of Marketing and Merchandising is responsible for leading the marketing and merchandising efforts for Duck Thru Food Stores. The ideal candidate will be a visionary leader with a proven track record of driving growth through effective vendor relations, merchandising strategies, brand development, inventory control, and marketing initiatives. The jobholder is responsible for ensuring the highest level of marketing and merchandising throughout all stores. The jobholder is a role model and leader to all hired Duck Thru Food Store staff and must be able to train staff and hold staff accountable on proper merchandising and inventory operations. Employee must be able to solve problems, make informed decisions, and manage time wisely to achieve maximum production, inventory results, and marketing and merchandising efforts.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute comprehensive merchandising strategies that align with the company's overall business objectives. This includes product selection, pricing, and promotions.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with vendors to secure favorable terms, optimize product assortment, and negotiate promotional opportunities.
• Implement effective category management strategies, analyzing sales data and market trends to optimize product assortment, pricing, and promotion strategies for various product categories.
• Oversee the development and implementation of innovative marketing campaigns and other events to enhance brand visibility, drive customer engagement, and increase sales.
• Lead efforts to strengthen and evolve the Duck Thru brand, ensuring consistency in messaging and brand representation across all channels.
• Stay abreast of market trends, competitor activities, and consumer behavior to inform merchandising and marketing strategies.
• Collaborate with other departments, including IT, Maintenance, Food Service, Accounts Payable, and Price Book, to ensure alignment and integration of merchandising and marketing efforts with overall business goals.
• Develop and manage budgets for merchandising and marketing activities, ensuring cost- effectiveness and maximum return on investment.
• Overseeing inventory schedules, processes, and execution by actively attending all inventories and analyzing all results, working closely with Price Book and Accounts Payable to make sure that Duck Thru is maximizing inventory results while holding Store Leadership accountable for inventory preparedness.
• Assisting with the Duck Thru Rewards program by working closely with Price Book, the Loyalty Program Leader, and all District Managers/Regional Managers to maximize Duck Thru Rewards usage and promotions.
• Reporting all scan downs to appropriate vendors in a timely and professional manner to collect payment and confirming that payments and rebates are paid and appropriated.
• Be proficient in Petrosoft’s C-Store Office, Duck Thru’s back-office software, to effectively perform all job functions and train other employees.
• Work closely with the President of Operations, Vice Presidents of Operations, and the Director of Food Service to maximize Duck Thru Food Stores’ food service offerings.
• Maintain procedures for product ordering, product planning, and product display.
• Coordinate vendor schedules and store needs in renovations and new store openings, while being hands on in the preparations of the opening from these events.
• Lead efforts in fixture and equipment replacements or upgrades while being hands on during these events, which includes but is not limited to cooler doors, cooler shelving, gondolas, cigarette, and all other tobacco fixtures.
• Execute and schedule all stores resets and planograms working closely with vendors.
• Actively attend vendor meetings, workshops, and conferences.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in merchandising and marketing leadership roles.
• Strong understanding of merchandising principles, retail trends, and category management.
• Demonstrated success in driving revenue growth through effective merchandising and marketing initiatives.
• Excellent analytical and strategic thinking skills.
• Understanding of retail price management systems.
• Strong negotiation and vendor management skills.
• Exceptional leadership and team-building capabilities.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• Experience working in a fast-paced multi-functional retail environment, such as a convenience store/travel center/grocery store.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and be insurable.
• Written communication skills to compose reports and work-related manuals.
• Strong oral communication skills to communicate with customers, co-workers, vendors, and business contacts in a courteous and professional manner.
• Highly responsible, ethical, detailed, creative, enthusiastic.
• Hiring experience or knowledge about hiring techniques.
• Profound knowledge of Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Availability to work all shifts, weekends, and holidays, based on business needs (This is most common during the opening of new sites and dealing with problem stores.)
• Ability to multi-task and perform repeated bending, standing, reaching, and occasionally lifting up to 50 pounds.

Benefits

• 401K plan with a company match of $1.00 per dollar up to 3% of annual salary and $0.50 per dollar up to the next 2% of annual salary
• Medical, dental, life, and vision insurance upon enrollment
• Bi-Weekly Pay
• Paid Holidays
• Paid-Time-Off Plan
• Company Vehicle
• Company Phone
• Company Laptop
• Employee Performance Bonuses