What are the responsibilities and job description for the Category Manager (Merchant) position at Love's Travel Stops?
- This is an onsite role located in Oklahoma City
Welcome to Love's: The Category Manager (Merchant) is responsible for leading the selection and purchasing of products that align with the company’s sales strategy and customer preferences. This role involves analyzing market trends, forecasting demand, negotiating with suppliers, and managing inventory to ensure optimal stock levels and profitability. By reviewing and interpreting market and customer insight data, the Merchant builds strategic plans that enhance the department’s competitive advantages.
Job Functions
- Oversee assigned categories within the Merchandise Department
- Full ownership to develop, plan, and implement multi-year strategic plans for given categories
- Leverage data and resources to make informed product-level and category-level decisions. Regularly review data to measure impacts of implemented strategies.
- Deploy tests (product, fixture, vendor, distribution, etc.) and measure success metrics
- Strategize, manage, support private brand consumable products. Work with Brand Managers to develop strategies for assortment, price, and promotion.
- Own the 4 P’s of Marketing for given categories (product, place, price, promotion)
- Develop & improve a set review process/Joint Business Planning Process (JBP)/LAB (yearly planning) for the merchandising department
- Responsible for providing year-over-year growth and for exceeding budget and P&L goals
- Build collaborative relationships with cross-functional team leaders. Partner with marketing, support, and operations teams to ensure seamless execution of merchandising strategies and campaigns.
- Evaluate and select vendors based on performance metrics, quality standards, and cost-effectiveness. Own relationships of higher volume vendors, keeping the Supervisor/Manager informed of recent developments, challenges, support needed.
- Prepare reports and presentations for senior management, highlighting key performance indicators, trends, and recommendations
- Manage, train, and develop Merchandise Planners
- HS Diploma or equivalent required
- Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, merchandising, fashion merchandising or a related field is preferred
- 3-5 years of category management experience in a retail setting
- Experience managing vendor relations, 3rd party suppliers and distributors, and proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint) required
- Personnel supervision preferred
- Accounts Receivable/Rebate. SAP, back office systems, and C-Store experience a plus
- Product and brand development experience ideal
- Hard skills: Knowledgeable and proficient within Microsoft Office programs (Excel, PowerPoint etc), Data Tools
- Soft Skills: Stable work history, good written and verbal communications skills, team player, attention to detail, self-motivated and responsible, ability to work in a fast-paced changing environment and strong analytical skills
- Requires prolonged sitting, some bending and stooping
- Manual dexterity sufficient to operate a computer keyboard and calculator
Fueling customers' journeys since 1964, innovation leads the way for this family-owned and operated business headquartered in Oklahoma City. With nearly 40,000 team members, travel stops are the core business along with products and services that provide value for professional drivers, fleets, traveling public, RVers, alternative energy and wholesale fuel customers. Giving back to communities and an inclusive workplace are hallmarks of the award-winning culture.
Love’s is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Veterans encouraged to apply.
Job Category: Corporate