Merchandising Manager

Founded in 2010, Traffic Safety Warehouse (TSW) is a successful, growth-oriented, E-Commerce-based distributor of traffic safety and facility safety products to municipalities, construction companies, and a variety of businesses and organizations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES/ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Develop & execute the product assortment strategy, including new product introduction, growth, optimization, & phase-out decisions
• Manage & improve the effective publishing and optimization of products onsite and within product data feeds, including images, copy, videos, attributes, cross-sells, taxonomy, pricing, and lead time messaging
• Analyze sales data, customer insights, trends, competitor activity & pricing to identify assortment gaps & opportunities to improve category performance
• Manage full product lifecycle by evaluating SKU productivity, market demand, costs, pricing alignment, & margin performance
• Partner cross-functionally with Supply Chain, Marketing, IT, Customer Service & third-party supplier teams to ensure optimal product availability, accuracy, & performance (with an emphasis on imported products)
• Build & maintain supplier relationships, including identifying potential new suppliers, negotiating terms, evaluating performance, managing item setup, maintenance, & coordinating product transitions
• Use analytics platforms & internal data systems to monitor assortment KPIs & deliver actionable insights that improve category relevance & financial outcomes
• Lead promotional planning, taxonomy, & digital merchandising initiatives maximizing visibility, conversion, & ROI
• Support 3P Amazon sales channel, including inventory management & replenishment B2C & B2B pricing

POSITION REQUIRMENTS:

• 3-5 years of experience in assortment planning, category management, online merchandising, importing and sourcing, and/or product management within e‑commerce (B2B distribution preferred)
• Strong analytical skills: interpret large data sets, assess SKU performance, & generate product strategy insights
• Cross-functional abilities to influence stakeholders across e-commerce operations, supply chain, customer service and third-party supplier partners
• Experience managing product lifecycles: forecasting, item setup, discontinuations, & category refresh cycles
• Proficiency with Excel and digital merchandising or assortment systems

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS:

• Experience merchandising products on an e-commerce site, including copywriting & editing, proofreading, visual presentation, categorization and taxonomy, and pricing.
• Deep understanding of assortment management principles, including category roles, demand segmentation, SKU rationalization, and customer decision trees
• Supplier management capabilities: vendor sourcing and onboarding, negotiation, forecasting alignment, & product performance communication
• Experience with managing end-user pricing in a complex and competitive environment
• Experience with enterprise tools (e.g., PIMs, analytics platforms) preferred
• Experience managing, training, and coaching merchandising staff

WORK ENVIRONMENT/ PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Hybrid position with a minimum of 3 days a week in our Des Plaines, IL office
• Office has moderate noise levels & prolonged computer use. Occasional presence in non-climate-controlled, high-noise production & warehouse areas where appropriate PPE must be worn
• Pay Range: $100k-$115k

This Job Description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee and may be revised at any time by the Company.