Merchandise Manager - Forest Products

Position: Merchandise Manager - Forest Products

Job : 2982

# of Openings: 1

Location: Fort Wayne, IN

Level: Salaried

Division: Lumber & Building Materials

Reporting to position: Forest Products Divisional Purchasing Manager

Travel: Approx. 10%

As a Merchandise Manager in Lumber & Building Materials (LBM), you will play a key role in the Forest Products division by leading strategic purchasing and product management initiatives. This position focuses on sourcing and developing vendor programs for select forest products, including Treated Lumber & Engineered Wood Products, while managing critical, high-volume sales relationships with our LBM Distribution Partners. You will be responsible for procurement, vendor program negotiation, and partnering closely with the Forest Products sales teams to successfully implement programs with our dealers.

In this role, you will be responsible for negotiating and developing vendor programs while staying current on market pricing and product availability of your assigned categories. Success in this position requires a passion for building strong relationships, effective communication, and the ability to work independently while taking strategic direction, as these skills are critical to overall performance.

As an integral member of the LBM division, you will contribute significantly to divisional strategy and overall success through vendor relations, strategic sourcing, and sales planning. You will collaborate with a dynamic leadership team to strengthen supplier partnerships, support divisional goals, and foster a culture of innovation and excellence.

While prior experience in forest products or the lumber industry is beneficial, it is not required. Candidates with experience in the following areas are encouraged to apply:
Merchandise Associate, Department Manager, Sourcing Assistant or Manager, Sales Manager or Representative, Category Management, Buyer, Product Manager, Inventory Management.

• Negotiate with vendors to obtain most favorable prices, terms, programs, promotions and volume and growth rebates
• Analyze, implement and maintain a corporate strategy for the assigned categories
• Evaluate and introduce new products and product lines to our sales team and dealers
• Setting and achieving goals on sales, margins, turns, and service levels (where applicable)
• Develop strategic and competitive promotions for the annual Market convention
• Evaluate and coach vendor product performance
• Monitor competitor tactics and trends to capitalize on opportunities in the marketplace
• Collaborate with other Departments (e.g., Finance, Logistics, Marketing & Advertising, Market Planning, Retail Performance, etc.) to troubleshoot and resolve dealer or vendor issues
• Travel for Markets twice per year; as well as any member visits, vendor visits, and trade shows as needed

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Sales, or a related business field, or equivalent experience in retail, sales, or the hardware industry
• Strong technology skills, including proficiency in Excel, Google Workspace, and Office 365
• Prior purchasing experience (preferred)

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively across teams
• Creative and analytical problem‑solving skills, with the ability to define issues, analyze data, and draw sound conclusions
• Proven negotiation skills and sound business judgment
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail
• Service‑oriented, self‑motivated, and results‑driven
• Strong relationship‑building skills and the ability to collaborate cross‑functionally

• Full insurance benefits package including Medical, Dental, & Vision
• Paid time off to foster work/life balance
• Profit sharing
• Bonus Pay opportunities
• Retirement funding opportunities

Headquartered in Fort Wayne, IN, the Do it Best Group is the world's largest hardware, lumber, and building materials buying cooperative in the home improvement industry. With nearly $6 billion in annual sales, we support thousands of…