Senior Buyer

Full-Time Position | In Office 5 days-a-week | Golden Valley, MN

Become part of the Aperture Team

Aperture Pet & Life is a leading manufacturer, online retailer, and distributor serving the pet industry with a focus on aquatic products and solutions. Through trusted brands including Aqua Illumination, Bulk Reef Supply, Eco Tech Marine, Neptune Systems, and more, we engineer and manufacture innovative aquarium technology in the USA while providing the products, educational resources, and expert support that help aquarists create thriving aquatic ecosystems through the industry’s leading online retailer.

Our team is united by a passion for helping our customers succeed. We look for talented people who are curious, collaborative, and driven to make an impact. By bringing together diverse skills, perspectives, and a shared commitment to our customers, we foster a culture where innovation and continuous improvement drive meaningful results.

What we're looking for:

We're looking for a Senior Buyer to join our team onsite in Golden Valley, MN. The Senior Buyer is responsible for leading category merchandising for assigned product categories by developing and executing merchandising strategies that drive sales, profitability, and customer satisfaction. This role owns the full category lifecycle, including assortment planning, purchasing, vendor management, pricing, inventory optimization, and product lifecycle management.

The ideal candidate is an analytical, results-driven professional with strong negotiation, communication, and organizational skills who thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment. Hands-on experience as an active saltwater or freshwater aquarium hobbyist, with a passion for the aquarium industry, is highly preferred.

Success in this role requires balancing customer needs, business performance, and vendor partnerships to deliver long-term category growth.

What you'll do:

Category Management & Strategy: Own and develop merchandising strategies for assigned product categories to drive sales, profitability, and customer satisfaction. Own the financial performance of assigned categories, including sales growth, gross margin, inventory productivity, and profitability. Manage category performance through assortment planning, product lifecycle management, and continuous optimization. Identify opportunities for category expansion, product rationalization, and innovation based on customer demand and market trends.

Develop annual category strategies, business objectives, and growth initiatives.

Vendor Management: Build and maintain strategic partnerships with domestic and international suppliers. Lead negotiations for pricing, rebates, freight programs, promotional funding, payment terms, and annual business agreements. Conduct regular business reviews with key vendor partners to evaluate performance and identify growth opportunities. Resolve supplier issues while maintaining positive long-term relationships.

Purchasing & Inventory Management: Forecast inventory requirements and manage purchasing to support customer demand while maintaining healthy inventory levels. Create, manage, and monitor purchase orders from placement through receipt. Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to improve inventory turns, reduce stockouts, and minimize excess inventory. Monitor supplier lead times, fill rates, and purchasing performance.

Merchandising & Pricing: Develop pricing strategies that maximize margin while remaining competitive within the marketplace. Manage MAP compliance and monitor competitive pricing. Plan promotional calendars, product launches, and merchandising initiatives in collaboration with the Marketing team. Recommend promotional opportunities based on sales performance and market conditions.

Category Analytics: Analyze category performance through sales, margin, inventory turns, GMROI, forecasting, and profitability metrics. Utilize reporting tools and data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities. Present recommendations and action plans to leadership based on business performance.

Product & Data Management: Oversee the complete product lifecycle, including new product onboarding, ERP setup, product updates, and SKU discontinuation. Ensure product, pricing, vendor, and inventory data remains accurate across all systems. Maintain product information and merchandising content that supports the customer experience.

Market Intelligence: Monitor industry trends, competitive activity, customer insights, and emerging technologies. Identify new brands, products, and market opportunities that strengthen Aperture's competitive position. Recommend assortment enhancements based on market research and customer feedback.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Marketing, Sales, Operations, Product Development, Customer Service, and eCommerce teams to execute category initiatives. Support new product launches, promotional campaigns, vendor events, and strategic business initiatives. Contribute to continuous…