Director, Trade Merchandising, North America

Overview

Director, Trade Merchandising – North America at Shark Ninja
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Shark Ninja is a global product design and technology company with a diversified portfolio of 5-star rated lifestyle solutions that positively impact people’s lives in homes around the world. Powered by two trusted, global brands, Shark and Ninja, the company has a proven track record of disruptive innovation and growth. Headquartered in Needham, Massachusetts with more than 3,600 associates, Shark Ninja’s products are sold at key retailers, online and offline, and through distributors around the world.

The Director of Trade Merchandising – North America is a key leadership role responsible for driving the strategic vision, planning, and execution of all in-store merchandising initiatives across the U.S. and Canadian retail landscape. The role leads the development and implementation of customer-specific merchandising programs that enhance brand visibility, maximize retail presence, and accelerate conversion at the point of sale. The position collaborates with Sales, Global Retail Excellence, Marketing, Creative, and Supply Chain, and partners with major retailers to create differentiated and scalable merchandising solutions across channels including mass, club, specialty and home centers.

• Develop and lead the North American trade merchandising strategy aligned with brand, commercial, and retailer-specific objectives.
• Translate brand campaigns into in-store experiences that drive incremental sales and long-term brand equity.
• Lead the development of merchandising programs for innovation launches and core SKUs, with focus on impact and scalability.
• Serve as the internal subject matter expert on in-store conversion and merchandising best practices across all North American retail channels.
• Serve as the key merchandising liaison with top national and regional retailers across the U.S. and Canada.
• Partner with sales teams to pitch and secure incremental in-store opportunities, including off-shelf displays, seasonal placements, and endcap takeovers.
• Build collaborative partnerships with retailer marketing teams to co-develop merchandising programs.
• Conduct regular field visits and retail audits to assess execution, gain competitive insights, and identify improvement opportunities.
• Work with brand and marketing teams to ensure alignment between national campaigns and in-store execution.
• Collaborate with Global Retail Excellence to ensure flawless execution of merchandising programs across regions.
• Own and manage the North American trade merchandising budget, ensuring efficient use of resources and strong ROI.
• Lead agency and vendor relationships to produce and distribute merchandising materials, including negotiating contracts and SLAs.
• Ensure compliance with retail guidelines and operational execution within all merchandising programs.
• Define KPIs and track performance of merchandising activities against commercial and brand goals.
• Leverage sales data, shopper insights, and post-program analysis to optimize future initiatives.
• Build and present quarterly reports to senior leadership highlighting program impact, trends, and key opportunities.
• Build and lead a high-performing merchandising team with a focus on strategic thinking, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Foster a performance-driven culture with clear accountability and professional development opportunities.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or related field required; MBA preferred
• 15+ years of experience in trade marketing, retail merchandising, or CPG sales with progressive leadership responsibility
• Proven success in leading merchandising programs across North American markets, including both the U.S. and Canada
• Experience partnering with major North American retailers (e.g., Walmart, Target, Costco, Best Buy, Home Depot, Lowes, Sephora, Ulta, etc.)
• Deep understanding of retail environments, shopper behavior, and merchandising strategies
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management abilities
• Data-driven with proven experience in performance measurement and ROI optimization
• Excellent communication and…