Associate Merchandise Manager; Store Support Center, Overland Park, KS

About Ace Retail Group Ace Retail Group (ARG), is a division of Ace Hardware Corporation that owns and operates several Ace brands, including Westlake Ace, Great Lakes Ace, Buikema’s Ace, Outer Banks Ace, Dennis Company, and Breed & Company. ARG is one of the largest hardware retailers in the United States and has two headquarters located in Lenexa, KS and Farmington Hills, MI.

ARG’s origins date back over a century and operates over 250 neighborhood stores located throughout the United States. Great people make ARG stand out in our industry, and we are looking for individuals who strive for personal and professional growth, and who want to work with a company founded on (and still led by) our solid Core Values of:
Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility and Teamwork.

• Associate Merchandising Manager
• Department:
  Merchandising
• Reports To:
  
  Senior Merchandising Manager
• Exemption Status:
  Exempt (Salaried)

The Associate Merchandising Manager is responsible for developing merchandising strategies and delivering profitable sales results that support the identified business segments, Impulse, Consumables, Toys, Stationery and Holiday working closely with cross-functional partners throughout the organization.

• Leads the category development for:
  Impulse, Consumables, Toys, Stationery and Holiday
• Develop quality product assortments that drive sales and profitable growth in the key categories, leveraging Ace planograms, assortments, and fixtures presentations where possible.
• Provide strategic direction for the development of advertising and marketing initiatives to drive sales and transaction growth.
• Identify localized opportunities to ensure a merchandise assortment that meets the needs of the varied consumer base where appropriate (B2B, DIY, Rural, Urban, etc.).
• Supports assortment planning, pre-season ordering, and vendor management in conjunction Merchandising Manager.
• Analyze and monitor sales, trends, and economic conditions within a specific category to anticipate consumer buying patterns.
• Maintain strong understanding of the competition, the marketplace and industry. Monitor competitors’ sales activities, product assortments, and pricing by reviewing daily/weekly print and electronic advertisements, as well as store visits.

• Accountability and management of financial Key Performance Indicators for Impulse, Consumables, Toys, Stationary and Holiday, including sales, net margin, sell-through and GMROI (gross margin return on investment) including development of semiannual forecasts to support Sr. Management planning activities.
• Negotiate costs, discounts, rebates, VPP (Vendor Partnership Program) and freight terms for assigned categories.

• Establish and maintain strategic supplier relationships, aligning suppliers, products, and services to meet the needs of the business.
• Work in collaboration with inventory management to determine demand forecasts for everyday and promotional opportunities.
• Attend trade shows to identify product opportunities and enhance business relationships.

• Define and implement departmental strategic objectives with both short and long-term plans developed.
• Strategic and tactical ownership, accountability, and execution for the assigned product category Line Review process.
• Demonstrate effective presentation skills of merchandising strategies to ensure buy-in and engagement across the entire organization.
• Serve as project manager for merchandising-driven initiatives in support of key categories.

• Store Operations on the understanding of market and customer needs.
• Inventory management to ensure optimal in-stock levels and exit strategies.
• Marketing/Visual Merchandising to deliver improved in-store presentation, Point-of-Purchase materials, and marketing strategies.
• Develop strong working relationships with Ace counterparts to fully leverage available product assortments, customer research and partner on strategic initiatives to further category…