Job Information
REI Senior Category Merchandising Manager in Seattle, Washington
Overview
The Senior Category Merchandising Manager, Road Run Footwear, helps REI succeed by creating strategic business plans. They drive key financial metrics like sales, turn, margin, and in-stock goals for $200M+ annual sales. This person manages activity strategy, customer-centric assortment, and product selection for Retail and Direct channels. They manage, coach, and develop a team of Buyers and/or Assistant Category Merchants. The Sr CMM guides the team to respond to in-season performance while considering 1-3 year strategic growth. They build solid relationships with vendors and REI to achieve long-term sales and profitability goals. They have a deep understanding of customer and market trends from both qualitative and quantitative metrics. They support the DMM in planning seasonal Shop and Activity Product Strategies. They provide thought leadership with CMM peers and prepare cross-divisional product support plans. They build operational efficiencies, consistencies, and process improvements for both Category and Activity.
Responsibilities and Qualifications
Manage key financial metrics and assortment plans for a category. Support long-range growth initiatives based on customer insights and market trends.
Provide thought leadership with CMM peers. Develop cross-divisional product support plans for Marketing, Visual Merch, Retail Ops, and Digital Retail seasonally and annually.
Manage department-level category management block development, aligned with DMM’s shop-level guidance.
Assortment and Product Planning Process. Create assortment strategies and work with the Category Planning manager. Develop an initial sales forecast for the product category. Base it on corporate and specialty shop strategic goals, financial, market, and industry trends. Consider item and vendor performance, including sales, margin, markdowns, quality, and in-stocks.
Identify target customers and their needs by product category. Use seasonal planning surveys from Retail and Direct Marketing. Review customer comments and visit stores. Read trade publications and communicate with Retail. Participate in the industry.
Build compelling assortments that meet target customer needs by considering product attributes, end use, activity levels, pricing ladder, REI Brand Frame, and market trends.
Formulate Co-Op Brands assortment strategies with the Product Line Manager. Include target cost, retail, initial forecast, and seasonal delivery timelines by item. Communicate market trends, product sales histories, product lifecycle, style targets, and customer information.
Build and maintain relationships with vendors in developing long range strategic business plans.
Negotiate with vendors for best costs, terms, discounts, freight, marketing support to optimize profitability.
Continually seek out new vendors and innovative product opportunities.
Exceptional financial acumen, contributing to the development of short and long-term business plans.
Provides coaching, direction and leadership support to employees in order to achieve department, company and customer results.
Qualifications
Market Knowledge: Understand the footwear industry, trends, and customer preferences in the running segment. Learn how REI can win in the market-leading landscape.
Customer Obsessed: Deeply know the target consumer. Clearly articulate strategies to deepen our connection with the Run consumer at REI.
Builds Exceptional Relationships: Establish and maintain relationships with brands and internal partners
Exceptional negotiating skills: Challenges the status quo and influences executive brand managers. Drives Co-Op health through better profit and exclusive product opportunities.
Cross-Department Collaboration: Communicate and partner with marketing, sales, digital, and supply chain teams. Align buying strategies with business goals.
Manage Complex Product Launch Calendar: Coordinate and communicate new product launches to key stakeholders. This includes planning, marketing, visual merchandising, and retail operations.
Strategically plan and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to maximize off-price opportunities at end of life
8+ years merchandising experience
5+ years people management experience
Builds capacity of individuals and teams through effective employee development, involvement, communication, and supervision efforts.
Closing
At REI, we believe the outdoors is for all. We are committed to becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization. We know that there's strength in our diversity – that each employee brings unique skills, experiences, and perspectives. Every day you are driving change, fostering a culture of respect, and knowing you're backed by benefits that support your whole life. To work towards this commitment and fulfill our brand promise of inspiring and enabling a life outside for everyone, we seek employees who demonstrate different ways of working, create a sense of belonging, and actively listen and learn.
Pay Transparency
We are committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. As required by applicable Pay Transparency laws, REI provides a range of compensation for roles that may be hired in locations under these requirements. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include a wide array of factors, including: your specific skills and experience, geographic location or other relevant factors.
REI offers all regular employees a generous employee discount, access to health benefits, a retirement savings plan and accrued time off. Click here for a detailed overview of benefits plans by employee profile.
Pay Range
$125,300.00 - $190,900.00 per year