Fd Category Merchant Fbuy2

Job Title: Retail Buyer

Overall Mission:

Serve as the subject matter expert for a designated business category. Deliver and exceed all financial metrics while setting and executing long-term strategic goals that drive sustainable growth and profitability.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Category Strategy & Financial Ownership

• Develop and implement 2–3-year growth plans for assigned categories.
• Identify and establish long-term strategic vendor partnerships.
• Own the full reset process, including strategy development to support financial goals.
• Manage all financial aspects of the category, including:
  • Profit & Loss (P&L) responsibility.
  • Monthly financial reviews and presentations to VP.
  • Deep understanding of KPIs including markdowns, merchandise cost, shrink, GMROI, and market share.
  • Oversight of the allowance process and billing collections.

2. Joint Business Planning (JBP)

• Set the vision and strategy for each product class within the category.
• Lead vendor negotiations to develop customer-centric, profit-driving plans.
• Create and utilize the Supplier Mix Tool to optimize vendor portfolios.

3. Strategic Planning & Execution

• Collaborate with Financial Planners to create financial goals, building blocks, and waterfalls.
• Develop robust allowance plans that align with category strategies.
• Utilize competitive shopping and market data to validate trends and inform decisions.

4. Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead the strategic direction of cross-category initiatives (CCM Leader).
• Champion effective communication to internal and external stakeholders, promoting empowerment and accountability.
• Build strong partnerships with internal teams (marketing, finance, planning) and external suppliers.

5. Marketing & Merchandising

• Define and execute the overall category strategy for marketing campaigns, ads, and off-shelf promotions.
• Own the Integrated Marketing Calendar (IMC), ensuring all deadlines are met and plans are aligned across functions.
• Collaborate on trade spending strategy; manage trade rates to ensure no gaps or mitigate them with strategic solutions.

6. Planogram & In-Store Experience

• Understand customer and Private Brand strategies to create effective, customer-centric planograms.

People Leadership

• Provide leadership and development to Associate and Assistant Buyers.
• Foster a culture of accountability, growth, and collaboration within the team.

Qualifications:

• Strong financial acumen and proven experience in P&L management.
• Exceptional negotiation, planning, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build and execute long-term strategies.
• Proficient in retail math and analytics tools; experience with planograms and marketing strategy preferred.