Merchandising Manager

Department: Analytic Support 105604

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Sterling Heights

Reporting To: Audrey Brown

Description

The Experience You’ll Create:

• Lead execution of approved merchandising programs, assortment changes, seasonal initiatives, promotional activations, and remerchandising projects across assigned vending and micro-market locations.
• Ensure merchandising standards, planograms, and operational merchandising processes are consistently executed throughout the region.
• Monitor merchandising performance and identify opportunities to improve sales, product availability, inventory productivity, and customer experience.
• Evaluate merchandising effectiveness and recommend improvements based on performance trends, field observations, and operational feedback.
• Support implementation of merchandising pilots, process improvements, and new merchandising initiatives.

• Lead replenishment management activities to support appropriate product availability while minimizing spoilage and inventory inefficiencies. 
• Review inventory performance, product velocity, sales trends, stockout risks, and spoilage trends across the assigned region. 
• Oversee route scheduling processes to ensure vending machines and micro-markets receive service at appropriate frequencies. 
• Recommend adjustments to route composition, service schedules, replenishment parameters, and merchandising settings to improve route efficiency, inventory productivity, and service performance. 
• Partner with Operations leadership to address service gaps, inventory issues, and execution challenges impacting merchandising performance.

• Ensure approved planograms, assortments, merchandising layouts, and space allocation standards are properly implemented and maintained.
• Oversee execution of merchandising resets, product transitions, assortment updates, seasonal changes, and new business installations. 
• Validate planogram compliance and identify opportunities to improve merchandising presentation, product visibility, and sales performance. 
• Provide feedback to Merchandising leadership regarding assortment performance, merchandising opportunities, and execution challenges. 
• Support continuous improvement of merchandising standards, tools, and execution processes.

• Ensure merchandising system data, replenishment parameters, service frequencies, asset information, and merchandising attributes are maintained accurately. 
• Monitor merchandising-related operational requests and ensure timely resolution of issues affecting merchandising execution. 
• Partner with Operations, Technology, and Merchandising leadership to address system issues, process gaps, and data integrity concerns.
• Support implementation, testing, and adoption of merchandising systems, reporting tools, and process enhancements. 
• Utilize reporting and analytics tools to monitor performance and identify actionable opportunities.

• Partner with Operations leadership to support service execution, inventory management, and merchandising compliance.
• Collaborate with Category Management to provide field insights regarding product performance, customer preferences, assortment opportunities, and merchandising effectiveness. 
• Support new business openings, market expansions, client transitions, and major merchandising initiatives. 
• Partner with Sales and Operations teams to ensure merchandising programs align with customer expectations and operational capabilities. 
• Participate in post-installation and grand opening reviews while communicating optimization opportunities.

• Lead, coach, develop, and support a team of Merchandising Specialists while providing clear performance expectations and accountability. 
• Establish priorities, workload allocation, and project assignments to ensure effective execution of merchandising responsibilities. 
• Monitor team performance against established KPIs and provide regular coaching, feedback, and development planning. 
• Support recruiting, onboarding, training, and retention of merchandising team members. 
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, continuous improvement, responsiveness, and operational excellence.

• Gross Profit Margin Percentage
• Stockout Percentage
• Sales Performance
• Units Per Visit
• Spoilage %
• Reset Completion Rate
• Planogram Compliance %
• Route Efficiency
• Missed Service %

Ingredients for Thriving:

• Degree in Business, Supply Chain, Merchandising, Retail Management, Analytics, or a related field (preferred). 
• 5+ years of experience in merchandising, replenishment, inventory management, route operations, retail operations, food service, convenience retail, vending, micro-markets, or a related field. 
• Prior leadership, supervisory, or team leadership experience.
• Strong understanding of merchandising principles, replenishment processes, inventory management, route optimization, and planogram execution.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret performance data and identify actionable opportunities. 
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Office applications. 
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail. 
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to work effectively across multiple departments.

• Execution-oriented and results driven, with a focus on accomplishing goals through disciplined follow-through. 
• Possesses strong operational judgment and understands how merchandising decisions impact field execution. 
• Data-informed and analytical, using performance trends and business insights to drive decisions. 
• Collaborative and responsive, building effective partnerships across merchandising, operations, category management, sales, and support teams. 
• Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. 
• Effective coach and people-focused leader who develops talent and creates accountability. 
• Committed to continuous improvement, innovation, and operational excellence.

Savor the Benefits:

• Health Coverage – Medical, Dental and Vision
• Voluntary Life/AD&D, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, Critical Illness, Parental Leave
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid Time Off
• Wellness Programs
• Referral bonus
• Additional Perks