Director, Merchandising

 

Job Summary: 

The Director, Merchandising applies their analytical skills and business expertise to take ownership and drive growth and profitability for their category(s) while articulating a clear strategy and long-term vision that aligns with company objectives. As a department leader, they are responsible for developing and executing strategies as it relates to product, pricing, promotions, high level negotiations and vendor relations. This includes optimization of key, high volume brands, identifying cost saving opportunities and defining category focus & opportunities while fostering continued growth. Developing strategies and programs that differentiate iHerb from key competitors will be imperative, beyond branded assortments.In addition, they will be responsible for hiring, managing and developing Merchants and creating a cohesive, efficient and forward-thinking team. The role directly partners with Senior Management and Executives.  This role is the sixth step in the progression of the Merchandising team's buying structure, and is responsible for making high level merchandising decisions for strategic, top tier accounts.

 

 

Job Expectations: 

• Cultivate, direct and support leading edge Merchandising team focused on key categories; enabling them to further develop and grow assigned category with tools for success
• Work closely with Senior Management, Executives and team to develop and implement business strategies for your category(s) and the department's short and long-term growth objectives. 
• Lead your team to strategically negotiate with vendors to secure exceptional everyday pricing, marketing & promotional budgets, special opportunity buys, growth incentives including rebates and accruals, delivery, and payment terms for strategic, top tier accounts.
• Develop, establish, and analyze strategies for key category metrics (KPIs) to drive solutions for category performance, new and existing brands, new products, pricing, gross margin, promotions, and product life cycle while seeking opportunities for improvement
• Create strategies that differentiate iHerb from key competitors beyond branded assortments and price.  
• Align Global and regional Merchandising strategies to capitalize on complementary assortments.
• Partner with our regional teams, legal, tax, supply chain and IM&P to unlock vendor relationships and sales in key markets beyond North America.
• Build and maintain an overall vendor base which creates and sustains a competitive advantage and appropriate product assortment for the aligned category role.
• Establish an action plan to capitalize on category and product innovation, industry trends,  global markets, competitor offerings, consumer trends, and ways to differentiate our offering to exceed customer expectations.
• Foster relationships with strategic, top volume, highly visible existing/new vendors to drive sales, product innovation, margin growth, promotional support and maintain regular and consistent communication to ensure a clear understanding of short/long-term goals and capabilities
• Development and execution of contracts related to suppliers and products
• Approve onboarding of new product/brands and drive open to buy process to ensure timely addition to market
• Manage category gross profit and contribution margin to ensure desired mark-ups, margin and seek strategic pricing opportunities
• Partner with the Inventory Management and Planning leadership team on ensuring stock position, financial prudence, promotion support, and ensuring suppliers provide optimum product flow for a positive customer experience
• Partner on strategies to improve supply chain efficiencies and ensure cost-cutting measures are in place as relates to Merchandising for greater company profitability
• Develop and manage brand, product and category short/long-term promotional activities that are profitable and highly effective in conjunction with suppliers, buyers and Marketing team
• Develop and optimize data/reports to enable in-depth analysis of category successes/challenges
• Comply with company policies and procedures, including safety, business ethics, and standards of conduct

 

The duties and responsibilities described above may provide only a partial description of this position. This is not an exhaustive list of all aspects of the job.  Other duties and responsibilities not outlined in this document may be added as necessary or desirable, with or without notice.

 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

   Required:

• Ability to implement, prioritize and coordinate multiple team projects within the company and motivate team to achieve objectives
• Intellectually curious, energetic self-starter that is highly resourceful with a can-do attitude and solid decision-making skills
• Strong data analysis and pricing strategy background  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Confidence to manage up, secure buy-in from executive leadership, and navigate challenging situations
• Excellent organizational, investigative and problem-solving skills
• Ability to identify processes needing improvement, and to recommend and implement improvements 
• Strong negotiation skills, influencing abilities and relationship management
• Entrepreneurial mindset and positive leader that is a mentor and team player/developer/builder and collaborator with strong interpersonal skills and long term vision 

 

Equipment Knowledge: 

• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Experience with Google Business Suite (Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Forms) preferred
• WMS, EDI, SAP, Asana, Tableau experience a plus

 

Experience Requirements:

Generally requires a minimum of twelve (12) years of progressive experience in Merchandising with extensive experience in an e-commerce environment, preferably in a strategic setting in a mid to large size global organization.

 

#LI-LR1

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Staffing Agency Submission Notice
iHerb does not accept unsolicited 3rd party ("Agency") candidates. If you are an Agency, please send any requests to be considered as a supplier in our Vendor Management System to staffingvendors@iherb.com. Do not contact iHerb employees directly. If requested to work on a role, any Agency candidates would be presented through the internal recruiting organization.

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About iHerb
iHerb is on a mission to make health and wellness accessible to all. We offer Earth’s best-curated selection of health and wellness products, at the best possible value, delivered with the most convenient experience.

We’re the world’s largest eCommerce platform dedicated to vitamins, minerals, and supplements, and other health and wellness products. For more than 25 years, we’ve been making it simple for people all over the world to purchase the highest quality products. From supplements to skincare to grocery items, we ship over 50,000 products, from over 1,800 brands direct to our customers in 180+ countries.

Our vision is to become the #1 destination for health and wellness across the world.

With a passion for wellness and a mind for innovative solutions, iHerb team members share a vision for a healthier world that drives them each day. Our 5 Shared Values unite our global team:

Focus on the Customer · Empower Our People · Be Entrepreneurial & Pivot Quickly ·
Embrace Diversity & Inclusion · Strive for Simplicity

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iHerb Benefits
At iHerb, we are dedicated to offering programs designed to help our employees and their families stay healthy, live well, and plan for their financial future. Built on a strong foundation, our programs provide options and upgrades with flexibility, protection, and security in mind. For the comprehensive benefits list, visit www.iHerbBenefits.com. For our international team members, you may be eligible for benefits depending on the country where you are employed. The Talent Acquisition Partner/local HR representative will go over the benefits you are eligible for. 

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iHerb is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status. iHerb provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment.