Director of Retail Merchandising, Northeast

Director of Retail Merchandising

Position Summary

The Director of Retail Merchandising is responsible for creating and maintaining an operating environment that consistently delivers on Affinity Group Retail and client partners’ in-store merchandising objectives. This role leads a team of Merchandisers to ensure execution is reliable, efficient, and aligned with client expectations. The Director plays a key role in driving strategic initiatives, optimizing processes, and fostering strong collaboration across Sales, Client, and Management teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Represent Affinity Group in a professional and ethical manner at all times

• Partner with Sales and Client teams to plan and execute retail merchandising strategies

• Lead, develop, and support a team of Merchandisers to ensure strong performance and engagement

• Ensure consistent and reliable execution of client in-store merchandising objectives

• Monitor, analyze, and report on merchandising performance and key initiatives

• Conduct regular market and store visits to identify opportunities and drive improvements

• Oversee the effective use of company systems, tools, and technology platforms

• Train and coach team members on best practices and operational standards

• Leverage retail reporting and data insights to drive performance and identify opportunities

• Participate in client meetings and new business discussions to represent retail capabilities

• Manage performance, provide feedback, and support the development of direct reports

• Perform additional duties as needed

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred or minimum of 5 years of experience in retail merchandising management

• Experience in the grocery channel is a plus

• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Comfortable presenting to internal and external stakeholders

• Proven leadership experience with the ability to coach, mentor, and develop teams

• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word

• Experience working with syndicated data such as Circana or Nielsen is preferred

• Collaborative team player with a results-driven mindset

• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities

• Professional presence with a positive, client-focused attitude

• Self-motivated with an entrepreneurial approach

Physical Requirements & Work Environment

• Ability to lift up to 30 pounds unassisted

• Comfortable working in refrigerated and freezer environments

• Ability to move and inspect products in storage areas

• Flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends

• Reliable transportation required for travel to offices, markets, and customer locations

• Approximately 80% travel within territory and 10% overnight travel

The ideal candidate is located near one of our office locations:

• Depew, NY
• Schenectady, NY
• Woburn, MA
• New Freedom, PA
• Pittsburgh, PA
• Springfield, NJ
• Englewood Cliffs, NJ

The Affinity Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.