Position Summary:

Supports the National Merchandising Manager in the attainment of category goals and objectives, while ensuring consistent and effective communication with the divisional sales and marketing teams and other key internal and external customers. 

Essential Functions:

• Supports National Merchandising Manager in all aspects of category management strategies, key initiatives, and product life‐cycle management process from initial sourcing and market introduction to deletion for regional items.
• Provides relevant product category specific information to regional DSRs and Marketing teams via phone and email, as needed.
• Interfaces and collaborates with internal customers, brokers, and vendors to facilitate accurate information sharing as related to assigned category. 
• Provides insights, analytics and recommendations in the development of strategies. Provides insight to achieve volume and margin targets for assigned category, in support of segmented customer and brand marketing plans. 
• Develops and communicates relevant product and vendor information to the divisional sales and marketing teams,  in support of assigned category strategies and initiatives.
• Provides regular communication to divisional sales and marketing teams regarding product issues, and price changes.
• Provides problem analysis and resolution to DSR and marketing team members on product related concerns.
• Provides PAD and bid support for divisional customers as required. 
• Maintains knowledge of industry trends and developments. 

• Collaborates with peers to continuously improve existing processes and development of new tools to drive greater business efficiencies. 
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities:

• Must have knowledge and experience in assigned product category and marketing segments. 
• Must have strong understanding of product sourcing and costing.
• Ability to understand, follow and create processes in order to complete projects. 
• Must have good time management, administration, and organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. 
• Understands the industry and pace of work, and responds with sense of urgency.
• Proficiency in analyzing information; able to use analytics and associated tools (e.g., Excel, Access) in creative ways to tell the product story, garner buy‐in, provide insights and to support decision‐making. 
• Ability to give full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. 
• Ability to inject creativity, fresh thinking, and new perspectives and to generate new and imaginative ideas, while using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. 
• Positive attitude, problem‐solver mentality willingness to experiment and be creative. 
• Must have the ability to multi-task and be able to work “exceptional” hours including evenings and weekends and be able to take on new responsibilities with a strong desire to succeed. 
• Proficient communication skills ‐ both written and verbal ‐ to communicate effectively with a broad‐based team including diverse internal stakeholders and vendors.