Senior Closeout Category Merchant, Retail

Staples U.S. Retail is accelerating its off-price and closeout business, and we are seeking a Senior Closeout Category Merchant with deep experience operating in a fast-paced, opportunistic buying environment.  This role is responsible for identifying, negotiating, and procuring high-value closeout deals that surprise and delight customers while driving strong financial results. You will cultivate vendor relationships, evaluate deal flow daily, and make rapid purchase decisions that support a true treasure-hunt retail experience in our stores. 

This is a high-impact, high-visibility role for a merchant who thrives on agility, relationship-building, and the excitement of landing exceptional deals.

Key Responsibilities Opportunistic Buying & Deal Evaluation

 • Source, evaluate, and purchase closeout, excess inventory, and special-buy opportunities across multiple product categories.

 • Make fast, well-informed buying decisions based on margin targets, brand value, quality standards, and store relevance.

 • Partner with vendors, liquidators, manufacturers, and distributors to identify ongoing and one-time buying opportunities.

 • Travel to vendor locations, trade shows, and marketplaces to assess products and negotiate deals.

Vendor & Relationship Management

 • Build and maintain strong vendor networks to ensure a consistent pipeline of high-quality closeout offerings.

 • Negotiate cost, terms, freight, quantities, and multi-load opportunities to deliver the strongest value for the business.

 • Manage end-to-end deal flow—from discovery to purchase order to delivery into DCs and stores.

Assortment Strategy for Off-Price Retail

 • Curate a compelling, ever-changing assortment that supports the treasure-hunt experience central to off-price retail.

 • Balance branded opportunistic buys with core planned purchases to maximize customer excitement and sales productivity.

 • Work closely with planning and allocation to ensure right quantities, flow, and in-store presentation.

Financial Ownership

 • Own category financial performance including sales, gross margin, sell-through, turn, and targeted inventory levels.

 • Analyze deal profitability quickly and accurately to ensure purchases meet financial thresholds.

 • Manage OTB (Open-to-Buy) in a flexible, dynamic environment where deal flow changes daily.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

 • Partner with Store Operations, Marketing, Allocation, Inventory Planning, and Finance to support execution of off-price strategies.

 • Influence partners to ensure fast movement from deal approval to store delivery.

 • Support in-store presentation to highlight value, brand integrity, and the treasure-hunt experience.

Team Leadership

 • Develop and mentor junior buyers or merchandise specialists.

 • Support cross-training in off-price buying practices, market trends, and negotiation strategies.

Essential Skills & Qualifications

 • Bachelor’s Degree in business, marketing or operations OR equivalent work experience.

 • 6+ years of experience in off-price, opportunistic, closeout, or liquidation buying.

 • Proven ability to evaluate deal profitability in real time and negotiate aggressively but strategically.

 • Demonstrated success managing vendor relationships and securing high-value branded buys.

 • Strong financial acumen with expertise in margin analysis, deal modeling, sell-through management, and Open-to-Buy ownership.

 • Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment with shifting priorities.

 • Deep understanding of customer value perception within off-price retail.

Preferred Qualifications

 • Experience purchasing across multiple categories (general merchandise, housewares, stationery, seasonal, consumables, etc.).

 • Advanced negotiation training and experience handling multi-truckload or multi-million-dollar purchase commitments.

 • Strong market intelligence: brand cycles, excess inventory patterns, supply chain trends, and off-price competitive landscape.

Staples is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law.

Staples is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please call 1-888-490-4747 for more information.

Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act; as well as with any other state and local Fair Chance Ordinance/Act regulations.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.