Senior Director Merchandising

Staples is on a journey to be the leader in modern working and learning. We are focused on our customers and our community. The Senior Director Merchandising is responsible for driving traffic and financial performance through the development of selling strategies inspired by deep customer insight, for our Office Supplies & Pack/Ship businesses. The Senior Director Merchandising is responsible for leading a team of associates that buy a group of product lines for sales, margin, and supply chain impact, including inventory turnover. This includes assortment planning, merchandise and vendor selection, negotiation, financial planning, supply chain and inventory turn implications, advertising plans, merchandise presentation, distribution, vendor relations, and administration for assigned lines. The Senior Director Merchandising must possess leadership skills and expert-level buying, merchandising, and negotiation skills to mentor associates in overall merchandising expertise, with a proven track record of successful business results. This role must exhibit creativity and flexibility in developing market-leading selling strategies and be able to inspire and coach others in these skills.

Our people are the heart of our success, and we believe in collaboration, curiosity, and continuous learning in all that we think, create and do. We are investing in our people and our stores, empowering our people to learn, grow and deliver. Come be a part of a team that's leading the way in a new era of working and living.

Duties and Responsibilities:

· Develop team with a deep understanding of customer needs and shopping behaviors through research efforts, field feedback, and frequent live interactions on store visits. Create market-leading selling strategies leveraging presentation, pricing, promotion, and associate engagement inspired by the customer.

· Develop a realistic and effective business plan and account for strategic implications for each product line to achieve budgeted goals in sales, margin, supply chain impact including turns, and drive execution of plan. Anticipate changes and identify alternatives for driving sales in face of negative trends. Develop and approve disposition plans.

· Develop, execute, and effectively communicate to the highest levels of the company strategy for product lines taking into account cross-functional implications and guiding others in business plan execution. Review business plans to ensure plans alignment with company strategic objectives and goals.

· Choose items and vendors for product lines. Develop innovative opportunities to increase earnings, reduce costs and maximize effectiveness and stimulate this innovation in others. Expert level negotiating expected with vendors for lower total delivered cost, volume incentives, rebates, advertising and other applicable allowances. Construct and drive creative marketing programs in their category. Lead team in identifying future opportunities to meet vendor expectations that align with Staples long term goals.

· Expert level merchandising of assigned line(s) demonstrating innovation, creativity, and proven results in driving sales and profitability while ensuring service levels with minimum inventory investment and maximum gross margin. Effectively manage impact on total supply chain by leveraging knowledge of inventory turns and logistics to secure best delivered costs. Lead others in their assigned product lines. Proactively engage suppliers in supply chain improvement initiatives.

· Review and approve financial and item forecasts with Planners and supervise others in their product lines. Responsible for developing strategies to consistently deliver adjusted margin.  Collaborate with Planner and incorporate Planner in the development of financial and item forecast.

· Create and help implement new programs and partner effectively with Marketing, POG, Inventory Management, Stores, NAD and other functional areas as needed to achieve corporate goals.

· Utilize appropriate resources to gather data. Facilitate the sharing of business insights among team members and increase team productivity by proactively sharing knowledge and information.

· Interpret financial statements, total cost to serve the product, financial levers and metrics used in merchandising to understand current and future trends. Identify exceptions and seek additional information when data discrepancies are found. Help others develop financial skills for their product line (s).

· Facilitate discussions to enable teams or diverse groups to recognize and achieve common goals. Resolve communication barriers to increase productivity. Anticipate problems or issues within team.

· Demonstrate expertise in processes; identify process inefficiencies and process performance gaps. Viewed as a process expert within merchandising and within cross-functional teams. Lead team in executing best practices to their business.

· Lead others through difficult decisions. Supervise and develop Product Specialists, and all levels of Category merchants setting and managing to goals and reviewing performance regularly.  

Basic Qualifications:

· Bachelor's Degree in business or related field OR equivalent work experience.

· Minimum 12 years total experience in buying functions (buying-merchandising, planning, inventory management). Prefer experience in all functions listed. Buying, Planning, Store, and Online/Omni experience

· Previous experience supervising Product Specialists and/or Associate Buyers, required

· Strong analytical skills

Preferred Qualifications:

· Strong leadership and mentoring experience of people leaders. 

· Expert knowledge of industry trends, competition, assortment planning, planograms, customer buying patterns, inventory management, logistics and marketing techniques.

· Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of financial analysis and forecasting

· Expert negotiating skills with the highest level internally and externally.

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to influence at highest levels.

· Demonstrated ability to build strategic partnerships across the organization and with vendors at the highest levels.

· Ability to manage expectations with all levels within organization and vendors.

· Proven ability to drive sales and margin results and impact inventory productivity.

· Experience with site merchandising and understanding of key digital metrics.

· Multiple category experience

· Exhibit proactive communication; assess the need for immediate action.

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.