Merchant

Be a part of the GROWING workforce at Oriental Trading Company, a Berkshire Hathaway Company!

Recognized as a Top 50 Internet and a Top 50 Catalog Retailer, we promote fun in how we take care of our employees, empower our employees to take care of our customers, and trust our customers to take care of spreading the word. Everything else simply takes care of itself.

General Summary of Purpose:

• As our Merchant, you will be responsible for partnering with the Divisional Merchandise Manager (DMM) to establish the business strategy for assigned customer solution. Specific responsibilities include financial planning, bottom line profit and loss, development of new product, evaluation of existing line for assigned customer solution and achieves all assigned financial goals and objectives. Partner with other departmental teams including Merch Planning, Sourcing, Product Design, Marketing, E Commerce, Creative, Personalization, Inventory and Corporate Communications.

Essential Functions:

• In conjunction with Divisional Merchandising Manager, manage customer solutions and builds top down merchandising plans by customer needs, market position/trends, historical product & category performance, business goals.
• Under direction of manager, present, communicate and advocate strategic goals to cross functional departments and executive staff.
• With direction of manager, develop analysis of brand/customer performance in order to proactively respond to the customer need and achieve company objectives
• Analyze market intelligence by means of supplier and industry contacts, merchandise shows and trade periodicals, and review of competitive retailers and direct marketers, and then strategize with manager to benchmark current customer solutions against current market trends and pricing strategies.
• Research and build merchandising plans for solution(s) and collaborates with Marketing, E-Comm & Creative teams to execute plans.
• Manage item selection by assigned offer, catalog pagination, merchandise Website landing page layouts, homepage rotations, email campaigns, and other identified sales opportunities that meet the marketing, merchandising and brand objectives of the company; provides merchandise assortment input that continually increases company revenues and profitability, and achieves all assigned brand financial goals and objectives.
• Communicate assortment plans and financial objectives with Inventory to achieve all department and category inventory goals including fill rates, turn ratios, average days on backorder and Open-to-Buy (OTB) management, and Sourcing to achieve the best profitability for company
• Manage all vendor relationships and negotiates with Sourcing regarding COGS and rebate programs.
• Establish pricing strategies and manage product price points for new items to maximize sell-through and profitability achieving all established margin objectives.
• Partner with Product Design to identify upcoming trends within brands and customer segments to build product line and strengthen customer solution; approves all artwork and product specifications.
• Partner with Sourcing to approve new item samples.
• Partner with Creative to develop catalog pagination/mock-ups and content.
• Approve photography, headlines, front and back covers, and general page layout maintaining customer solution focus. Review and approve changes made by Associate and Assistant Buyers in E-Book & Soft Proofing processes for overall presentation & content and makes necessary changes to remove and replace items in offers.
• Partner with Marketing to develop contact strategy, budgets and promotions; communicates and reinforces customer solutions for all marketing decisions and reviews business cross-functionally on a quarterly basis.
• Partner with E-Commerce to provide direction for web navigation, homepage rotations, landing pages, email campaigns, web content, social media networking and seasonal promotions.
• Partner with Pricing Analyst to identify promo pricing opportunities within solutions and reviews assigned Departments to implement price changes as needed to maximize sell-through and profitability, achieving all established margin objectives.
• Determine and execute item level flagging for each brand within their assigned solution(s). Develop alternatives to increase sales and extend sales performance while optimizing underperforming products by reducing or removing medias.
• Develop and maintain (AS400, GUI) product specifications. Ensure product line conforms to all legal/regulatory requirements and doesn't infringe on any copyright or trade dress standards.
• Handle processing new item set-up within PIM.
• Handle processing, confirming and coordinating changes or modifications with
• domestic Suppliers
• Exceptional ability to bridge and enhance cooperative working relationships, both
• internally and externally.
• Develop and propose process and procedural changes which will improve operation of the department and corporation. Participates fully in initiatives such as MAPS & PIM and provides training support to others.
• Develop supervisory skills by coaching and mentoring the Associate and Assistant Merchants to achieve their objectives.
• Manage and supervise daily tasks of departmental Interns.

Here's what you need to join the fun:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Merchandising or Business or equivalent work experience is preferred
• Five plus years related experience and/or training or equivalent combination of education and experience is preferred
• Ability to analyze quantitative data
• Acute sense of brand, customer and trend awareness
• Achievement oriented with demonstrated leadership potential
• Exceptional ability to bridge and enhance cooperative working relations, both internally and externally.
• Strong communication, presentation, negotiating and influencing skills.
• Ability to lead, manage and develop team members toward personal, department and organizational goals
• Ability to drive focus, set priorities and remain flexible in an on-going changing environment
• Possess a proven track record of merchandising business management, success and growth
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, and Access
• Ability to perform the job in a safe manner
• Ability to walk, sit, and stand, for short and extended periods of time

To apply in less than ten minutes click the "Apply" button or view a complete list of our current openings at http://www.myotccareer.com

So grab this opportunity and transform the "daily grind" into a thriving career, where fun is all in a day's work!

Oriental Trading Company, a Berkshire Hathaway Company (http://www.orientaltrading.com), the nation's leading direct marketer of value-priced novelties, toys and party supplies welcomes talented, motivated people who want to build a meaningful career and Make The World More Fun!

EOE