Senior Director, Region Merchandising - GFD
Company: UNFI
Location: Providence
Posted on: April 18, 2024
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Job Description:
Job Overview:Responsible for organizing and articulating the
near and long-term strategic plans for merchandising team and
communicate the vision across the merchandising and marketing
organization. Provide leadership and direction to create sales
driving strategies, programs and events that lead to strong
Retailer sales and profit with corresponding strong sales and
profit for UNFI. Ensure the integrity and execution of
merchandising initiatives and business development plans for
categories.Job Responsibilities and
Accountabilities:Strategy:Analyze the changing retail environment
related to specific market areas; Provide leadership direction and
create plans to provide sales and profitability for region
customers and UNFI.Leverage buying power across regions to realize
cost savings and efficiencies.Maintain written goals and objectives
for all categories which support the overall budget and strategic
plans of the department. Assist direct reports in the strategic
planning process.Partner with Marketing to build strategies to
support new or existing Marketing areas to provide solutions to
customers, i.e. sales or customer building initiatives, competitive
intrusions.Category Merchandising:Maintain an on-going scheduled
category review process with the merchandising staff to include the
following:o Review of sales from the previous year and next year's
goalso Analysis of all the vendors in the categoryo Updates on
plan-o-grams to support SKU rationalization and item changes.o
Analysis of current year pricing strategy and pricing strategy for
the next yearo Review of promotional program and planning for the
next yearo Analysis of consumer purchase behavior and trendso
Ensure product freshness, proper rotation, and proper quality
control procedures.Maintain knowledge of shelf management. This
includes overseeing establishment of procedures which maintain
shelf management principles followed by the Shelf Management staff
and the vendor/broker community.Maintain understanding of the
region, cluster, and retail format pricing strategies to assist the
Retail Pricing department. This includes recommending procedures to
the Retail Pricing and assuring that the merchandising staff are
guided by established procedures.Evaluate forward buy results and
current opportunities which remain within the established
parameters for the distribution center to generate gross profit.
Communicate with the Procurement staff to maintain budgeted
inventory levels and optimum service level.Coordinate with the
Retail Marketing staff to provide a communication link with
assigned clusters of retailers; be a resource for these retailers;
and be the regional expert and a resource for other Directors of
Merchandising on assigned formats (i.e., EDLP, High/Low, Food &
Drug, etc.).Develop promotional programs with the merchandising
staff and vendors/brokers to increase retail sales and retail gross
profits.Periodically review category assignments with the
merchandising staff. Review category definitions and adjust items
within categories to fit with the changing product mix and consumer
purchase habits.Continuously work with the management of the
vendor/broker community and category managers to develop methods to
reduce logistic and administrative
expenses.Profitability/Finance:Review and sign off the P&L;
including income and expenses and can diagnose and research issues
across functions to find and correct errors in the sales and gross
for the departments. Ensure SOX compliance.Assist the merchandising
staff to negotiate actively and aggressively with vendors to ensure
the lowest cost-of-goods available and provide the most competitive
promotional programs to supplied retailers.Work with the Finance
Department to adjust wholesale fees on items and/or categories to
allow retailers to remain competitive on these items despite
cost-to-serve issues.Communicate and work cooperatively with
Enterprise Merchandising on promotions, sales events, etc. to drive
sales at retail and generate profit for UNFI.People Leadership:Set
clear goals and provide direction; build good teams and be
innovative and creative.Ensure the best talent is recruited for the
department, ensure pro-active training and development is
implemented and enhanced for all staff associates.Manage the
performance of the merchandising staff and where applicable the
procurement staff to increase department and supplied retailers
sales and profitability while carrying out region overall strategic
category management vision, inventory levels and service
levels.Assign responsibilities to direct reports in a way which
will most effectively use their merchandising skills and previous
experience.Customer Service/Relationships:Establish and maintain
cross-functional relationships with Procurement, Logistics,
Marketing, Home Office, Finance, Advertising, Company retail banner
merchandising team and across regions.Respond to and meet customer
needs, both internally and externally.Monitor the changing retail
environment to be sensitive to marketing and retailer needs. Ensure
that the merchandising staff selects new items, promoted items, and
discontinued items which best fit the current retail environment.
Includes maintaining a working relationship with division
retailers.Job Requirements:Relevant Experience, Education,
Certification, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:--Possess good
leadership skills and the ability to supervise the work of others.
Must be able to motivate and work with and through others to
achieve desires results.Possess excellent communication skills,
both verbal and written. Deals effectively with a wide variety of
people both in person and over the telephone.Requires basic
computer skills and personal computer experience, with word
processing and spreadsheet applications preferred.Requires the
analytical ability to handle administrative duties and mental
alertness to ensure accurate, safe, and thorough completion of work
activities. Possess ability to concentrate and deal with frequent
interruptions.Four year degree or equivalent experience
essential.Seven to ten years retail management and/or wholesale
merchandising management experience essentialStrong strategic
planning leadership skills essentialPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT/
DEMANDS:Most work is performed in a temperature-controlled office
environment. During part of the workday the incumbent may be moving
about the Distribution Center warehouse floor and potential hazards
exist regarding machinery such as forklifts, pallet jacks,
mechanized systems, movement of tractors and trailers,
etc.Temperatures in the warehouse may vary between 20 to 70
degrees.Noise levels in all areas are within acceptable tolerance
ranges for those specific work areas.Incumbent may sit for long
periods of time at a desk or computer terminal.Position
responsibilities requires some travel (up to 20%) during the work
week and occasional weekend travel.Incumbent will use computers,
calculators, keyboards, telephone, and other office equipment
during the workday.All qualified applicants will receive
consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age,
religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression,
national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. UNFI is
an Equal Opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive
and respectful environment for all. - M/F/Veteran/Disability.
VEVRAA Federal Contractor.
Keywords: UNFI, Attleboro , Senior Director, Region Merchandising - GFD, Accounting, Auditing , Providence, Massachusetts
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