Senior Merchant The Senior Merchant is a senior level consumer goods specialist within a retail or wholesale business environment. This role owns the full commercial and product lifecycle of their own-brand category portfolio — from identifying market opportunity, to briefing new product, to landing it on clip strip, to developing new inline programs, to knowing when to exit it. This role is ~80% own brand and ~20% vendor-sourced, requiring someone who thinks like a product developer and acts like a merchant. Strong product instincts, trend awareness, packaging sensibility, financial acumen and analytical discipline are equally essential. While the majority of this role is focused on own-brands, there will be some interaction with vendors for buys to complement the own - brand line. This position is responsible for optimizing the overall product mix, increasing sales and gross profit margin. In addition to managing account portfolios, providing assortment plans, sales analysis and to support Jacent's retail partners.
Significant cross-functional partnership is required as this role works hands-on with cross-functional teams in sales, store operations, space and assortment, distribution and inventory management. This position is responsible for developing strategies and solutions to exceed company targets for sales and gross profit margin. Reports to the Director of Merchandise Buying. Duties & Responsibilities Trend Monitoring & Market Intelligence Continuously monitor category trends across retail, social, and competitive channels; translate signals into specific product opportunities with a clear commercial rationale
Bring the market point of view into every NPD conversation — not just what's trending, but what's winnable for Jacent's brand and price point
Attend relevant industry trade shows and conferences to evaluate industry trends, identify and source new items New Product Development Partnership & Vendor Management Partner closely with Product Development & Sourcing team on new item creation; contribute category and consumer insight to the product brief
Review samples for market fit, packaging clarity, and retail readiness; provide commercial feedback on packaging design — ensuring items are shelf-legible, brand-consistent, and priced to perform
Create briefs for the packaging strategy for brand and item clarity on all new items; partner with product to finalize
Determine when to complement the own-brand line with other vendors based on trends and speed to market; Negotiate to hit margin targets and productivity goals; Maintain vendor scorecards to manage the relationship Clip Strip Assortment Own the clip strip assortment for all categories in the portfolio — what's on the clip, at what price, for which retail accounts
Analyze and maintain category assortments including new item introductions, item replacements, item discontinuations, and pricing
Align changes to the Go To Market process
Present assortment performance and recommendations to VP Merchandising in regular business reviews
Developing New Inline Programs
Identify which own-brand categories and items have inline potential; build the commercial case for new inline programs
Partner with project managent the own-brand inline execution process — bring the product and assortment rationale; the Buyer handles the operational inline process
Work with Space & Assortment Planning on ranking, adjacency, and space rationale for own-brand inline programs Go-to-Market Execution Partner with VP Merchandising on the go-to-market process — timing, pricing, sell-in strategy, sales support materials and RSM training information
Work directly with Sales to introduce new items and build the retail account sell-in story
Support the VP Merchandising with information to support the exit process for outgoing items — communicate timelines, manage inventory rundown, coordinate with Sales Assortment & Account Management Work collaboratively with the Space Planning team to create, update and evaluate planograms
Support the management of a portfolio of accounts, representing the product point of view to retailers through collaborative analysis and recommendations
Collaborate and communicate with Customer Development and Visual Space Planning departments on account specific commodity and item opportunities based on analytical observations Pricing & Financial Management Recommend retail pricing for the category portfolio; maintain a logical pricing architecture across own-brand tiers
Drive margin growth in the business through cost negotiations and mix Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Strong product instincts, merchant intuition and a genuine curiosity about category trends and a track record of turning that curiosity into product decisions that performed commercially.
Analytically sharp — the ability to understand and analyze sales numbers, as well as use logic and analysis to identify the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches ; advanced Excel, retail math fluency, and comfort building category performance models (sell-through analysis, margin bridges). Financial acumen is essential
Packaging and presentation sensibility — this role partners directly on packaging strategy and design direction. Candidates should be able to look at packaging and quickly assess brand clarity, item communication, and shelf impact.
Ability to develop and maintain productive working partnerships, both within the company and with outside suppliers
Ability to work in a fast-paced and changing environment
Ability to multi-task and prioritize projects..
Self-motivated with critical attention to detail and deadline
Strong sense of urgency and commitment to results
Works well and thrives in a team environment as well as independently
Project management and proven leadership skills
Assortment planning Experience and Credentials Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience
8+ years' experience in consumer products related industries like retail, wholesale buying and/or food market
Demonstrated experience with own-brand or private label product and direct involvement in product development
Advanced Excel required; planogram or space planning tools a plus
Strong computer skills including proficient competence with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook
2-3 years supervisory experience
Hardlines or general merchandise experience strongly preferred