Division Merchandise Manager, Kitchen

Division Merchandise Manager, Kitchen at Kroger Co. Division Merchandise Manager, Kitchen at Kroger Co. in Portland, Oregon Posted in 11 days ago.

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Full-Time Job Description:

Are you a visionary retail leader with a passion for transforming categories and building high-performing teams? Do you thrive in fast-paced environments and know how to turn kitchen merchandising into a strategic growth engine? If so, we want you to lead our Kitchen division into its next chapter of innovation and success. What You'll Do As the Divisional Merchandising Manager for Kitchen, you'll own the strategy and execution across small appliances, cookware, food prep, food storage, bakeware, and flatware. You'll be the driving force behind assortment planning, vendor partnerships, and promotional strategy—leading with agility, insight, and a relentless focus on results. Set and execute merchandising, marketing, and vendor strategy for the Kitchen category Lead assortment selection and fashion procurement with a customer-first mindset Develop and manage large-scale budgets, driving sales and profit across divisions Build and mentor a high-performing team of buyers and planners Partner with vendors and internal teams to deliver compelling private label offerings Champion eCommerce initiatives and digital merchandising growth Analyze KPIs and P&Ls to identify opportunities and drive performance Conduct enterprise-wide store tours and participate in corporate strategy sessions What You Bring We're looking for a bar-raiser—someone who inspires others to elevate their game and sets new standards for excellence. Proven track record of transforming businesses and delivering strong KPIs Deep industry knowledge in kitchen merchandising or related retail categories Experience managing large budgets and complex vendor relationships Agile leadership style with flexibility and resilience Strong team-building and coaching capabilities Bachelor's degree in business or related field, with 6-10 years of merchandising/operations experience Responsible for setting and executing overall merchandising, marketing, assortment and vendor strategy for a GM department or sub-departments. Develop annual sub-department budget for each division; accountable for meeting sales and profit goals. Demonstrate the company's core values of respect, honesty, integrity, diversity, inclusion and safety. Minimum Bachelor's degree in business or related field, plus 6-10 years merchandise/operations manager experience; or combination of relevant education and experience Familiarity with merchandising techniques Ability to work in a fast-paced environment Accuracy/attention to detail Ability to organize/prioritize tasks/projects Familiarity with industry/technical terms and processes Proficient with Microsoft Office, Report Management and Distribution System (RMDS), and Dallas Desired Familiarity with commodity markets Experience directing/participating on project teams Work with Planners and/or DMM Planning on annual budgets for department sales and profit for each division Direct and approve selection of assortment; supervises overall fashion procurement Achieve period and annual budgets for department sales and profit; develops strategic plans, including regional plans as needed, that focus on achieving financial goals set for the company and each division Review profit and loss statements every period and submits report on period results to management; develops other recaps as needed Develop and ensure implementation of weekly, quarterly, and annual ad and sales promotion plans; reviews advertising content Develop and ensure implementation of display plans; reviews schematics and product selection Support and ensure implementation of strategic growth and corporate initiatives, including eCommerce Ensure merchandising bulletins are developed and distributed on a timely basis Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with vendors, and participate in vendor business reviews to evaluate past negotiations and terms in order to maximize sales and profit Collaborate with Product Development and Corporate Brands teams on private label items Monitor retail pricing guidelines for all items in alignment with Corporate objectives and strategy Direct and coordinates the activities of buyers; ensures deadlines are met Ensure standardization of buying processes with a focus on continuous improvement Conduct store tours across the enterprise Participate in Corporate meetings with Divisions Maintain a high level of awareness and evaluates the effectiveness of current industry trends for merchandise and merchandise presentation Maintain awareness of competitive landscape across the Enterprise Supervise and coach direct reports in the performance of their duties; complete performance reviews and provide feedback to direct reports Travel independently on a regular basis Must be able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation