Assistant Merchant

**The Job** As an **Assistant Merchant,** you are responsible for all aspects of support for a product category, including but not limited to category review support, promotional planning, show prep, retailer communication, SKU on-boarding, and maintenance and special projects as assigned. The position is designed as a support role, as well as development step in all aspects of the buying department to prepare a candidate for full category responsibility as a Merchant I. **The Assistant Merchant:** - Executes the current year plan that has been laid out by the Merchant - Is responsible for all aspects of support for a product category - Assists with teams’ responsibilities and projects, including category reviews, promotional planning processes, show preparation, retailer communication, SKU onboarding and maintenance, and special projects as assigned. - Is expected to consider enterprise (retail, EJD, international) impact with all decisions. **What you’ll do:** **Category Review** **Support** - Support merchant in all phases of category review process - Request and prepare all category analytics - Participate in all aspects of vendor meeting prep, meetings, item selection, plan-o-gram build, marketing and execution to retailers **Promotional Planning Support** - Support in organizing and securing all vendor marketing assessments - Assist in solicitation of monthly promotional items from vendors - Assist with promotional item submission forms, target pricing, correction notices and AD proofing **Retailer Communication** - Support with daily retailer customer service - Assist with communication via ACENET to relay new programs, changes or issues - Assist with Merch CARE to prep Ace Care Center for calls and e-mails related to respective category **Convention Planning Support** - Assist in selecting and inviting vendors to attend semi-annual convention - Lead prep of show materials including drop ship forms, as well as submission for Power Buys, Saving Showcase and New Arrivals - Assist in planning merchant area theme and execution for respective category **Inventory/Supply Chain Support** - Assist in diagnosing and resolving vendor service issues - Assist in inventory planning for promotional items **Systems Support** - Lead SKU on-boarding for department with respective merchandising SYSTEMS coordinator - Lead processing of department SAP price changes with respective merchandising SYSTEMS coordinator - Lead all item master data changes with article content team **Special Projects** - Lead department and cross-functional projects as assigned by DMM and merchant **What you will need:** **Knowledge, Experience, and Competencies:** ***Ace Assistant Merchant Competencies*** - ***Product passion*** *– Natural and fanatical curiosity around product and retail marketplace, demonstrated and put into action.* - ***Strategic thinking*** *– has advanced business acumen to draw insights from gathered data.* - ***Relationship Builder*** *– Builds and leverages internal / external network (vendors, retailers, cross functional team members, etc.) to drive results and improve processes.* - ***Results-oriented*** *– Ability to drive results to and above plan with full accountability, proactively shifting efforts as trends and business variables change* - ***Presentation skills*** *– Ability to plan, assemble and present with excellence strategy, execution and updates to leadership, across the organization, vendors and retailers* **Experience and Technical Requirements:** - 2+ years of business experience - Retail experience preferred - Strong problem-solving skills - Strong interpersonal skills - Understand financial measures that impacts corporation - Demonstrate strong decision-making skills - Highly creative, flexible and adaptable with good follow-through - Proven ability to multi-task projects and meet deadlines - Strong verbal and written communication skills - Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, Power Point, - Knowled…