Merchandising Specialist

Work Location Type: Hybrid 

As a leading industrial distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom, We Keep The World Working® by serving more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with products delivered through innovative technology and deep customer relationships. With 2023 sales of $16.5 billion, we’re dedicated to providing value for customers, fostering an engaging culture for team members and driving strong financial results.

Our welcoming workplace enables you to learn, grow and make a difference by keeping businesses running and their people safe. We’re looking for passionate people to join our team as we continue leading the industry over our next 100 years.

Position Summary: 

This role supports the Supplier & Merchandising Operations Manager to achieve sales, profits and customer acquisition goals across multiple product categories which range from $50M-$100M in revenue.  The analyst is responsible for supporting coordination and communication with all internal stakeholders for any assortment, category, or merchandising discussions on a periodic (monthly/quarterly) cadence. This role will also collaborate with the supplier management to drive best in class supplier relationships.

Job Responsibilities (You Will): 

Ensure Grainger has the best product assortment for our customers at the best cost.
Implement assortment and merchandising changes in Grainger systems. Provide analytical support as needed (category performance, returns analysis, VOC reporting, etc.)

• Work with the Merchandising Managers to manage category maintenance activities such as discontinuations, replacements, linking alternates, responding to service opportunities.
• Partner with Merchandising Manager to build and implement the category strategy by providing structured data-driven analyses.
• Collaborate with business partners in Product Information, Search, and Publishing to optimize online content
• Establish and track category performance analysis and identifying trends and keeping merchandising manager informed of any developments.
• Leverage analytics and technical product knowledge to recommend assortment changes and execute the addition of new items to e-commerce publications.
• Participate on cross-functional teams and projects where appropriate to ensure Merchandising processes, concerns, and business issues are properly addressed for increased productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction/service.
• Coordinate needed communications with internal stakeholder regarding portfolio changes.

Support efforts to help improve supplier relationships with Grainger and make it easier for suppliers to do business with Grainger. 

• Collaborate with partners in Product Information, Search, and Publishing to optimize online content.
• Examples include issues relating to customer/product warranties, pricing, hazardous materials, and regulatory issues.
• Establish and track category performance analysis and identifying trends and keeping merchandising manager informed of any developments.
• Perform to operational maintenance processes and support continuous improvement initiatives that are designed to keep our assortment and merchandised presentation relevant, accurate, and up to date.
• Participate on cross-functional teams and projects where appropriate to ensure Merchandising processes, concerns, and business issues are properly addressed for increased productivity, quality, and customer satisfaction/service

Education/Experience (You Have): 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, Master’s Preferred (or willing to pursue)
• 2+ years business experience years of related ecommerce, product merchandising, or product management experience
• Advance Excel, power point, project management knowledge
• Critical thinking, receptive, adaptable, curious, and passionate
• Must understand Company’s business direction, customer requirements, supply management-marketing strategy, and demand generation fulfillment process.
• Proven ability to drive and demonstrate results financially, strategically, and managerially.
• Possesses a clear understanding of suppliers, customers, Grainger’s strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Ability to apply visionary thought process in order to construct executable plans.
• Experience analyzing large amounts of data to determine insights and facilitate decision-making.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment.
• Strong systemic thinking and problem solving skills.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
• Strong communication skills, detail orientation, and business acumen

Work Environment:  

Travel both domestically and internationally is required at all times. Up to 10% of the time can be dedicated to travel.

Impact:

• Responsible to support the merchandising manager in delivering business goals across the category portfolio of Grainger’s.
• Responsible to support the improvement of the Graigner.ca website.
• Responsible for working with product information team to improve customer buying experience.

Working Relationships:

External:

• Suppliers: Promote Grainger, share direction, manage assets and determine levels of supplier’s commitment to secure and/or advance our position in the market.
• Industry peers: to ensure best in class processes and digital practices are introduced across Grainger           

Internal:

• Product Information: collaborate to establish a clear product information needs to support digital strategy
• Sales and Services and branch: Supports selling efforts of the sales and branch organizations through existing and new products.
• Finance: Conducts profitability of product lines using financial tools. Participates with Accounts Payable and Cost Accounting in managing and improving transactions with suppliers.

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Grainger is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.