About This Role

The Import Merchant is a key member in executing the overall objectives of the Import Merchandise Team to grow overall import penetration and lead step change for the business. This position will drive all aspects of the assortment strategy, private label product development and execution for assigned categories. Import Merchant is responsible for all aspects of the Import assortment strategy development and execution for assigned categories. The position collaborates with their Domestic Merchant counterparts to grow import penetration and drive cost out savings through global sourcing and management of imported products. The position provides leadership within the organization via a thorough understanding of how the global manufacturing landscape impacts competitive marketplace and trends, opportunities for Ace retailers to grow via differentiated assortment and ability to articulate and drive an action plan to execute.

What You’ll Do

Strategy and Business Planning

• Work with merchant counterparts to identify opportunities within strategic planning process to grow import penetration in respective categories in terms of sales and gross profit

• Present plan to leadership for support and revisit throughout the year to report progress and shifts in execution

• Manage category growth plan for Ace and EJD while achieving SKU productivity.

• Manage multiple complex categories and execution requiring cross-functional support

• Source new items/innovations/vendors from a large global supplier base, ensuring factories are in compliance with Ace Import standards and CTPAT.

• Collaborate with quality control to ensure product quality standards are met and develop testing protocols when needed.

Category reviews

• Collaborate with domestic merchants and AGD Sourcing team to deliver cost out savings and achieve category review goals

• Determine Import vendor selection and lead negotiation and program syncs on behalf of Ace and EJD, presenting import vendors/programs

• Lead wholesale and retail assortment and merchandising aides with category management and store development

• Develop execution plan via incentives and marketing to drive adoption at retail

Import Category Departmental plans

• Develop annual cost out goals and sales targets for defined categories

• Work with finance and risk management to analyze and lower defective rate

• Support Domestic Merchants in finding items to advertise including running landed costs estimates that coincide with gross margin budgets

• Work closely with AGD Sourcing team to manage above

Promotional planning

• Plan and negotiate all promotional offers to drive awareness and increase sales

• Identify items, negotiate special pricing and terms, and present items to the promotions team for selection

• Oversee all promotional item submission forms, target pricing

Retailer communication

• Attend retailer group meetings and targeted retail store visits

• Utilize ACENET to communicate new programs, changes or issues

Convention planning

• Plan private label area theme and execution for respective category

• Select vendors to attend semi-annual convention

• Plan and execute all vendor programs

• Plan 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

Financial management

• Manage and grow wholesale product gross profit rate

• Negotiate and maintain funding or manage through gross profit based on domestic merchants’ objectives

Required Skills

The MERCHANT will be leading in the below competencies:

Ace Merchant Competencies

• Product passion – Natural and fanatical curiosity around product and retail marketplace, demonstrated and put into action. Convertible to multiple categories based on changes in responsibilities.

• Strategic thinking – Ability to envision, create and present strategy to drive disruptive wholesale and/or retail growth in category sales and profit

• Results-oriented – Ability to drive results to and above plan with full accountability, proactively shifting efforts as trends and business variables change

• Leadership – Demonstrated and active leadership across the organization, vendors and retailers as authority in respective category. Superior problem-solving skills.

• Negotiation skills – Superior negotiation skills with proven results leveraging company scale, business drivers and strategies

• 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

• 5+ years of business experience

• 2+ years managing product categories

• Regional and global brand awareness in the home maintenance industry strong plus

• Sourcing experience is a plus

• Interest and ability to build strong working relationships across cultures

• Demonstrated negotiation skills and success in growing the business

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills

• Excellent interpersonal skills

• Strong financial and business acumen

• Demonstrated strong decision-making skills

• High degree of initiative, adaptability and ability to operate independently

• Versatility to shift category responsibility as needed

• Proven ability to multi-task projects and meet deadlines

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, Power Point,

• Ability to travel 10-20% including 1-2 overseas trips per year

#LI-MS1

Compensation Details:

$98400 - $123000 Per Year

Why should you join our team?

We live our values - W.E.L.I.G.H.T (Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork). Gratitude. Humility. Love. You don’t often see values like these in most corporate statements, but Ace is different. These things are important to us. They represent our commitment to the company, our employees, to Ace retailers and to the Ace brand.

In addition to providing our employees a great culture, Ace also offers competitive benefits* that address life’s necessities and perks, many of which expand and improve year after year, including:

• Incentive opportunities, based on role/grade level (rapid company growth over the past 5 years resulted in incentives being paid out at an average of 122% of your target opportunity!)

• Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year in addition to quarterly contributions and annual discretionary contribution (once eligibility requirements have been met). Over the past 5 years, company contributions (matching, quarterly & discretionary) for fully eligible employees have averaged 9.6% of total eligible compensation

• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability – up to 26 weeks short-term disability and long-term disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents

• 21 days of vacation immediately available (prorated in the first year) and up to 6 paid holidays depending on the month of hire

• Company Car, phone and fuel card are provided for field-based positions

• Your career at Ace is more than just a job. It’s a chance to be part of something meaningful. We help locally-owned businesses thrive and make an impact in their communities – and we support our employees in doing the same by offering an annual Ace Cares Week, 20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice, opportunities to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation

• Ace invests in every employee we hire, with a key focus on development and coaching. We offer on-site classes, facilitator-led courses, and a generous tuition assistance program, plus a performance management approach that goes beyond the typical annual review

• We know the work environment matters. That’s why Ace holds frequent campus events like Employee Appreciation Week, vendor demos, cookouts, and merchandise sales

• We bring them to you! Services such as mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, recycling and more!

• Employee discounts on Ace merchandise (including top brands like Weber, Traeger, Yeti, Craftsman, DeWalt and more), travel, fitness, computers and thousands more

• Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off

• Adoption cost reimbursement

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events

• Identity theft protection

* Benefits are provided in compliance with applicable policies.

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We want to hear from you!

When most people think of career opportunities with Ace Hardware, they often think of the helpful cashiers and sales associates at their local store. However, have you also considered the people behind the scenes who select, promote, ship and process the invoices for more than 75,000 products? Maybe you haven't, but we'd like you to. Because together we help our customers take care of their homes. Come find out why a career with the Ace Hardware Corporation is one of America's best kept secrets.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Ace Hardware Corporation is committed to a policy of promoting equal employment opportunities. The company recognizes the importance of diversity and leveraging the skills and talents of all people to the mutual advantage of each individual and the organization. The company is committed to the prevention of employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability and military or veteran status, sexual orientation or any other action covered by federal or applicable state/local laws.

Disclaimer

The pay range for this position starts as listed in the job posting, but could be higher based on education and experience. Please note, compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each opening. We take into consideration the minimum requirements outlined in the job description, such as an individual’s education, training and experience, the position’s work location, required travel (if any), and external market conditions when determining the final salary for potential new hires.

Be aware that salary estimates published via alternate online job boards may not be a true representation of the actual pay range offered for this position. Please refer to the Ace position description for the accurate starting pay range information and feel free to discuss this with a Talent Acquisition professional if you are chosen to move forward with an interview.

This written “Position Description” is not intended to cover all aspects of the position listed. It is meant to cover the basic/general essential job functions of a particular position. Ace Hardware Corporation reserves the right to change job duties, including essential job functions, according to business necessity.

Want to be notified when new jobs are posted? Follow the link below to create an account and set up custom job alerts:

Create Job Alert (https://acehardware.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/jobAlerts)

Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with over 5,800 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 60 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China; and Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico. Since 1924, Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com.