Area Merchandising Manager - WM

Job Description

Job Description

Summary: Do you like working outside? Do you enjoy plants?  Would you like to work with the industry leader in Garden Center service and innovation? Then read the description below and apply immediately!   

Altman Plants is the world’s #1 supplier of cactus and succulents, and we grow an amazing assortment of annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Manage our merchandising team as they merchandise our plants in big box retail stores following our established standards. Managing includes scheduling, performance reviews and corrections, and more. Manage the team as they unload our fresh plants onto tables or bench displays in our customers’ garden centers.  Preparing displays consists of culling non-sellable plants and consolidating existing products to make room for fresh plants. We make garden centers beautiful every day!

Primary duties include:

• Provide leadership and oversee the performance of merchandising teams in assigned area 
• Recruit, hire, train, motivate, discipline, and otherwise support and hold accountable our merchandising teams
• Implement and improve training guidelines and methods 
• Incorporate store walks and reviews as regular documented processes
• Plan and host conference calls and meetings on a regular basis to ensure communication around our business needs are thoroughly understood by the team
• Ensure consistent execution and communication of programs and procedures
• Contribute to new strategies in merchandising
• Accomplish sales and inventory management goals in coordination with account managers 
• Be aware of order flow and team activity while using data to help drive decision making
• Communicate regularly with sales account management and operations teams
• Develop productive relationships with key customers’ operational management teams and merchandising management teams  
• Promote our efforts throughout the customer chain
• Relate professionally with vendor partners 
• Support inventory allocation on a regular basis in coordination with account managers, replenishment teams, and availability teams
• Budgeting duties including creating a yearly budget in collaboration with the regional management team, managing merchandiser hours and other resource allocation decisions 
• Identify and implement ways to increase effectiveness and efficiency
• Provide and help collect qualified feedback on production planning from the merchandising team
• Ensure safe working practices are always prioritized and all safety guidelines are adhered to 
• Create team service schedules to meet our customers’ needs and ensure team members are punctual in following the schedule and applicable guidelines
• Provide corrective action and progressive discipline when company standards are not met – hold teams accountable for meeting company standards and expectations
• Communicate regularly and work closely with the Regional Manager to define goals and objectives, keeping them updated regularly on all aspects of our business
• Build team cohesion and positively influence individual behavior
• Identify potential and develop talent at each level of the merchandising team to promote employee growth and effectiveness
• Follow all company SOPs
• Be a leader within the organization
• Complete administrative tasks timely and correctly
• Use cell phone regularly for clock-in & clock-out, store check-in & check-out, taking and sharing photos, completing tasks assigned through mobile apps, texting, calling, emailing, and other job-related tasks functions

Secondary duties include:

• Work closely with store associates and store management to ensure the garden centers in your assigned stores are maintained according to company standards – fresh, clean, and ready for business every day
• Work closely with our Altman Plants merchandisers and Altman Plants supervisors to ensure garden centers are beautiful and ready for business every day in assigned stores
• Provide feedback and inventory updates to our internal teams
• Ensure all plants are merchandised and empty delivery racks are removed from the sales floor/retail area
• Ensure plants and displays have a well maintained, sales-ready appearance daily
• Ensure all product is rotated, merchandised, and signed with prices and available signage as applicable
• Cull and properly dispose of “non-sellable” plants on a consistent basis
• Complete inventory cycle counts as requested
• Enter inventory adjustments as plants are culled
• Assist with resets, building displays, and special events at stores
• Sweep and clean around all displays and after all resets and display builds
• Keep work areas clean and safe
• Work in a safe manner following all safety guidelines, with safe lifting and safe use of equipment as high priorities 
• May be required to use tools such as pallet jacks, pruners, ladders, brooms, dust pans, hoses, scissors, pruning shears, box cutters, and more
• Clock in and out responsibly and in accordance with company policies and guidelines
• May assist in areas outside of assigned area
• May be required to work varying schedules, including weekends and some holidays
• Adhere to ALL company policies and procedures
• Execute tasks as instructed by supervisors and managers
• Must have reliable transportation to and from all assigned stores
• Demonstrate honesty and responsibility while using applications which record time and attendance, task completion, and or mileage tracking
• Be responsive to phone calls, texts, and other communications
• Work cooperatively and professionally with all vendors and retail associates
• Report to work on time and follow given schedule
• Collaborate effectively with Human Resources to resolve personnel concerns

Competencies: To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies.

• Ability to resolve conflicts calmly and effectively 
• Provide direction and advice effectively
• Is a calming influence in a crisis
• Always maintain professional appearance and demeanor
• Stay motivated to drive sales and service performance 
• Bring positive outlook and attitude 
• Welcome teamwork
• Demonstrate attention to detail
• Identify and solve problems in a timely manner
• Respond promptly to communications and requests
• Keep commitments
• Promote quality and accuracy
• Follow Policies and Procedures
• Complete tasks correctly and on time
• Look for ways to promote and improve quality
• Apply feedback to improve performance
• Observe safety and security procedures
• Report potential unsafe conditions
• Follow instructions and direction
• Foster cooperative communication with customers and employees
• Maintain a professional demeanor and appearance

Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/ or ability required. 

Language Skills: Must be able to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals.  Must have the ability to write simple instructions, and to communicate.

Mathematical Skills: Ability to calculate simple math such as adding, subtracting, and multiplying. 

Technological Skills: Basic competence working with Excel, Word, Power Point, and PDF

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand, walk, carry, push, pull; use hands to handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms.   The employee will be required to have fine dexterity and motor skills. The employee may be frequently required to lift, carry, push and or move up to 50 pounds with or without assistance. May occasionally lift, carry, push, pull or move from 51 to 100 pounds with or without assistance either via another person or mechanical assistance.  The employee will be required to frequently kneel, stoop, bend and stand for long periods of time. The employee is occasionally required to sit. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision and ability to adjust focus. 

Work Environment: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to work in an outside environment to include dust, soil, heat, cold, sun, rain and various other elements and potentially difficult environmental conditions. The employee must be able to tolerate these conditions.   The employee will also be regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts. The employee will occasionally be exposed 

to fumes, chemicals or airborne particles and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in this work environment is usually moderate. The employee may be subject to irregular work schedules.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position includes direct supervisory responsibility for team performance, staffing, and compliance, with supervisory and managerial responsibilities constituting the primary function of the role.