Associate Merchant

Associate Category Merchant The Associate Merchant partners with Buyers to develop and execute merchandise strategies that drive sales, margin, and inventory productivity. This role is responsible for supporting assortment planning, vendor management, and business analysis within a specific category or department. Key Responsibilities Collaborate with Buyers to build merchandise assortments and category strategies that meet sales and profitability goals. Analyze sales performance, trends, margins, and inventory to identify risks and opportunities. Execute financial plans including sales, margin, and inventory targets; monitor variances and recommend actions. Assist in assortment planning, item selection, and pricing strategies for assigned categories. Support vendor relationships, including negotiations, product selection, and performance evaluation. Develop and execute promotional strategies and monitor results. Conduct competitive analysis by shopping stores and evaluating market trends. Provide insights to support micro‑merchandising and localization strategies. Partner with cross‑functional teams (planning, allocation, replenishment, marketing) to ensure execution. Identify replenishment opportunities and manage the lifecycle of key items. Prepare reports, forecasts, and presentations for leadership. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) preferred. 3+ years of merchandising, buying, or retail experience (or 5+ years in combined planning/allocation roles). Strong analytical skills with knowledge of retail math (sales, margin, inventory turns). Experience with assortment planning and merchandising systems. Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and retail reporting tools. Strong communication, negotiation, and decision‑making skills. Core Competencies Merchandising and product trend analysis. Financial acumen (sales, margin, inventory management). Strategic thinking and execution. Vendor management and negotiation. Cross‑functional collaboration. Customer‑focused mindset. Salary Projected Salary: $78,500–$88,500 Equal Employment Opportunity Family Dollar is an equal opportunity employer and committed to recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting qualified people of all backgrounds, and makes all employment decisions without regard to any protected status. We are committed to complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. #J-18808-Ljbffr