Associate Category Manager

Welcome to Love's : The Associate Merchant is responsible for overseeing assigned categories and selecting and purchasing products that align with the company's sales strategy and customer preferences. This role involves analyzing market trends, forecasting demand, negotiating with suppliers, and managing inventory to ensure optimal stock levels and profitability. The Associate Merchant aims to deliver a compelling product assortment that drives sales, enhances customer satisfaction, and supports the overall business objectives.

Job Responsibilities:

• Act as the category manager and buyer for assigned categories.

• Support the development, planning, and implementation of strategic plans for given categories.

• Leverage data and resources to make informed product-level and category-level decisions. Regularly review data to measure impacts of implemented strategies.

• Deploy tests (product, fixture, vendor, distribution, etc.) and measure success metrics.

• Strategize, manage, support private brand consumable products.

• Support the development of the 4 P's of Marketing for given categories (product, place, price, promotion).

• Support the development of a set review process/Joint Business Planning Process (JBP)/LAB (yearly planning) for the merchandising department.

• Responsible for providing year-over-year growth and for exceeding budget and P&L goals.

• Build collaborative relationships with cross-functional team individual contributors. Partner with marketing, support, and operations teams to ensure seamless execution of merchandising strategies and campaigns.

• Evaluate and select vendors based on performance metrics, quality standards, and cost-effectiveness. Own relationships of lower volume vendors, keeping the Supervisor/Manager informed of recent developments, challenges, support needed.

• Prepare reports and presentations for senior management, highlighting key performance indicators, trends, and recommendations.

• Other duties as needed or assigned

Preferred Skills and Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, merchandising, fashion merchandising or a related field is preferred

• 2+ years in retail merchandise buying is required.

• Experience working as a merchant, retail buyer, category manager, and or retail merchandising planner is preferred.

• Experience managing vendor relations, 3rd party suppliers, distributors required.

• Experience supervising a team is preferred.

• Rebate and accounts receivable experience is a plus.

• SAP, back office systems experience is a plus.

• Convenience Store buyer experience is a plus.

• Retail product and brand development experience is ideal.

• Hard skills: Knowledgeable and proficient within Microsoft Office programs (Excel, PowerPoint etc), Data Tools. Proficiency in MS Excel and PowerPoint is required.

• Soft Skills: As a buyer and category manager good written and verbal communications skills are a must. As well as, having strong analytical skills, attention to detail, self-motivation, and ability to work in a fast-paced changing environment.

Work Environment: This full time position is located at Love's Corporate Headquarters in Oklahoma City . This is an in-office/onsite position.

Our Culture:

Love's has been fueling journeys since 1964. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, we operate 650+ locations in 42 states across our family of companies. We're committed to innovation, inclusion & belonging, and making a positive impact in the communities we serve. Come see why Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores was recognized by Indeed as the winner of the Better Work Award in 2023.

Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Veterans encouraged to apply.

Love's Family of Companies:

• Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, the leading travel stop network

• Gemini Motor Transport, one of the industry's safest transportation companies

• Musket Corporation, a Houston-based commodity supply, trading and logistics expert

• Love's Alternative Energy, a Houston-based leading provider of alternative fueling solutions

• Love's Truck Care, the largest oil change, preventive maintenance and total truck care network

EOE-Protected Veterans/Disability