Merchandise Manager

Merchandise Manager

The Merchandise Manager is responsible for driving the execution of merchandise strategies, category management, and product development initiatives across physical M&M'S Retail Stores globally and connected digital commerce touchpoints. Reporting directly to the Director of Merchandise and Product Development, this role translates overarching brand and retail strategies into commercially viable, engaging product assortments that elevate guest experience and maximize sales and profitability. The Merchandise Manager works in close partnership with cross-functional teams—including Planning, Design, Global Store Operations, Marketing, Digital Commerce, Sourcing, and Quality Assurance—to manage the end-to-end product lifecycle from concept brief to store shelf and digital catalog. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, passionate about product trends, highly collaborative, and skilled at translating insights into actionable product strategies that drive growth and profitability.

Key Responsibilities

Merchandise Strategy & Assortment Management

• Execute category and assortment plans across designated merchandise categories (e.g., apparel, souvenirs, novelty, seasonal collections, and M&M'S personalization) aligned with global brand standards and financial targets.
• Analyze retail KPIs, market trends, and consumer insights (including store dwell time, guest demographics, and regional preferences) to identify assortment opportunities and optimize product productivity.
• Build and maintain seasonal line sheets, product catalogs, and master assortment matrices for global store formats and digital channels.
• Communicate seasonal product strategies, line changes, and key milestones and assortment updates to internal and global stakeholders.
• Recommend pricing and promotional tactics in partnership with Planning and Finance to drive sell-through and protect gross margin.

Product Development & Sourcing Execution

• Manage day-to-day product development workflows, partnering closely with internal design teams and external vendors from initial concept brief through sample approvals, packaging, and production.
• Ensure brand integrity, product safety, and Mars quality standards across all manufactured goods and custom retail fixtures/experiences.
• Maintain critical path timelines across multiple seasonal calendars, proactively identifying supply risks and mitigating production delays.
• Support vendor relationship management, conducting cost negotiations, monitoring supplier scorecards, and ensuring compliance with Mars Responsible Sourcing standards.

Omnichannel & Store Operations Integration

• Collaborate with Visual Merchandising and Retail Operations to ensure product assortments are seamlessly integrated into store floor sets, window displays, and experiential zones (e.g., "The Big Show" installations and personalization).
• Partner with Digital Commerce to align online merchandising stories, product descriptions, photography, and digital exclusives with in-store campaigns.

Financial Tracking & Performance Analysis

• Track weekly and monthly sales, margin, inventory turn, and sell-through rates across global store locations and online storefronts.
• Conduct post-mortem assortment reviews to evaluate line performance, capture key learnings, and inform future development cycles.
• Partner with Planning to manage open-to-buy (OTB) guidelines and recommend timely markdowns or replenishment orders.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Retail Merchandising, Business Administration, Marketing, or a related discipline.
• Experience: 5–7 years of progressive experience in retail merchandising, product development, or category management—preferably within branded specialty retail, entertainment/experiential retail, or consumer goods.
• Track Record: Demonstrated success managing multi-category product lines and executing omnichannel merchandise assortments across physical and digital storefronts.

Knowledge, Skills & Competencies

• Analytical Capability: Solid foundation in retail math (margins, GMROI, markdowns, inventory turns) and the ability to turn point-of-sale (POS) data into actionable merchandising decisions.
• Project Management: Exceptional organizational and multi-tasking skills with a proven track record of managing multi-season development calendars simultaneously.
• Communication & Influence: Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills; skilled at collaborating across global and cross-functional teams.
• Brand & Creative Sensibility: Strong understanding of visual storytelling, consumer trends, and experiential retail design.
• Technical Tools: Proficiency in retail ERP/inventory systems, PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) software, advanced Microsoft Excel, and presentation tools (PowerPoint/Keynote).