Associate Category Manager

Benefits Fuel Your Growth with Love's - company funded tuition assistance Paid Time Off 401(k) – 100% Match up to 5% Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance the first of the month after 30 days Competitive Pay Career Development 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 Functions 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 Experience 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 Skills and Physical Demands 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 Fueling customers' journeys since 1964, innovation leads the way for this family-owned and operated business headquartered in Oklahoma City. With nearly 40,000 team members, travel stops are the core business along with products and services that provide value for professional drivers, fleets, traveling public, RVers, alternative energy and wholesale fuel customers. Giving back to communities and an inclusive workplace are hallmarks of the award-winning culture. Love's is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Veterans encouraged to apply. #J-18808-Ljbffr