Buyer, Senior (Full-time)

Full-Time Position | In Office 5 days-a-week | Golden Valley, MN
Aperture Pet & Life is a leading manufacturer, online retailer, and distributor serving the pet industry with a focus on aquatic products and solutions. Through trusted brands including AquaIllumination, Bulk Reef Supply, EcoTech Marine, Neptune Systems, and more, we engineer and manufacture innovative aquarium technology in the USA while providing the products, educational resources, and expert support that help aquarists create thriving aquatic ecosystems through the industrys leading online retailer.
Our team is united by a passion for helping our customers succeed. By bringing together diverse skills, perspectives, and a shared commitment to our customers, we foster a culture where innovation and continuous improvement drive meaningful results.
We're looking for a Senior Buyer to join our team onsite in Golden Valley, MN. The Senior Buyer is responsible for leading category merchandising for assigned product categories by developing and executing merchandising strategies that drive sales, profitability, and customer satisfaction. This role owns the full category lifecycle, including assortment planning, purchasing, vendor management, pricing, inventory optimization, and product lifecycle management.
Success in this role requires balancing customer needs, business performance, and vendor partnerships to deliver long-term category growth.
Category Management & Strategy: Own and develop merchandising strategies for assigned product categories to drive sales, profitability, and customer satisfaction. Own the financial performance of assigned categories, including sales growth, gross margin, inventory productivity, and profitability. Manage category performance through assortment planning, product lifecycle management, and continuous optimization. Identify opportunities for category expansion, product rationalization, and innovation based on customer demand and market trends. Build and maintain strategic partnerships with domestic and international suppliers. Lead negotiations for pricing, rebates, freight programs, promotional funding, payment terms, and annual business agreements. Conduct regular business reviews with key vendor partners to evaluate performance and identify growth opportunities. Purchasing & Inventory Management: Forecast inventory requirements and manage purchasing to support customer demand while maintaining healthy inventory levels. Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to improve inventory turns, reduce stockouts, and minimize excess inventory. Monitor supplier lead times, fill rates, and purchasing performance.
Merchandising & Pricing: Plan promotional calendars, product launches, and merchandising initiatives in collaboration with the Marketing team. Recommend promotional opportunities based on sales performance and market conditions.
Analyze category performance through sales, margin, inventory turns, GMROI, forecasting, and profitability metrics. Utilize reporting tools and data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities. Present recommendations and action plans to leadership based on business performance.
Product & Data Management: Oversee the complete product lifecycle, including new product onboarding, ERP setup, product updates, and SKU discontinuation. Ensure product, pricing, vendor, and inventory data remains accurate across all systems. Maintain product information and merchandising content that supports the customer experience.
Market Intelligence: Monitor industry trends, competitive activity, customer insights, and emerging technologies. Identify new brands, products, and market opportunities that strengthen Aperture's competitive position. Recommend assortment enhancements based on market research and customer feedback.
Partner with Marketing, Sales, Operations, Product Development, Customer Service, and eCommerce teams to execute category initiatives. Contribute to continuous improvement efforts that enhance merchandising processes and operational efficiency.
As a member of the Merchandising team, you'll help shape the future of some of the most respected brands in the aquarium industry while supporting one of the industry's leading retailers and distribution networks. You'll collaborate with passionate professionals across Marketing, Sales, Operations, Product Development, eCommerce, and Supply Chain to develop category strategies that drive growth, strengthen vendor partnerships, and deliver exceptional customer experiences.
In this role, you'll influence product assortment, vendor relationships, pricing strategies, promotional planning, inventory optimization, and new product launches across a diverse portfolio of industry-leading brands. You'll work closely with both internal brand teams and external manufacturing partners to bring innovative products to market and ensure our customers have access to the best solutions available.
If you're passionate about combining data-driven decision-making with strategic merchandising, building strong supplier partnerships, and making a measurable impact on a fast-growing global organization, you'll thrive on our team.
Collaborative team player with excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (PivotTables, XLOOKUP, and data analysis); proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain Management, Merchandising, Marketing, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

• 5+ years of progressive experience in buying, category management, and merchandising, preferably within retail or eCommerce.
• Proven experience developing and executing category strategies that drive sales, profitability, and inventory performance.
• Experience analyzing sales performance, gross margin, inventory turns, GMROI, forecasting, and other merchandising KPIs to make data-driven business decisions.
• Experience forecasting demand and partnering with inventory planning or supply chain teams to optimize inventory levels and improve product availability.
• On-site position based at the Aperture LLC office in Minnesota.