Merchandise Manager, Saks.com: Saks Fifth Avenue

The Merchandise Manager is responsible for ensuring Saks Direct offers a superior customer shopping experience as a result of effective merchandising and product information strategy execution for a particular division or categories of business. The Merchandise Manager is also responsible for achieving topside sales plans and usability performance targets for the Direct division. The objectives will be met by creating compelling customer driven merchandise assortments supporting key division goals and key item focus. The Merchandise Manager is responsible for the complete lifecycle of an item, assortment, production sign off, promotion and liquidation. The Merchandise Manager will ensure timely production of product and online catalogs with accountability for complete and accurate product information including sizing charts, swatches, and copy. This position works closely with all cross-functional teams including Buyers, Creative, Editorial, Copy, IT, planning and full line teams. This position reports directly to the Director of Merchandise Operations and has management responsibility over one Merchandise Assistants.

Key Accountabilities:

Merchandise and Site Content

• Supervise and manage product placement, visibility of key items, and execution of promotions: sale events, clearance and product promotions, consistent with quarterly strategies. Attend merchandise turn-in and approval meetings; ensure proper vendor approvals are met. Complete twice-monthly review of site with Buyers to ensure approval of new product and optimize assortments.
• Create all cross-sell assignment / rules - manage creation of product pools for pertinent cross-sell suggestions. Ensure vendor constraints are functional within each category/brand.
• Product / Gift attributes - complete assortment assignment regarding end-use: Age, Gender, Vendor, Gift Occasion, and any related or required assortments by Family of Business.
• Ensure priority of items based on in-stock position prior to page publication; manage accuracy of availability messages with regard to shipment representations and our ability to deliver within stated time frames. Monitor discontinued merchandise and backorder status with Planners and Assistant Buyers
• Responsible for ensuring proper set up of all item attributes including sizing, selling features, clarity of copy, swatches and images. Responsible for publishing all items and assortments within designated area of responsibility.
• Responsible for online catalog content.
• Ensure all product databases are maintained by merchandise assistants
• Resolve all outstanding issues as defined in weekly issues meeting in a timely manner
• Execute all Navitorial or Editorial product placement - weekly monitoring of home page placement, ensure in-stock position prior to page publication
• Manage third party site merchandising - maximizing business by product placement and promotion on partner sites (i.e. portals, MSN). Work with marketing team to provide candidates for exposure on our partner sites to maximize those investments.

• Responsible for delaying items that are not validated and communicating number of items delayed to Director.
• Home page plan / execution - weekly monitoring of home page placement and monitor sales by item or category. Constant evaluation of performance and product availability. Participate in editorial content meetings to understand and ensure proper execution of editorial product placement.
• Actively participate in identifying process and/or system inefficiencies on a seasonal basis, and work with Director to develop a time and action plan to streamline process
• Ensure Merchandise Assistants meet all deadlines for catalog and web items publication
• Create new folder and brand once approved. Adhere to established folder set-up process.
• Be highly competent in all systems used for merchandise set-up, assortments, and mainframe.

• Monitor and respond to customer feedback (BizRate comments) regarding items/brands associated with area of responsibility.
• Search engine merchandising and analysis - constantly monitor the customer's view of search activity. Understand ramifications of failed search results, attribute search-ranking criteria by item and manage specific gift/product finders (Thesaurus) within areas of responsibility. Assist in the process of defining business rules for area of responsibility and maintain rules once approved.
• Thoroughly understand competitive landscape for areas of responsibility primarily focused on navigation and customer experience. Present ideas to Buyer and Director of Merchandise Operations to ensure Saks Direct is best in class in website performance and presentation.
• Monitor the size of assortments available at all relative points of category structure. Navigate products to all relevant categories, boutiques, gifts and trend locations. Make the customer experience of browsing through the store easy and convenient; limit the number of clicks required from homepage to checkout
• Responsible for responding to item issues communicated by Customer Service team. Delegate if appropriate all issues to Merchandise Assistants and ensure sense of urgency in resolving issues. Communicate resolutions to all appropriate teams.

• Create a teamwork environment with Merchandise Assistants, Buyers, Fashion Merchandising and Planning.
• Develop Merchandise Assistants with on the job training, motivate to excel and strive for maximum effectiveness.
• Demonstrate a leadership role.

Requirements Include:

• Bachelors degree required
• 2-4 years retail web merchandising or buying experience required.,
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office products (especially Excel), Access and familiarity with web-based content management software are necessary. Ability to quickly learn additional software applications
• Demonstrate a high level of initiative and be a self starter, solution seeker
• Must be extremely resourceful and enthusiastic
• Display a capacity to learn quickly and responds well to changes and opportunities
• Focus and understanding of customer needs, always place the customer first
• Possess strong verbal, written communication skills
• Proven ability to multi-task in a fast paced environment, delegate with a clearly defined responsibility and organize work well. Can be relied upon the meet schedules and deadlines.
• Devote appropriate attention to all responsibility, follow through consistently and be willing to accept ultimate responsibility; take positive action to meet growing responsibility.
• Create effective teamwork and an environment conducive to developing cross functional groups.