Assistant Merchandising Program Manager

acehardware; Oak Brook (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company Car

Phone and fuel card

Health coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Paid vacation

Job summary

Emery Jensen Distribution is seeking an Assistant Merchandising Program Manager in Illinois to support a product category across analytics, promotions, SKU onboarding and retailer communications. This role serves as a development step toward full category ownership in 2–3 years.

Responsibilities include category review support, promotional planning, vendor coordination, and inventory planning, with a strong emphasis on collaboration within a fast-paced team.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of business experience.
• Retail experience preferred.
• Strong problem-solving skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Understand financial measures that impacts corporation.
• Demonstrate strong decision-making skills.
• Passion for hardware industry and team development.
• Detail-oriented and organized self-starter in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Proactive and results-driven.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficient in Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint.
• Knowledge of PCM, SAP and guided ad-hoc reporting tools.

Responsibilities

• Execute the current year plan for the assigned category.
• Support category reviews and promotional planning processes.
• Lead vendor communications and show prep activities.
• Assist with retailer communication and SKU onboarding/maintenance.
• Support convention planning and show materials preparation.
• Assist inventory planning and resolve vendor issues.
• Lead SKU onboarding and price changes with respective teams.
• Drive cross-functional projects as assigned by Director/MPM.

Skills

Problem solving

Interpersonal skills

Financial literacy

Decision making

Communication skills

MS Office proficiency

SAP knowledge

PCM reporting tools

Autonomous/self-starter

Retail experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

SAP

PCM reporting tools

Job description

We have 2 openings for Assistant Merchandising Program Managers!

The Job

As the Assistant Merchandising Program Manager, you are responsible for all aspects of support for a product category, including but not limited to category review support, promotional planning, show prep, retailer communication, SKU on-boarding and maintenance and special projects as assigned.

The position is designed as a support role, as well as development step in all aspects of the buying department to prepare a candidate for full category responsibility as an Associate MPM in 2 – 3 years.

The Assistant MPM:

• Executes the current year plan that has been laid out by the MPM.
• Responsible for all aspects of support for a product category.
• Owns some portions team responsibilities and projects, including category reviews, promotional planning processes, show preparation, retailer communication, SKU onboarding and maintenance, and special projects as assigned.
• Expected to consider sales team impacts of all decisions.

What you will do…

Category Review Support

• Support MPM in all phases of category review process
• Request and prepare all category analytics
• Participate in all aspects of vendor meeting prep, meetings, item selection, plan-o-gram build, marketing and execution to retailers

Promotional Planning Support

• Support in organizing and securing all vendor promotional discounts
• Assist in solicitation of monthly promotional items from vendors

Retailer Communication

• Support with daily retailer customer service
• Assist with communication via EJD Portal & M.A.S.T. to relay new programs, changes, or issues
• Assist with EJD Customer Care for calls and e-mails related to respective category

Convention Planning Support

• Assist in selecting and inviting vendors to attend semi-annual convention
• Lead prep of show materials including drop ship forms, as well as submission for Power Buys, Saving Showcase and New Arrivals
• Assist in planning Merch area theme and execution for respective category

Inventory/Supply Chain Support

• Assist in diagnosing and resolving vendor service issues
• Assist in inventory planning for promotional items

Systems Support

• Lead SKU on-boarding for department with respective merchandising SYSTEMS coordinator
• Lead processing of channel and customer price changes with EJD Pricing Team
• Lead all item master data changes with article content team

Special Projects

• Lead department and cross-functional projects as assigned by Director and MPM

What you need to succeed…

• 2+ years of business experience
• Retail experience preferred
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Understand financial measures that impacts corporation
• Demonstrate strong decision-making skills
• Passion for people and hardware industry: understanding of EJD customers, channels, and opportunity by geography and commitment to and interest in team member development
• Detail-oriented and extremely organized self-starter able to thrive is a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment.
• Proven ability to manage multiple tasks, solve problems and meet deadlines.
• Proactive and has the desire to succeed.
• Proven ability to work autonomously and accomplish objectives
• Highly creative, flexible and adaptable with good follow-through
• Proven ability to multi-task projects and meet deadlines
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, Power Point,
• Knowledge of PCM, SAP and guided Ad-hoc reporting tools

Compensation Details:

$75000 - $85000

Why should you join our team?

We live our values - W.E.L.I.G.H.T (Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork). Gratitude. Humility. Love. You don’t often see values like these in most corporate statements, but Emery Jensen is different. These things are important to us. They represent our commitment to the company, our employees, our retailers and our brand.

In addition to providing our employees a great culture, Emery Jensen also offers competitive benefits* that address life’s necessities and perks, many of which expand and improve year after year, including:

• Incentive opportunities, based on role/grade level (rapid company growth over the past 2 years resulted in incentives being paid out above 116.96% of your target opportunity!)
• Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year, in addition to an annual discretionary contribution (once eligibility requirements have been met). Over the past five years, company contributions (matching & discretionary) for fully eligible employees have averaged 6.6% of total compensation.
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability – up to 26 weeks short-term disability and long-term disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents
• 21 days of vacation immediately available (prorated in the first year) and up to 6 paid holidays depending on the month of hire
• Company Car, phone and fuel card are provided for field-based positions
• Your career at Emery Jensen is more than just a job. It’s a chance to be part of something meaningful. We help locally‑owned businesses thrive and make an impact in their communities – and we support our employees in doing the same by offering an annual Cares Week, 20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice, opportunities to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation
• Emery Jensen invests in every employee we hire, with a key focus on development and coaching. We offer on‑site classes, facilitator‑led courses, and a generous tuition assistance program, plus a performance management approach that goes beyond the typical annual review
• We know the work environment matters. That’s why we hold frequent campus events like Employee Appreciation Week, vendor demos, cookouts, and merchandise sales
• We bring them to you! Services such as mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, recycling and more!
• Employee discounts on Ace merchandise (including top brands like Weber, Traeger, Yeti, Craftsman, DeWalt and more), travel, fitness, computers and thousands more
• Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off
• Adoption cost reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events
• Identity theft protection

* Benefits are provided in compliance with applicable policies.

We want to hear from you!

Emery Jensen delivers wholesale products and best‑in‑class service to independent retailers in the Pro Lumber Yards, Home Centers, Paint, Hardware Stores, Decorating Stores, and E‑retailer space. Our goal is to support sustainable and profitable growth for our customers by offering the broadest assortments, best pricing, and most knowledgeable team. We have national scale, a regional focus and the commitment to serve our customers and support each other. Come find out why a career with Emery Jensen is right for you.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Emery Jensen is committed to a policy of promoting equal employment opportunities. The company recognizes the importance of diversity and leveraging the skills and talents of all people to the mutual advantage of each individual and the organization. The company is committed to the prevention of employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability and military or veteran status, sexual orientation or any other action covered by federal or applicable state/local laws.

Disclaimer

The pay range for this position starts as listed in the job posting, but could be higher based on education and experience. Please note, compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each opening. We take into consideration the minimum requirements outlined in the job description, such as an individual’s education, training and experience, the position’s work location, required travel (if any), and external market conditions when determining the final salary for potential new hires.

Be aware that salary estimates published via alternate online job boards may not be a true representation of the actual pay range offered for this position. Please refer to the Emery Jensen Distribution position description for the accurate starting pay range information and feel free to discuss this with a Talent Acquisition professional if you are chosen to move forward with an interview.

This written “Position Description” is not intended to cover all aspects of the position listed. It is meant to cover the basic/general essential job functions of a particular position. Emery Jensen Distribution reserves the right to change job duties, including essential job functions, according to business necessity.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.