Associate Category Merchant

Quill; Lincolnshire (IL); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Inclusive culture with BRGs

Flexible PTO 22 days

Online and Retail Discounts

401(k) matching

Wellness programs

Job summary

Quill in Lincolnshire, IL seeks an Associate Category Merchant to shape and grow assigned product lines, manage product-line P&L, and partner across merchandising, pricing, analytics, marketing, eCommerce, and sales for strong online shopping experiences.

You will apply financial analysis, vendor collaboration, assortment planning, and promotional execution to drive sales and margin while negotiating with vendors and translating insights into strategic decisions.

Qualifications

• 3+ years in buying-related functions (merchandising, buying, planning, inventory management, marketing, or sales).
• Experience with online merchandising strategies.
• Proficiency with Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to develop and manipulate spreadsheets.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic business plans for assigned product lines.
• Manage product lifecycle including assortment planning and vendor negotiation.
• Collaborate with teams to drive sales, margin, and differentiation.
• Support promotions and plan key product promotions to drive traffic.
• Interpret financial reports to guide product-line decisions.
• Develop pricing strategies with the Pricing team.

Skills

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or equivalent work experience

Tools

Access

Power BI

Jira

Bloomreach

Job description

Quill is a valuable part of the Staples family of brands. Since 1956, Quill has held its position as a leader in office supplies.

Acquired by Staples in 1998, Quill delivers the essential services, solutions, and award-winning customer support to help our customers – and our people – thrive. When you partner with Quill, as a customer or as an associate, every workday is more rewarding.

Quill is seeking an Associate Category Merchant to help shape and grow assigned product lines. In this role, you will manage the product-line P&L and partner across merchandising, pricing, analytics, marketing, eCommerce, customer relations, and sales to support sales and margin goals. You will combine financial analysis, customer insights, vendor collaboration, assortment planning, and promotional execution to create a strong online shopping experience.

What you will be doing:

• Develop and execute strategic business plans for assigned product lines that align with company objectives.
• Manage the product lifecycle, including assortment planning, vendor selection, negotiation, financial planning, inventory management, and merchandise presentation.
• Partner with merchandising leadership to implement strategies that drive sales, margin, and competitive differentiation.
• Collaborate across teams to improve the online shopping experience using customer insights, data, and digital selling tools.
• Support promotional go-to-market strategies and plan key product promotions to increase traffic and incremental sales and margin.
• Negotiate with vendors to secure cooperative funding and favorable terms.
• Monitor market trends, customer buying patterns, and internal financial data to identify opportunities and risks.
• Interpret financial reports and communicate insights that support informed product-line decisions.
• Develop product-line pricing strategies in partnership with the Pricing team.
• Provide clear direction across project teams and share business insights and product knowledge.

What You Bring to the Table:

• Knowledge of industry trends, assortment planning, customer buying patterns, inventory management, logistics, and marketing techniques.
• Strong data analysis and interpretation skills, with the ability to translate insights into informed business decisions.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage priorities effectively, and stay organized in a detail-oriented environment.
• Creative, continuous-improvement mindset with the ability to assess and simplify processes and workflows.

What’s needed: Basic Qualifications:

• 3+ years of experience in buying-related functions, including merchandising, buying, planning, inventory management, marketing, or sales.
• Experience with online merchandising strategies and practices.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, including the ability to develop and manipulate spreadsheets.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or equivalent work experience.
• Experience working in an online retail environment.
• Experience with Access, Power BI, Jira, Bloomreach, or related tools.
• Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to collaborate effectively across teams.

We Offer:

• Inclusive culture with associate-led Business Resource Groups
• Flexible PTO (22 days) and Holiday Schedule (7 observed paid holidays)
• Online and Retail Discounts, Company Match 401(k), Physical and Mental Health Wellness programs, and more!

The salary range represents the expected compensation for this role at the time of posting. The specific base pay may be influenced by a variety of factors to include the candidate's experience, skill set, education, geography, business considerations, and internal equity. In addition to base pay, this role may be eligible for bonuses, or other forms of variable compensation.