Buyer III

Jobtailor; Kentucky; On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor is seeking a strategic Merchandising Director to shape merchandise assortments and lifecycle strategies for jewelry categories. You will collaborate across marketing, sourcing, and finance to drive profitable growth and ensure quality, value, and on-trend styling.

You will lead vendor negotiations, develop new concepts, and manage lifecycle from idea to clearance while mentoring direct reports. This role emphasizes cross-functional leadership and market-driven planning in a dynamic

Qualifications

• Up-to-date knowledge of jewelry market trends and competitive strategies.
• Ability to adjust quickly to changing market trends, conditions, priorities, and corporate strategies.
• Ability to develop, select, test, price, and acquire quality merchandise.
• Ability to develop and manage product concepts, brands, assortments, and lifecycle strategies.
• Ability to negotiate with vendors on purchasing agreements, product returns, contracts, factory selection, and costs.
• Ability to collaborate with marketing, visual display, advertising, sourcing, inventory, and financial planning teams.
• Ability to present and justify category, catalog, and promotional plans to senior leadership.
• Ability to oversee training and career development for direct reports.

Responsibilities

• Develop merchandise assortments and strategies to drive profitable category sales and productivity while ensuring product value, quality, and styling.
• Set and adjust the strategic vision for designated categories based on market trends, business reviews, priorities, and corporate strategies.
• Participate in financial planning and advertising/marketing plans.
• Present business reviews to leadership.
• Manage vendor relationships and develop strong vendor partnerships.
• Oversee training and career development for direct reports and contribute to broader team development.
• Develop, select, test, price, and acquire merchandise.
• Develop new product concepts and brands for test markets and potential store rollout.
• Drive lifecycle management from idea inception through clearance and end of life.
• Coordinate with Inventory Analysts to maintain proper in-stock levels.
• Co-manage merchandising assortments for e-commerce websites.
• Negotiate product returns, annual purchasing agreements, and vendor contracts.
• Coordinate with marketing, visual display, and advertising departments.
• Merchandise marketing-channel items and present promotional items to merchandise directors and vice presidents.
• Partner with Sourcing on factory selection and cost negotiation.
• Partner with Financial Planning on open-to-buy planning.
• Assist with vendor performance, late-order, and quality-control issues.

Skills

Merchandise Assortment Development

Vendor Negotiation

Market Trend Analysis

Product Lifecycle Management

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Leadership

Job description

• Develop merchandise assortments and strategies to drive profitable category sales and productivity while ensuring product value, quality, and styling
• Set and adjust the strategic vision for designated categories based on market trends, business reviews, priorities, and corporate strategies
• Participate in financial planning and advertising/marketing plans
• Present business reviews to leadership
• Manage vendor relationships and develop strong vendor partnerships
• Oversee training and career development for direct reports and contribute to broader team development
• Develop, select, test, price, and acquire merchandise
• Develop new product concepts and brands for test markets and potential store rollout
• Drive lifecycle management from idea inception through clearance and end of life
• Coordinate with Inventory Analysts to maintain proper in-stock levels
• Co-manage merchandising assortments for e-commerce websites
• Negotiate product returns, annual purchasing agreements, and vendor contracts
• Coordinate with marketing, visual display, and advertising departments
• Merchandise marketing-channel items and present promotional items to merchandise directors and vice presidents
• Partner with Sourcing on factory selection and cost negotiation
• Partner with Financial Planning on open-to-buy planning
• Assist with vendor performance, late-order, and quality-control issues

Requirements

• Up-to-date knowledge of jewelry market trends and competitive strategies
• Ability to adjust quickly to changing market trends, conditions, priorities, and corporate strategies
• Ability to develop, select, test, price, and acquire quality merchandise
• Ability to develop and manage product concepts, brands, assortments, and lifecycle strategies
• Ability to negotiate with vendors on purchasing agreements, product returns, contracts, factory selection, and costs
• Ability to collaborate with marketing, visual display, advertising, sourcing, inventory, and financial planning teams
• Ability to present and justify category, catalog, and promotional plans to senior leadership
• Ability to oversee training and career development for direct reports

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in developing and managing merchandise assortments, product concepts, and lifecycle strategies while effectively collaborating with cross-functional teams. Proven ability to negotiate vendor agreements and present strategic plans to senior leadership.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Merchandise Assortment Development
• Vendor Negotiation
• Market Trend Analysis
• Product Lifecycle Management
• Cross-Functional Collaboration

Hard Skills

• Product Development
• Financial Planning
• Quality Control
• Pricing Strategy
• Inventory Management

Soft Skills

• Leadership
• Communication
• Adaptability
• Training and Development

Industry Keywords

• Jewelry Market Trends
• Vendor Relationships
• E-Commerce Merchandising
• Promotional Planning
• Sourcing and Cost Negotiation