Cannabis Merchandising & Purchasing Lead

Vireo Health, Inc.; Elk River (MN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 105,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

HSA/FSA

401k with 3% match

PTO + wellness days

Job summary

Vireo Health of Minnesota is creating its first Merchandising & Purchasing Department and seeks an experienced leader to build the team, set the strategy, and own product assortment for Minnesota stores. You will manage vendor relationships, pricing, allocations, and compliance with state regulations while driving margin and inventory health.

Regular travel among retail locations is required; the role reports to the Head of Market and partners on assortment direction, pricing strategy, and

Qualifications

• 5+ years in retail buying, merchandising, or category management; leadership experience
• Experience building new teams/departments/processes preferred
• Cannabis/hemp/regulatory retail experience preferred; multi-location familiarity
• Proven budget management, sell-through improvement, and inventory optimization
• Strong vendor negotiation and pricing skills
• Experience with open-to-buy, forecasting, pricing, and SKU rationalization
• Bachelor's degree in Business/Retail/Inventory or related field; 21+ years old, background check
• Flexibility to work evenings/weekends as needed

Responsibilities

• Set Minnesota merchandising and purchasing strategy with Head of Market
• Establish the new department's SOPs and performance measures
• Own purchasing of cannabis, hemp, and non-cannabis inventory across stores
• Coordinate allocation and demand forecasting with production and supply chain
• Manage purchase orders, par levels, transfers, and markdowns
• Source and evaluate licensed cannabis and hemp vendors and non-cannabis suppliers
• Lead in-store and digital merchandising, product data accuracy across systems
• Oversee retail promotional calendar and product launches with Wholesale Manager
• Ensure compliance with Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management and maintain records

Skills

Analytical skills

Excel/Google Sheets

SKU/rationalization

Open-to-buy planning

Vendor relations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Retail or related field

Tools

Excel

Google Sheets

POS/Inventory systems

E-commerce platforms (Dutchie)

Job description

Who we are:

At Vireo, we’re growing something bigger than a business. With roughly 4,500 team members, over 1 million square feet of cultivation space, and more than 170 dispensaries across 10+ states, we’re one of the fastest-growing platforms in the industry. The best part is that we’re just getting started.

What sets us apart isn’t just our footprint. It’s our people. From cultivation and manufacturing to retail, corporate operations, and our expanding agribusiness ventures, every role here plays a real part in shaping where this industry goes next. We look for people with drive, a positive attitude, and a genuine desire to make a difference and in return, we offer real opportunities to grow, contribute, and make an impact.

We’re also proud to be one of the most diverse and inclusive workplaces in cannabis. Our culture is built on collaboration, respect, and continuous improvement. This shows in how we support each other, engage with our communities, and celebrate wins together.

If you’re ready to turn your passion into a career, we’d love to have you on the team. Let’s grow the future together.

What the roleis about:

This is a new role and a new department for Vireo Health of Minnesota. Partnering directly with the Head of Market on merchandising and purchasing strategy, the Merchandising and Purchasing Manager will build and lead the company's first merchandising and purchasing department, supported by a small team of one to two people, and owning the product assortment across all Minnesota retail locations, from purchasing and vendor relationships to pricing, allocation, and in-store and digital presentation. Using sell-through and SKU-level data, this person makes sure every store carries the right mix of Vireo-produced and third-party products, in the right depth, at the right time, for both medical patients and adult-use customers, while keeping every purchase compliant with Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management requirements. Regular travel between retail locations is required.

Whatimpactyou’llmake:

• Partner directly with the Head of Market to set Minnesota merchandising and purchasing strategy, including assortment direction, the balance of Vireo produced and third-party products, pricing strategy, margin targets, and the open-to-buy budget, and report regularly on sales, margin, inventory, and progress against the plan

• Establish the merchandising and purchasing department with the Head of Market, including its standard operating procedures and performance measures (gross margin, inventory turns, in-stock rate, sell-through, aged inventory, and shrink), and hire and develop a small team of one to two people as the department grows

• Own purchasing of all cannabis, hemp-derived, and non-cannabis inventory and manage SKU lifecycles, making add, keep, and discontinue decisions to meet customer demand and margin goals

• Own allocation of Vireo-produced products across Minnesota stores, and partner with production and supply chain on demand forecasts, production planning, and new product needs

• Generate and approve purchase orders, set par levels, coordinate transfers, and execute markdowns to prevent out-of-stocks and overstock and move slow-moving or aged inventory

• Source, negotiate with, and evaluate licensed cannabis and hemp vendors and non-cannabis suppliers, including vendor-funded promotions and product education for retail teams

• Lead in-store and digital merchandising (displays, planograms, online menus, and e-commerce product pages) and own accurate product data across POS, e-commerce, and inventory systems

• Own the retail promotional calendar for Vireo stores, choosing which products go on promotion, when, and at what price, and coordinate product launches and supply of Vireo-made products with the Wholesale Manager

• Ensure every purchase meets OCM requirements with the Compliance team, and keep vendor, invoice, and certificate of analysis records and seed-to-sale data accurate

Whatyou’veaccomplished:

• 5+ years of experience in retail buying, merchandising, or category management, with at least 2 years leading a team

• Experience building new teams, departments, or processes strongly preferred

• Cannabis, hemp, or other regulated-product retail experience strongly preferred, ideally with a multi-state operator; purchasing experience for multi-location retail or dispensary operations preferred

• Proven track record of managing a purchasing budget and improving sell-through, margin, and inventory turns

• Experience building vendor relationships and negotiating pricing and terms

• Working knowledge of open-to-buy planning, inventory forecasting, retail pricing and margin management, and SKU rationalization

• Strong analytical skills; advanced Excel or Google Sheets (pivot tables, lookups, forecasting)

• Experience with point-of-sale, inventory management, and e-commerce menu platforms (familiarity with Dutchie preferred); seed-to-sale tracking (such as Metrc), ERP, and cannabis analytics tools such as BDSA or Hoodie Analytics preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Retail Management, Merchandising, Supply Chain, or a related field, or equivalent work experience

• Must be at least 21 years of age, pass a background check as required by Minnesota cannabis regulations, and have a valid driver's license

• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including occasional evenings and weekends as business needs require

What we offer:

• Compensation: $90,000-105,000 annually depending on experienceCompetitive benefits offered: Medical, dental, vision, HSA/FSA Dependent Care, life that begin on the first of the month after you start
• 401k program with a 3% employer match after six months of employment
• 11 days of accrued PTO in addition to two wellness days & volunteer hours in your first year

Why Choose Vireo?

Life’s too short to work somewhere thatdoesn’tignite your passion. The cannabis industry is fast-paced, innovative, and full of opportunity—where science meets creativity, and wellness meets culture.

At Vireo Health,we’repioneering the future of cannabis with a teamthat’sas dynamic as the industry itself. Here,you’llfind a workplace that’s collaborative, inclusive, and driven by HEART and purpose, where your work has a real impact on people’s lives.

Whetheryou’recultivating the highest-quality plants, craftingcutting-edgeproducts, or shaping unforgettable customer experiences,you’llbe part of something bigger. Ifyou’relooking for a careerthat’sexciting, meaningful, and full of growth,let’sbuild the future of cannabis together.

✅A Growing Industry: Work at the leading tech company in the cannabis industry and help shape the future
✅Passionate Culture: Join a team that truly cares about the plant, the people, and the purpose behind what we do
✅Employee Perks: Enjoy competitive pay and benefits, paid time off and employee discounts
✅Making an Impact: We’re committed to education, sustainability, and giving back to the communities we serve.

EEO Statement
Vireo Health, Inc. isan equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employmentwithout regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.www.vireohealth.com