Category Buyer

Armstrong Garden Centers, Inc.; Glendora (CA); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

ESOP

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation

Job summary

Armstrong Garden Centers, Inc. is seeking a Category Buyer to own Home Décor, Seasonal & Patio merchandise across 46 locations in a hybrid role based in Glendora, CA, with travel (~20-30%).

You will forecast trends, build regional assortments, negotiate with vendors, and manage vendor relationships to improve margins and ensure on-time delivery. Strong strategic thinking and execution are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Strategic merchandising background with trend forecasting experience.
• Experience sourcing domestically and internationally.
• Ability to manage full category P&L and vendor terms.

Responsibilities

• Identify and forecast consumer trends in home décor, seasonal merchandise, and outdoor living categories.
• Develop regionally relevant assortments aligned with brand positioning and customer preferences.
• Anticipate and mitigate inventory and demand risk for seasonal categories.
• Source products from domestic and international vendors, negotiating terms including lead times and margins.
• Establish and strengthen vendor relationships to drive collaboration and value.
• Lead vendor performance reviews on quality, pricing, and delivery.
• Attend trade shows to discover new products and suppliers.

Skills

Merchandising

Vendor relations

Forecasting

P&L management

Negotiation

Excel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Merchandising, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

ERP system

Forecasting tools

Job description

Category Buyer- Home Decor, Seasonal & Patio

Join Our Team

• Location: Corporate Support Center, Glendora CA; Hybrid/TravelNationally/Travel Internationally (~20-30% travel)
• Status: Full Time / Salary Exempt
• Reporting Relationships: Vice President of Marketing & Purchasing
• Work Schedule: Hours will vary by season. This position will require occasional weekend work.

ArmstrongGarden Centers and Pike Nurseries are seeking a strategic, trend‑drivenCategory Buyer to own the end‑to‑end merchandising and procurement strategy forHome Décor, Holiday/Seasonal Items, and Patio Furniture. This role leadscategory vision, vendor strategy, and financial performance across 46 retaillocations in a multi‑region footprint, balancing creativity with disciplinedexecution.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Identify and forecast consumertrends in home décor, seasonal merchandise, and outdoor living categories
• Develop compelling, regionallyrelevant assortments aligned with brand positioning and customer preferences
• Anticipate and mitigate inventoryand demand risk inherent in seasonal and trend‑driven categories
• Source products from domestic andinternational vendors, negotiating terms including lead times, exclusivity,payment terms, freight, and margin structure
• Establish, manage, and strengthen vendor relationships to drive collaboration, innovation, and long‑term value
• Lead vendor performance reviews, ensuring accountability for quality, pricing, service levels, and on‑timedelivery
• Identify and onboard new vendors to enhance product assortment and competitive positioning
• Attend trade shows and marketevents to discover new products and suppliers

Inventory & Allocation

• Manage the flow of goods and replenishment across 46 retail locations in multiple states, ensuring optimal inventory levels
• Collaborate with store, operation and visual merchandising teams on product arrival, pricing, merchandising plan, and replenishment plan
• Balance inventory investment with sales performance to minimize markdowns and excess stock
• Own full category P&L, including sales growth, gross margin, markdown risk, and inventory investment
• Develop annual and seasonal category strategies aligned to business objectives and regional customer needs
• Monitor KPIs and adjust strategies to meet or exceed financial targets

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Partner with marketing, store operations, and visual merchandising teams to support product launches and promotions
• Ensure alignment between product assortment, seasonal campaigns, and in‑store execution

We are excited about your next step

• Strongunderstanding of merchandising, pricing strategies, and gross margin management
• Experiencesourcing products both domestically and internationally
• Provenexperience managing vendor relationships and negotiating favorable terms
• Provenability to analyze sales data and translate insights into actionable strategies
• Excellentnegotiation, communication, and relationship management skills
• Highlyorganized with the ability to manage multiple categories and deadlinessimultaneously
• Proficiencyin retail systems, forecasting tools, and Microsoft Excel

What Success Looks Like

• Strong, differentiated product assortments that drive customer engagementand sales
• Consistent achievement of sales, margin, and inventory turn goals
• Effective product flow and inventory management across all storelocations
• High-performing vendor partnerships and innovative product sourcing
• Seasonal programs become more disciplined, differentiated, and profitable

Preferred Attributes

• Passion for home décor, seasonal merchandising, and outdoor living trends
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong sense of ownership andaccountability
• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced, multi‑location retail environment

ArmstrongGarden Centers offers a comprehensive total rewards package designed to attractand retain exceptional leadership talent.

EmployeeOwnership

• Armstrongis a 100% employee‑ownedcompany through our Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Leadersdirectly contribute to the long-term financial success of the company
• Competitivebase salary commensurate with experience
• Performance‑basedbonus opportunities
• Comprehensivehealth, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)plan with company match (in addition to the ESOP)
• Paidvacation, holidays, and sick time
• Theopportunity to lead in a scenic, outdoor‑oriented retail environment with aculture of independence and agility