Category Merchant – (Packaged Grocery)

BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc.; Marlborough (MA); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly pay

Free BJ's memberships

Paid time off

Health benefits

401(k) with company match

Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Job summary

BJ's Wholesale Club is seeking a Category Merchant to lead strategy and growth for assigned categories, including product selection, vendor negotiations and leadership of the merchandise team.

You will drive category profitability, develop competitive merchandise assortments, negotiate terms with vendors, and align pricing with marketing and operational goals across a hybrid structure based in Marlborough, MA.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business or operations related field.
• 4+ years related merchandising / category management experience.
• Negotiation skills and decision-making ability.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Proven analytical and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the performance of assigned categories including driving growth, category profitability and customer experience.
• Responsible for product selection and the development of competitive merchandise assortment plans that achieve financial objectives.
• Negotiates pricing and terms with new, existing and prospective vendors.
• Builds strong relationships with the vendor community and exercises flexibility in approach to negotiations.
• Oversees the development of the sales and margin plans and sales forecasts for assigned categories.
• Communicates merchandising strategies to cross functional teams to ensure proper and timely execution of strategy.
• Connects strategies to business operations and maintains an understanding of business operational goals and challenges.
• Responsible for price management for assigned categories including price indexing and achievement of price targets.
• Collaborates with the Marketing team to develop pricing, promotional and campaign strategies for assigned categories.
• Continually monitors merchandising performance and promptly reacts to changes in the business to capitalize on opportunities and mitigate risks.
• Provides leadership and training to the merchandise team.
• Provides the team with frequent and actionable feedback and professional development opportunities.
• Establishes and maintains a reputation of credibility and responsiveness in the marketplace.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Decision-making ability

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or operations related field

Job description

A World-Class Team BJ's Wholesale Club is powered by more than 30,000 team members who make a real impact every day. Whether you're stocking shelves, solving problems or shaping strategy, your work helps families save on what matters most. We’re a team built on purpose and opportunity. Join us and be part of something meaningful.

Why You’ll Love Working at BJ's

At BJ's Wholesale Club, our team members are at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, well-being and future – both on and off the job. When you grow, we grow. Here’s just some of what you can look forward to:

• Weekly Pay: Get paid every week so that you can manage your money on your terms.
• Free BJ's Memberships: Enjoy a complimentary The Club Card Membership, plus a free Supplemental Membership for someone in your household.
• Generous Paid Time Off: Take the time you need with vacation, personal, sick days, holidays, bereavement, and jury duty leave.
• Flexible and Affordable Health Benefits: Choose from three medical plans, and access optional dental, vision, Health Savings Account (HSA), and flexible spending account options to fit your lifestyle.
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan: Build your financial future with a company match (available to team members 18 and older).
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan: Accumulate funds through after-tax payroll deductions that can be used to purchase shares of BJ's common stock at a 15% discount.
• Eligibility requirements vary by position.

Job Summary

The Category Merchant sets the strategy and drives growth of the business for assigned categories, including product selection, vendor negotiation, promotions, and providing leadership to the merchandise team.

Job Responsibilities

• Responsible for the performance of assigned categories including driving growth, category profitability and customer experience.
• Responsible for product selection and the development of competitive merchandise assortment plans that achieve financial objectives.
• Negotiates pricing and terms with new, existing and prospective vendors.
• Builds strong relationships with the vendor community and exercises flexibility in approach to negotiations.
• Oversees the development of the sales and margin plans and sales forecasts for assigned categories.
• Communicates merchandising strategies to cross functional teams to ensure proper and timely execution of strategy.
• Connects strategies to business operations and maintains an understanding of business operational goals and challenges.
• Responsible for price management for assigned categories including price indexing and achievement of price targets.
• Collaborates with the Marketing team to develop pricing, promotional and campaign strategies for assigned categories.
• Continually monitors merchandising performance and promptly reacts to changes in the business to capitalize on opportunities and mitigate risks.
• Provides leadership and training to the merchandise team.
• Provides the team with frequent and actionable feedback and professional development opportunities.
• Establishes and maintains a reputation of credibility and responsiveness in the marketplace.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business or operations related field
• 4+ years related merchandising / category management experience
• Negotiation skills and decision-making ability
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Proven analytical and organizational skills

This is a hybrid role. Tuesday through Thursday are in-office days at BJ's Club Support Center in Marlborough, MA and Monday and Friday are remote days.

In accordance with the Pay Transparency requirements, the following represents a good faith estimate of the compensation range for this position. At BJ's Wholesale Club, we carefully consider a wide range of non-discriminatory factors when determining salary. Actual salaries will vary depending on factors including but not limited to location, education, experience, and qualifications. The pay range for this position is $95,000.00 - $135,000.00.

We recognize the growing role of AI tools, including ChatGPT, and value familiarity with them. That said, we want to hear from your authentic self. Your application should reflect your own skills, experiences, and insights rather than AI-generated responses.

Who We Are

BJ's Wholesale Club is driven by a powerful purpose: we take care of the families who depend on us. More than 8 million members rely on us for unbeatable value and convenience. Headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, BJ's is a leading membership warehouse club with over 250 clubs, nearly 200 BJ's Gas stations and eight distribution centers across 21 states - and growing. BJ's offers the highest-quality fresh produce, meat, deli and bakery items as well as apparel, electronics, home goods and more – all at unbeatable value. Our members shop how and when they want, whether it's in our clubs, online or with curbside pickup.