Global Merchandise Manager, Omnichannel & Strategy

Mars Incorporated; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Mars Incorporated is seeking a Merchandise Manager to drive merchandise strategies, category management, and product development across global retail stores and digital channels. You will translate brand and retail plans into compelling product assortments that grow sales and profitability.

You will work with Planning, Design, Store Operations, Marketing, Digital Commerce, Sourcing, and QA to manage end-to-end product lifecycles from concept to shelf.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Retail Merchandising, Business Administration, Marketing, or related discipline.
• 5-7 years of progressive experience in retail merchandising, product development, or category management, preferably in branded specialty retail, entertainment/experiential retail, or consumer goods.
• Track record of managing multi-category product lines and executing omnichannel merchandise assortments across physical and digital storefronts.

Responsibilities

• Execute category and assortment plans across apparel, souvenirs, novelty, seasonal collections, and personalization.
• Analyze retail KPIs, market trends, and consumer insights to identify opportunities and optimize productivity.
• Build and maintain seasonal line sheets, catalogs, and master assortment matrices for global stores and digital channels.
• Communicate seasonal product strategies, line changes, and milestones to internal and global stakeholders.
• Recommend pricing and promotional tactics in partnership with Planning and Finance to drive sell-through and protect gross margin.
• Manage day-to-day product development workflows from concept through sample approvals, packaging, and production.
• Ensure brand integrity, product safety, and Mars quality standards across all goods and fixtures.
• Maintain critical path timelines across multiple seasonal calendars and mitigate supply risks.
• Support vendor relationship management, cost negotiations, and compliance with Mars Responsible Sourcing standards.
• Collaborate with Visual Merchandising and Retail Operations to integrate assortments into store floor sets and digital experiences.
• Track weekly and monthly sales, margin, inventory turns, and sell-through across global locations and online storefronts.

Skills

Analytical capability

Project management

Communication

Brand & creative sensibility

Technical tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in Retail Merchandising, Business Administration, Marketing, or related

Tools

Retail ERP/inventory systems

PLM software

Excel

PowerPoint/Keynote

Job description

Mars Incorporated is seeking a Merchandise Manager to drive merchandise strategies, category management, and product development across global retail stores and digital channels. You will translate brand and retail plans into compelling product assortments that grow sales and profitability.

You will work with Planning, Design, Store Operations, Marketing, Digital Commerce, Sourcing, and QA to manage end-to-end product lifecycles from concept to shelf.