Merchandise Manager

Do it Best; Fort Wayne (IN); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full insurance benefits

Paid time off

Profit sharing

Bonus Pay opportunities

Retirement funding

Education reimbursement

Health club reimbursement

Career advancement opportunities

Job summary

Do it Best in Fort Wayne, IN is seeking a Mid-Level Merchandise Manager to locate and purchase products for members and distribution centers. You will develop distribution center and direct shipment programs, maintain planograms, and drive profitability across the vendor portfolio.

Travel approx. 10% and collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize service levels, margins, and category growth. You will lead lifecycle strategies, negotiations, and Market event planning.

Qualifications

• Four-year degree in Marketing, Sales, or related field or strong background in Retail/Hardware.
• Strong technology skills including Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
• Prior buying experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop product mix and line reviews for Do it Best members.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to improve inventory metrics.
• Support Market convention planning and vendor negotiations.
• Travel for vendor meetings and member events to strengthen relationships.

Skills

Communication

Team player

Creative problem solving

Self-motivated

Analytical skills

Relationship building

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Sales, or business-related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Location: Fort Wayne, IN

Level: Mid-Level

Division / Department: Merchandising

Reporting to position: Divisional Merchandise Manager

Travel: Approx. 10%

The Merchandise Manager position locates and purchases products to be sold to our members and distribution centers. This includes developing, implementing and communicating distribution center and direct shipment programs, developing and maintaining departmental planograms, and profitably growing a business segment for Do it Best Corp. Ultimately, the position of Merchandise Manager has a focus on vendors, products, promotions, and pricing.

Responsibilities

• Drive the development of appropriate product mix for members, which includes setting line review schedules, proper product selection, evaluations, and reviews.
• Collaborate with cross functional teams to achieve inventory metrics, including service level, turn, and gross margin
• Aid in the execution of the biannual Market convention preparation process and negotiation of Market specials
• Travel for vendor meetings, markets, and member meetings to build relationships and represent the company externally to build trust and develop insight

Accountabilities

Category & Product Strategy

• Set the strategic vision for the department’s product portfolio, ensuring it reflects market insights, performance trends, and future opportunities.
• Drive innovation and category leadership by guiding the introduction of new products and lines that expand profitability and market presence.
• Shape vendor partnership strategy to optimize assortments across warehouse, drop ship, and eCommerce channels.
• Lead the product lifecycle strategy, defining review cadences and decision-making frameworks that align with enterprise goals.

Vendor & Market Engagement

• Set the vision for vendor partnerships, ensuring relationships drive innovation, growth, and long-term value creation.
• Steer high-level negotiations to secure best-in-class pricing, terms, and incentives that strengthen company and retailer profitability.
• Lead the strategic design of Market elements by shaping the floorplan, curating vendor participation, and driving deal selections that maximize retailer engagement and profitability.
• Foster a culture of collaboration and accountability with vendors and members, aligning all stakeholders around shared growth objectives

Pricing, Profitability & Promotions

• Support the Pricing team to achieve optimal pricing strategy for landed costs, member costs, and competitive retail pricing while achieving/exceeding margin targets.
• Contribute to promotional planning, online campaigns, and vendor specials, ensuring alignment with retailer needs.
• Recommend and refine MPG/RPG programs that drive sales and enhance margins

Operations, Inventory & Data Analysis

• Drive a data-informed culture by ensuring performance insights are embedded into strategic decision-making.
• Leverage analytics to shape product lifecycle strategies, optimize promotional effectiveness, and evaluate vendor contributions.
• Translate complex performance data into strategic scorecards that provide clarity, focus, and accountability for leadership and cross-functional partners.
• Leadership, Collaboration & Communication
• Champion cross-functional alignment by ensuring product strategy supports retailer success, vendor collaboration, and company profitability.
• Lead team development by setting clear goals, mentoring Associate Merchandise Managers, and encouraging growth opportunities.
• Cultivate a team environment built on trust, open communication, and shared responsibility for success.
• Collaborate closely with the DMM to align strategies, address roadblocks, and support execution.
• Communicate effectively with vendors, partners, and leadership, ensuring updates and initiatives are clear and actionable.

Education & Experience

• Four year degree in Marketing, Sales, or other business related field or strong background/experience in Retail, Sales, or Hardware
• Great technology skills including Microsoft Suite, and Google Suite
• Prior buying experience (preferred)

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Team player
• Creative problem solving
• Ability to work with little supervision
• Must possess a high level of accuracy
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions
• Service oriented
• Self-motivated
• Objective and analytical skills
• Relationship building and cross-functional collaboration

Benefits available to you

• Full insurance benefits package including Medical, Dental, & Vision
• Paid time off to foster work/life balance
• Profit sharing
• Bonus Pay opportunities
• Retirement funding opportunities
• Education reimbursementHealth club reimbursement
• Career advancement opportunities

About Do it Best

Based in Fort Wayne, IN, Do it Best is the only US-based, member-owned comprehensive and fully integrated hardware, lumber, and building materials buying cooperative in the home improvement industry. With annual sales of nearly $6 billion, Do it Best serves thousands of member-owned locations across the United States and in more than 60 other countries, and is now part of the Do it Best Group, the world’s largest independent home improvement co-op. For more information, visit doitbestonline.com and follow us on Facebook , Instagram , and LinkedIn .

Culture

Each team member is valued as an individual - with their intrinsic value at the forefront. We prioritize your career growth through one-on-one training, conferences, tuition assistance, mentoring and more. We encourage authentic relationships by hosting social events and fostering a culture where lasting friendships are made. In fact, the three most valued aspects of being a part of the Do it Best team are the culture, the compensation, and the level of fulfillment that each team member experiences from their role.

Our Philosophy

Serving others as we would like to be served

Our Mission

Making the best even better

Our Goal

Helping members grow and achieve their dreams