Promo Store & Sourcing Lead — eCommerce Ops

Victory In Christ (ministry); Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 75,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) plan

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Job summary

Rate is seeking a Senior Manager, Corporate Promo Store & Strategic Sourcing in Chicago, IL to take ownership of our internal Corporate Promo Store and operate it as a disciplined, data-driven, profitable unit. This role requires hands-on, results-oriented leadership in strategic sourcing, direct manufacturing, vendor negotiations and product costing.

The ideal candidate will think like an owner, driving margins, reducing costs and improving inventory turns while partnering with suppliers

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, merchandising, promotional products, retail operations or related field.
• Experience working directly with manufacturers, factories and suppliers.
• Strong understanding of product costing, gross margins, purchasing and inventory management.
• Proven vendor negotiation and cost-reduction experience.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen with the ability to translate data into business decisions.
• Experience managing merchandise or inventory performance.
• Strong organizational, communication and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with accountability, initiative and ownership.

Responsibilities

• Own the Corporate Promo Store end-to-end, with profitability, margins, inventory performance and cost control.
• Identify and develop relationships with direct manufacturers, factories and strategic suppliers domestically and internationally.
• Negotiate product costs, MOQs, payment terms, production timelines and other commercial terms.
• Continuously benchmark vendor and factory pricing to identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve margins.
• Manage product costing and maintain visibility into landed costs and profitability by SKU and category.
• Oversee purchasing and ensure buying decisions are supported by sales, inventory and demand data.
• Develop and maintain Sold vs. Sitting analysis to identify best sellers, slow-moving products, aging inventory and excess stock.
• Improve inventory turns and establish purchasing discipline to prevent unnecessary or excessive inventory.
• Evaluate product performance and recommend what should be reordered, reduced, discontinued or added to the assortment.
• Manage vendor performance across cost, quality, delivery and service.
• Coordinate with internal teams, vendors and fulfillment partners to ensure efficient operations and timely delivery.
• Identify operational inefficiencies and proactively implement improvements.
• Provide leadership with clear reporting on sales, margins, inventory, product performance, vendor costs and cost-saving opportunities.
• Translate reporting into actionable recommendations—not simply present the numbers.

Skills

Strategic sourcing

Vendor negotiation

Inventory management

Cost reduction

Financial acumen

Cross-functional leadership

Job description

Rate is seeking a Senior Manager, Corporate Promo Store & Strategic Sourcing in Chicago, IL to take ownership of our internal Corporate Promo Store and operate it as a disciplined, data-driven, profitable unit. This role requires hands-on, results-oriented leadership in strategic sourcing, direct manufacturing, vendor negotiations and product costing.

The ideal candidate will think like an owner, driving margins, reducing costs and improving inventory turns while partnering with suppliers