Merchandise Buyer

OVERVIEW

Are you interested in joining the Toronto Blue Jays _Merchandise Buying Team?_ This is your chance.

The Toronto Blue Jays are looking for a Merchandise Buyer.

Reporting to the Manager, Buying, the Merchandise Buyer will be setting and managing the merchandise strategy, assortment selection, pricing, and promotions to facilitate sales. As a Merchandise Buyer, you will manage product selection to maximize sales and margin dollars in support of the business and financial goals of your respective merchandising categories. This role collaborates closely with retail and warehouse operations to ensure proper execution of the Toronto Blue Jays Merchandising department and corporate initiatives.

This role may be for you if:

- You enjoy motivating, energizing, and inspiring others.
- You are hands-on and unafraid of taking on new challenges.
- You thrive in fast paced, high-volume working environments.
- You love the Toronto Blue Jays

RESPONSIBILITIES

Financial Planning & Category Strategy
- In collaboration with the Manager, Buying, build and execute category merchandise strategy, assortment selection, pricing, and promotions to support the business and financial goals - facilitate sales, manage inventory, and deliver profit margin.
- Curate, execute and manage product mix for each store location, while ensuring the essence of the assortment is represented in each store location.
- Quantify optimal depth, breadth, and store distribution of each style to achieve full sales and profitability with the product lifecycle.
- Partner with Planning to manage monthly open-to-buy to forecast sales, inventory, receipts, and profitability.
- Prepare seasonal planograms to support visual merchandising initiatives for all Jays Shop locations.
- Ensure timely delivery of merchandise, initiate cancellations, or negotiate discounts on late deliveries as appropriate and manage key relationships with licensees.

Drive Sales, Profit, and Support Inventory Management Strategies
- Communicate product vision to Retail, Marketing, and other departments on a seasonal basis, and as required in season.
- Support retail stores on product information, presentation guidelines, and inventory needs.
- Assess SKU productivity by visiting store locations to audit product assortment, allocation, visual set up and presentation.
- Analyze and prepare markdown/write-off/RTVs with Vendors to support exit strategies and inventory aging standards within a category.
- Participate in recommending, setting, and approving product pricing strategies to achieve specific margin objectives, implement exit strategies and recommend appropriate markdowns.
- Analyze economic, financial, market, competitive/noncompetitive and industry data to assess current business strategies or identify future business opportunities.
- Stay informed on all player call-ups and team performance, to contribute to the success of the business.
- Communicate and liaise with the Merchandise Coordinator and Warehouse team as it applies to the purchase, delivery, receipt, ticketing, processing, pricing, and quality of merchandise.

Vendor Management & Internal Partner Collaboration
- With coaching, lead, develop, and manage vendor relationships to ensure the best prices, products, and shipments; identify products to maximize promotional and marketing strategies to meet sales and margin goals.
- In collaboration with the Manager, Buying, lead negotiation of new vendor contract terms.
- Negotiate return to vendor (RTV), markdown dollars, and discounts.
- Act as the liaison between merchandising and internal partners to support partnership merchandising requests.

Reporting
- Create and analyze business reports, Open-to-Buy (OTB), Assortment Plans, Open Orders, and Category sales reports to drive successful category performance.
- Optimize sales, inventory levels (product & store) and gross margin dollars by analyzing, evaluating, recommending, negotiating, and executing adjustments as needed with stakeholders (sr. managers, vendors, planning team, retail team, warehouse team).

QUALIFICATIONS

YOU HAVE/ARE:

- Passion and knowledgeable about the Sport of Baseball, have a love for fashion and you embody the Blue Jays brand.
- Minimum two (2) years of Merchandising, Buying or Category Management experience.
- In-depth analytical skills and are detail oriented.
- Effective negotiation skills and actively control the negotiation process that results in mutually beneficial outcomes to build strong vendor relationship.
- Strong leadership to motivate, develop staff and sustain an effective team.
- Ability to collaborate with other departments/organizations by positively impacting and influencing others.
- Ability to work autonomously to provide recommendations and make impactful business decisions.
- Proven ability to work well under pressure, meet all deadlines and thrive in a result driven environment.
- Self-Motivated, demonstrate initiative, have superior organizational skills an