Meijer Inc. Looking for Associate Buyer – Men’s Apparel at Grand Rapids, MI Full Time

We opened our doors more than 85 years ago with the goal of helping people provide for themselves and their family. Today we’re a multi-billion dollar retailer with more than 70,000 employees across six states. Our Midwest geography includes corporate offices in Grand Rapids, Michigan, plus manufacturing facilities, distribution centers and over 240 stores across Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio and Wisconsin. Meijer is an Equal Opportunity Employer, fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are committed to treating all persons with dignity and respect. Meijer’s policy is to not discriminate because of any applicant or team member’s race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, religion, age, physical or mental disability, uniformed service or veteran status, or any other lawfully-protected classification. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to complete any part of your application, please click here to submit your request. Submissions that are not seeking help to complete the application due to a disability will not be responded to. As a family company, we serve people and communities. When you work at Meijer, you’re provided with career and community opportunities centered around leadership, personal growth and development. Consider joining our family – take care of your career and your community! Meijer Rewards Weekly pay Scheduling flexibility Paid parental leave Paid education assistance Care.com/back-up care assistance Team member discount Development programs for advancement and career growth Please review the job profile below and apply today! This position is responsible for working with the Buyer in setting the strategy for the assortment, pricing, promotion, planogram and marketing of categories to deliver to customer expectations and the financial plan. This position is also accountable for managing vendor relationships. *Hybrid Schedule offered: Monday-Wednesday in-office, Thursday-Friday flexible/remote days.* . What You’ll be Doing: Drive the strategic direction of their categories to align with the goals of the division to make Meijer the most compelling place for customers to shop by focusing on Assortment, Pricing, Brands, Marketing, and Store Presentation. Visit stores (both Meijer and competition) regularly to proactively understand assortments, pricing and store presentation. Utilize internal and external market information to anticipate trends and future customer needs to drive brand and item selection. Collaborate with Buyer and Merchandise Planning to develop the financial plan. Partner with Buyer to develop the overall direction and performance of merchandising categories. Drive the category review process and timeline and make recommendations based on analysis. Collaborate with Merchandise Planning to complete open-to-buy forecasts. Work with team to develop and approve master and version planograms. Approve Merchandise Planning recommendations on markdown strategy. Negotiate with vendors for markdown support or returns. Collaborate with Buyer to determine pricing strategy for category / product that maintains Meijer’s pricing integrity, sales, and direct margin dollars. Review pricing analytics with Pricing Coordinator to determine optimal pricing. Determine promotional (advertising or price) based on competition and seasonality. Collaborate with Buyer and Merchandise Planning on inventory demand to support promotional strategy. Evaluate marketing effectiveness for categories. This job profile is not meant to be all inclusive of the responsibilities of this position; may perform other duties as assigned or required. What You Bring with You (Qualifications): Bachelor’s degree 2+ years of experience in retail industry preferred. Buying, inventory or analysis experience preferred. Knowledge of the market, retail business and customers. Knowledge of business drivers (e.g. pricing, promotion, assortment). Planning skills. Negotiations skills. Sense of product trends. Enthusiasm, Initiative and passion for retail. Office computer skills; able to learn company systems and tools, preference for Microsoft application experience.