Do it Best · 2 days ago
Merchandise Manager
Fort Wayne, IN
Full-time
Onsite
Mid LevelDo it Best is the world's largest hardware, lumber, and building materials buying cooperative in the home improvement industry. The Merchandise Manager will locate and purchase products for members and distribution centers, develop departmental strategies, and focus on vendor relationships, products, promotions, and pricing.
Wholesale
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
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
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
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
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
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
Qualification
Required
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
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
Preferred
Prior buying experience
Benefits
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 reimbursement
Health club reimbursement
Career advancement opportunities
Company
Do it Best
Based in Fort Wayne, Ind., we are the only U.S.-based, member-owned, comprehensive and fully integrated hardware, lumber and building materials buying cooperative in the home improvement industry.
Founded in 1945
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Doug Roth
Vice President of Finance and CFO
Recent News
Digital Journal
2025-08-17
Springfield Business Journal
2025-02-13
Company data provided by crunchbase