International Merchant

The Job The International Merchant (Tools & Hardware Category) is responsible for all aspects of Ace International assortment strategy, development, and execution through to retail for a respective category.
This responsibility spans both B2C and B2B customer types.
The position provides leadership within the organization via a thorough understanding of the competitive marketplace and trends, opportunities for the different Ace International retailers and greenfield franchisees to grow via differentiated assortment and ability to articulate and drive an action plan to execute.
The International Merchant role is the core of driving the company's promise of delivering consumer relevant, high quality, differentiated, localized assortments to Ace International retailers and greenfield franchisees at the lowest cost.
controls the omni channel inbound product strategy and works cross-functionally (RDC, RSC, USDS, FDM) to deliver outbound results.
is accountable for all aspects of the assortment strategy, from ideation to development through to retail execution.
articulates a clear strategic plan and drives it to execution.
creates opportunities for Ace International retailers and greenfield franchisees to grow bottom-line profits by lowering cost of goods, driving top line sales, and delivering consumer-relevant differentiated assortments.
**What you'll do**: Strategy and Business Planning Communicates clear vision for the enterprise and identifies opportunities within strategic planning process to grow respective category in terms of sales and gross profit.
Drives strategy and delivers a strategic plan that earns leadership approval.
Revisit throughout the year to report progress and shifts in execution.
Manage category growth plan for the different international retailers, while leveraging the supply channels and achieving SKU productivity goals.
Manage complex categories and execution (Level 3 POG) requiring cross-functional support.
Seeks, finds, and takes calculated, bold moves that lead to transformational (step-change) business change/improvement.
Category Reviews Understand and drive regional needs of category and build into category deliverables on an ongoing basis.
Determine category selection and goals for international assortments.
Drive the private label strategy for the category.
Collaborate with domestic merchants and AGD Sourcing team to deliver cost out savings and leverage volume and scale for international retailers.
Determine vendor selection and lead all negotiations.
Unlock brand distribution rights for Ace International.
Lead wholesale and retail assortment.
Lead merchandising and marketing aides' development.
Maximize category wholesale margin.
Promotional Planning Plan and negotiate all vendor marketing assessments.
Develop promotional events of advertised categories/items across all mediums to drive awareness and increased wholesale sales.
Identify items, negotiate special pricing and terms, develop a retail placement and execution strategy, and present items to the promotions team for selection.
Oversee all promotional item submission forms, target pricing, correction notices and AD proofing.
Retailer Communication Visit international retailers and conduct retail store visits.
Drive the communication of new programs, changes, or issues.
Cultivates positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
Convention Planning Select vendors to attend semi-annual convention.
Plan and execute all vendor programs including drop ship forms, Power Buys, Saving Showcase and New Arrivals.
Plan merchant area theme and execution for respective category.
Inventory/Supply Chain Support Assist in diagnosing and resolving vendor service issues.
Assist in inventory planning for promotional items.
Financial Management Manage and grow wholesale product gross profit rate.
Negotiate, maintain, and manage marketing allowances.
Team Management Responsible for the hiring, training, and development of team members.
Communicating roles and responsibilities, establishing goals, delegating workload, conducting annual performance reviews and support development.
**Consistently demonstrates leadership (Cs)**: chemistry, competence, and character.
**What you will need**: Competencies: Ace International Merchant Competencies Product passion - Natural and fanatical curiosity around product and retail marketplace, demonstrated and put into action.
Strategic thinking - Ability to envision, create and present strategy to drive disruptive wholesale and/or retail growth in category sales and profit.
Results-oriented - Ability to drive results to and above plan with full accountability, proactively shifting efforts as trends and business variables change.
Leadership - Ability to guide and support the performance and development of others to produce other leaders.
Communicates information that addresses other's concerns and issues and looks for win-win solutions.
Demonstrated and active leadership across the organizati