Merchandising Director

Candidate: 187839
Current Position: Merchandising Director
Industry: Retail Convenience | Grocery | Big-Box
Education: J.D.
Experience: 20+ years

Scope:
Senior retail operations and merchandising executive with 20+ years of experience leading financial performance, multi-unit operations, merchandising execution, compliance, people development, and process improvement across convenience and grocery retail environments. Currently supports a large multi-region store network and supervises a team of merchandising specialists, serving as a cross-functional liaison between Category Management, Pricing, Operations, and field leadership. Previous leadership experience includes senior market and operations leadership roles within major convenience and grocery retail organizations, with responsibility for large multi-store and multi-market operations.

Accomplishments:

• Convenience Retail Leadership: Extensive experience leading franchised and corporate convenience store operations across multiple markets.
• Multi-Unit Operations: Led large geographic portfolios involving existing stores, acquisitions, rebranded locations, and new store development.
• Financial Performance: Direct accountability for sales, gross profit, controllable earnings, net earnings, expenses, and overall market/store performance.
• Merchandising & Pricing: Direct experience supporting category, merchandising, and pricing strategies and ensuring execution across the field.
• Sales Growth: Led a retail region that increased sales volume 25% year over year and exceeded forecast by 6.4%.
• Profitability: Achieved 105% of profit plan and increased profit 5.2% over prior year through effective labor, cost, accident, and markdown management.
• Market Leadership: Successfully led a high-performing convenience retail market while managing acquisitions, new locations, rebranding initiatives, and existing stores.
• People Leadership: Extensive experience developing and leading field, district, regional, and store management teams.
• Execution & Process Improvement: Strong background translating corporate strategies, SOPs, training, floor plans, POGs, and merchandising initiatives into consistent field execution.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Partners effectively with Category Management, Pricing, Operations, vendors, and field leadership to drive business results.
• Innovation: Supported fresh replenishment and operational initiatives designed to improve execution, productivity, and customer experience.
• Compliance & Risk Management: Significant experience identifying, mitigating, and communicating operational and regulatory risks across large retail organizations.