Job Details:
Job Title: Merchandise Assistant - Junior
Location: Framingham, MA 01701 (2 days in the office and 3 days remote).
11 Months Contract

Description:

• Assists and supports 2-4 Buyers and an AVP, Merchandise Manager on a variety of administrative and clerical functions.
• Communicates with approximately 50 vendors between all merchants they support.
• Monitors and edits domestic and import purchase orders and follows up on allocations and late vendor shipments.
• Interfaces with all levels of management and communicates with multiple internal and external contacts on a routine basis.
• Coordinates all travel arrangements for assigned merchants and sets up vendor and agent visits in the home office.
• Creates and maintains spreadsheets to monitor weekly spend for merchants as necessary.
• Assists and supports Merchandise Assistants and merchants outside of own area to include corporate buying offices as needed.

Major Areas of Responsibility

Purchase Orders

• Prepares and writes domestic and import purchase orders. Enters and reviews electronic PO's via the Buyer Worksheet application. Revises purchase orders daily and follows the purchase order change process.
• Ensures all necessary signatures are obtained for a letter of credit PO.
• Partners with Planning & Allocation to expedite PO entry. Follows through with P&A to ensure electronic PO's are addressed in a timely and accurate manner.
• Ensures accuracy and integrity of ASN/EDI PO information including identifying ASN/EDI orders and contacting vendors for required information when needed.
• Pulls late lists weekly and follows up on all late PO's with vendors. Reviews ship dates and cancels or makes revisions as necessary.
• Receives authorization from Buyer to approve vendor shipping extensions and renegotiate costs as needed. Follows up with traffic/transportation departments as needed.
• Tracks all PO's generated through the buyer worksheet system to ensure final PO has been received.
• Assists in merchandise shipment follow up and problem solving for over/under shipments and vendor charge-backs/cost discrepancies.

Vendor Communication

• Communicates daily with vendors via telephone and email regarding purchase orders, allocations, problem solving, etc.
• Plays an integral role in enhancing and maintaining strong working relationships.
• Fields and screens telephone calls for PO and non-PO related matters to include prospective vendor inquiries, scheduling vendor appointments and allocation inquiries.
• Initiates calls to vendors to solicit contact and address information to ensure vendor databases are accurate and updated.

General Office Duties, Vendor Samples and Special Projects

• Faxes, files and photocopies PO's and other departmental forms. Develops effective organizational techniques to support merchants and operations such as filing and binder systems.
• Organizes reports for Buyers on a weekly basis to include Buyer Control File and On Order Inquiry.
• Coordinates all travel arrangements weekly for 2-5 merchants and completes Merchandise Manager/Buyer itinerary paperwork including scheduling market appointments.
• Assists and supports MAs and merchants outside of own area to include corporate buying offices as needed.
• Coordinates and sets up vendor and agent visits at the home office.
• Assists in pre-production/production sample process to include tracking receipt of samples, setting up displays for buyer approval and creating and maintaining binders, etc.
• Opens and organizes all sample packages for buyer review. Requests samples from vendors for strategy meetings and ensures samples are received and returned in a timely manner. Organizes and maintains sample room and purges samples as needed.
• Maintains a pre-ticket address database and follows-up with the Planning department and vendors to resolve pre-ticketed merchandise problems.
• Complies with Sarbanes Oxley requirements by obtaining Buyer and AVP, MM signatures on all PO's.
• Performs special projects as assigned or directed (i.e. pullng selling, weekly $ spend grids, spreadsheets, etc.)

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $20.00 - $22.00 per hour

Schedule:

• Day shift

Experience:

• Purchase order: 1 year (Required)
• invoice: 1 year (Required)

Work Location: On the road