What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director of Merchandising Capabilities position at circlek?
Job Title: Director of Merchandising Capabilities (Global)
Department: Global Merchandising
Location: US (Charlotte, Tempe– close to CK office location)
Type: Permanent, Full-Time
Job Overview
The Director of Merchandising Capabilities plays a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the strategic vision for best-in-class merchandising tools across our global organization. This leader will drive the advancement and adoption of scalable, data-informed capabilities in pricing, promotions and assortment, aligning tools, processes, and people in support of enterprise growth.
This role will lead a high-performing team and partner cross-functionally with Merchandising, Data & Analytics, Global Tech, Merchandising and regional business units to operationalize insights and strategies that elevate commercial performance. As a key change agent, the Director will also champion a data-first mindset, build governance frameworks, and ensure capability readiness in alignment with long-term merchandising goals.
This position reports to the Head of Global Merchandise Excellence.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Capability Development
- Lead the design and implementation of an end-to-end merchandising capabilities roadmap that supports our global strategy.
- Translate long-term merchandising goals into actionable initiatives across pricing, promotion and assortment optimization (Data-Driven Merchandising).
- Champion the use of analytics and insights to drive fact-based decision-making across the merchandising lifecycle.
- Own and manage the relationship with third-party / syndicated data vendors on behalf of Circle K
Team Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Lead and mentor a high-performing Merchandising Capabilities team; provide clear goals, coaching, and development opportunities.
- Collaborate with Global Merchandising, D&A, Global Tech, Finance, and Business Units to design and deploy advanced analytics, tools, and insights that drive commercial value.
- Oversee the delivery of complex projects, ensuring cross-functional alignment and measurable impact.
Process Innovation & Governance
- Develop and implement governance frameworks for merchandising processes and tools, ensuring scalability, ownership, and continuous improvement.
- Proactively identify gaps in current processes or capabilities and drive initiatives to close them.
- Build scenario planning and forecasting capabilities that inform future-state merchandising and sustainability efforts.
Performance & Impact
- Lead post-implementation measurement of merchandising initiatives, establishing KPIs and performance tracking.
- Deliver regular reporting and strategic updates to senior leaders including EVP and SVP’s of Merchandising and Operations.
- Own the annual budget planning process for Merchandising Capabilities, including benefits forecast and resource planning.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Merchandising, Analytics, or related field (MBA or advanced degree preferred).
- 8 years of progressive experience in retail merchandising, category strategy, analytics, or business leadership roles.
- 3 years leading teams with proven success in mentoring, performance management, and capability building.
- Demonstrated experience in the design and deployment of pricing, promotional and / or assortment, optimization solutions.
- Strong strategic thinking and analytical mindset; able to simplify complexity and translate data into actionable insights.
- Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to influence at all levels, build relationships, and align cross-functional stakeholders.
- Familiarity with core merchandising systems, data platforms, and analytics tools.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills; executive presence a must.
- Travel up to 30% (some international); must hold valid travel documents.
- Flexibility to work across time zones, reflecting the global nature of the role.
Core Competencies
- Strategic Planning & Execution
- People Leadership & Talent Development
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Data-Driven Decision Making
- Change Management & Communication
- Governance & Process Orientation
- Continuous Improvement & Curiosity
Circle K is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The Company complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) and all state and local disability laws. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the ADA and certain state or local laws as long as it does not impose an undue hardship on the Company. Please inform the Company’s Human Resources Representative if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.
Click below to review information about our company's use of the federal E-Verify program to check work eligibility:
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