What are the responsibilities and job description for the Merchandising Specialist ***NEW GRADUATE Program position at Sprouts Farmers Market?
Overview
Begin your career in retail merchandising and category management at Sprouts Farmers Market with our Merchandising Specialist Rotational Program, designed to seamlessly transition recent college graduates into the corporate environment. This is a full-time role, based in Phoenix, for graduates within one year of graduation (August 2024 - May 2025). This entry-level position offers a unique blend of learning, mentorship, and hands-on experience in supporting Category Managers. As a Merchandising Specialist, you will play a crucial role in supporting the Category Manager(s) by leveraging your analytical skills, financial acumen, and strong communication abilities. This role requires heavy use of Excel, specifically formulas, tables, and pivot tables, to analyze sales data, plan inventory logistics, and support strategic decision-making. You will gain hands-on experience in various aspects of merchandising, including store support, marketing assistance, and product placement strategies, while contributing to the department's overall success. This program features an enhanced onboarding experience focused on corporate acclimation, including direct exposure to executive leadership, personalized mentor pairing, and an onboarding ambassador to guide you through your first months.
Essential Job Functions
Rotational Learning: Participate in a structured rotational program, gaining exposure to various aspects of category management, including data analysis, inventory planning, and marketing support.
Enhanced Corporate Transition Onboarding
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
In addition to a rewarding career, Sprouts offers a comprehensive program to help support you and your family. These programs include:
Sprouts Farmers Market offers DailyPay - if you’re hired as an eligible employee, you’ll be able to transfer the money you’ve already earned at no extra cost, and get it the next business day, for free. We offer DailyPay so you don’t have to wait for payday to access the money you’ve already worked for. With DailyPay, you can see how much you’ve made every day and you can transfer your money any time before payday.
You can learn more by visiting https://www.dailypay.com/partners/sprouts-farmers-market/.
Why Sprouts
Grow with us!
If you have a passion for inspiring people and a flair for fresh food, consider applying for a job at Sprouts! With a focus on customer service, our neighborhood grocery stores offer high-quality, farm fresh produce, natural meats, plenty of scoop-your-own bulk goods and much more in a fun, friendly, old-fashioned farmer’s market setting. Come grow your career in healthy living with a fast-paced, rapidly growing company and teams that pride themselves on empowering others along their journey.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements. Sprouts’ management reserves the right to amend and change duties, responsibilities, and requirements to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.
Sprouts will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance.
California Residents: We collect information in accordance with California law, please see here for more information.
Begin your career in retail merchandising and category management at Sprouts Farmers Market with our Merchandising Specialist Rotational Program, designed to seamlessly transition recent college graduates into the corporate environment. This is a full-time role, based in Phoenix, for graduates within one year of graduation (August 2024 - May 2025). This entry-level position offers a unique blend of learning, mentorship, and hands-on experience in supporting Category Managers. As a Merchandising Specialist, you will play a crucial role in supporting the Category Manager(s) by leveraging your analytical skills, financial acumen, and strong communication abilities. This role requires heavy use of Excel, specifically formulas, tables, and pivot tables, to analyze sales data, plan inventory logistics, and support strategic decision-making. You will gain hands-on experience in various aspects of merchandising, including store support, marketing assistance, and product placement strategies, while contributing to the department's overall success. This program features an enhanced onboarding experience focused on corporate acclimation, including direct exposure to executive leadership, personalized mentor pairing, and an onboarding ambassador to guide you through your first months.
- Program Start Date: June 2, 2025
- Eligibility: You are within one year of graduation from a bachelor's degree program (April 2024 - May 2025 graduates)
- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- We are unable to provide visa sponsorship or relocation for this opportunity
Essential Job Functions
Rotational Learning: Participate in a structured rotational program, gaining exposure to various aspects of category management, including data analysis, inventory planning, and marketing support.
Enhanced Corporate Transition Onboarding
- Participate in a comprehensive onboarding program designed to ease the transition from academia to the corporate world, covering topics such as professional communication, time management, and company culture.
- Engage in sessions with executive leadership to gain insights into the company’s strategic direction and operational priorities.
- Be paired with an experienced mentor who will provide ongoing guidance, career development advice, and support.
- Be assigned an onboarding ambassador, a peer mentor, who will provide day-to-day guidance, answer questions, and help you navigate the initial stages of your role.
- Supporting Category Managers in the development of merchandising plans that drive growth
- Managing samples and setting up new items; assist in coordinating new product rollouts
- Creating and submitting, new item, pricing, discontinuation, and other miscellaneous forms on behalf of the Category Manager
- Approving or rejecting deals in Deal Management on behalf of the Category Manager
- Ad entries and proofing in Retail Studio
- Communicating new stores to distributors, placing purchase orders for new stores
- Coordinating and sourcing vendor participation for new store openings and resets
- Developing and maintaining strong vendor relationships
- Supporting Sprouts stores as a liaison to ensure standards are met by our distributor partners
- Maintaining Distribution alignment, distributor changes, and item validations
- Collecting website and planogram images
- Collecting and submitting forms for new distributor setups
- Demo scheduling on behalf of the Category Manager
- Other duties as assigned
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Obtain or be in pursuit of a Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or a related field. (August 2024 - May 2025 graduates)
- GPA of 3.7 or higher
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including formulas, tables, and pivot tables.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
- Strong organizational and time management skills.
- Understanding of financial acumen
- Eagerness to learn and adapt in a fast-paced environment.
- Interest in retail merchandising and category management.
- No previous retail experience required.
In addition to a rewarding career, Sprouts offers a comprehensive program to help support you and your family. These programs include:
- Competitive pay
- Sick time plan that you can use to support you or your immediate families health
- Vacation accrual plan
- Opportunities for career growth
- 15% discount for you and one other family member in your household on all purchases made at Sprouts
- Flexible schedules
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- 401(K) Retirement savings plan with a generous company match
- Company paid life insurance
- Contests and appreciation events throughout the year full of prizes, food and fun!
- Bonus based on company and/or individual performance
- Affordable benefit coverage, including medical, dental and vision
- Health Savings Account with company match
- Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts for healthcare and dependent care
- Company paid short-term disability coverage
- Paid parental leave for both mothers and fathers
- Paid holidays
Sprouts Farmers Market offers DailyPay - if you’re hired as an eligible employee, you’ll be able to transfer the money you’ve already earned at no extra cost, and get it the next business day, for free. We offer DailyPay so you don’t have to wait for payday to access the money you’ve already worked for. With DailyPay, you can see how much you’ve made every day and you can transfer your money any time before payday.
You can learn more by visiting https://www.dailypay.com/partners/sprouts-farmers-market/.
Why Sprouts
Grow with us!
If you have a passion for inspiring people and a flair for fresh food, consider applying for a job at Sprouts! With a focus on customer service, our neighborhood grocery stores offer high-quality, farm fresh produce, natural meats, plenty of scoop-your-own bulk goods and much more in a fun, friendly, old-fashioned farmer’s market setting. Come grow your career in healthy living with a fast-paced, rapidly growing company and teams that pride themselves on empowering others along their journey.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and requirements. Sprouts’ management reserves the right to amend and change duties, responsibilities, and requirements to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.
Sprouts will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of the Fair Chance in Hiring Ordinance.
California Residents: We collect information in accordance with California law, please see here for more information.
