What are the responsibilities and job description for the Assistant Omni Channel Merchant position at The Princeton University Store?
The Princeton University Store, proudly serving the Princeton community since 1905, is transforming into a premier omni-channel retailer. To support this evolution, we seek an Assistant Omni-Channel Merchant to help drive strategic initiatives, enhance product assortments, and deliver a seamless customer experience across all channels.
This newly created role will assist in transforming the current merchandising approach from a siloed, multi-channel buyer model to an integrated, omni-channel strategy. The Assistant Omni-Channel Merchant will help create a unified customer experience, enhance engagement, and drive sales by aligning products and promotions across platforms.
Position Overview:
As the Assistant Omni-Channel Merchant, you will play a pivotal role in developing, executing, and performing merchandising strategies for both online and in-store platforms. This role focuses on tactical execution, data analysis, and operational efficiency, complementing the Omni-Channel Merchant Leader’s vision to ensure the merchandising process runs smoothly and effectively.
Key Responsibilities:
Merchandising Support
- Build and maintain assortment plans in NetSuite to ensure alignment with business goals.
- Prepare items for replenishment, write purchase orders, and place orders according to schedule.
- Assist in developing cohesive product assortments that meet customer needs and elevate the Princeton brand.
- Collaborate on seasonal planning and visual merchandising strategies to ensure channel consistency.
Inventory and Vendor Coordination
- Maintain SKU/UPC files for all merchandise, including additions, deletions, and pricing changes.
- Monitor inventory levels, track sellthrough rates, and identify replenishment opportunities.
- Resolve merchandise issues such as returns, damages, and incorrect shipments.
- Maintain strong vendor partnerships to ensure products are shipped on time and to specifications.
Data Analysis and Reporting
- Analyze sales, customer behavior, and merchandising performance to generate actionable insights.
- Assemble data for marketing meetings, vendor meetings, and merchandise reviews.
- Prepare weekly and monthly reports to evaluate product performance and marketing campaigns.
Operational Excellence
- Communicate with store teams to provide support on inventory issues and address customer needs.
- Learn and adapt to system changes, sharing best practices within the department to improve efficiency.
- Support ecommerce operations by ensuring accurate product descriptions, imagery, and pricing on the website.
Creative Contributions
- Contribute innovative ideas to drive engagement, improve the customer journey, and enhance Princeton’s brand presence.
- Assist in developing promotional strategies and campaigns that align with seasonal priorities and sales goals.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in merchandising or a related field and 35 years of apparel, accessories, or gifts retail experience
- Experience in highend or premium retail preferred.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, intermediate or better experience with NetSuite ERP.
- Strong analytical skills with attention to detail and accuracy.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across teams.
- Proven ability to manage multiple tasks while maintaining a sense of urgency.
- Selfmotivated, teamoriented, and adaptable to changing business needs.