Sr. Director of Merchandising

About the Team

It's no surprise people are passionate about the health and happiness of their pet and our Merchandising (buying) team is no different. When it comes to the products and solutions in our stores, our incredible teams of merchandising associates have everything covered from head to tail! From keeping up with the top trends to developing new, innovative solutions, our buyers help ensure every pet parent can find exactly what their pet needs n our team and show your love for pets by creating products as special as pets themselves!

Collaborative Work Environment
At Pet Smart, teamwork and connection are core to how we thrive. This role is based at our Phoenix Home Office, with an expectation of working a minimum of four days in the office each week. In a standard work week, associates may work up to one remote flex day (with leader approval). Our hybrid approach is designed to foster strong collaboration while also supporting flexibility and individual success.

The Sr. Director of Merchandising is a key leader in the Merchandising Buying team that oversees all aspects of an assigned category. This leader is accountable for the creation and execution of comprehensive strategies both near and long term that ensures the achievement of company business goals. Strategies should cross assortment, in store and online merchandising, promotions, and go to market activities, and should incorporate robust knowledge of the customer, competitors, and category trends.

The Sr. Director of Merchandising leads a team of merchants who are responsible for department level strategies including product creation, merchandising, and promotion.

As a competitive leader in retail, this role leads buying teams to continually identify business opportunities and trends, understand competitive landscape, maximize assortment, and generate business analysis to achieve continued growth, forward looking plans, and profitability. This role works collaboratively across the organization to champion support for team initiatives in order to maximize the impact of their strategy.

Responsibilities:

• Leads a team responsible for the assigned categories;
  Indirectly lead and partner with Planning and Allocation teams.
• Creates and rolls out strategy with full accountability for assigned categories ensuring that the sales and margin results achieve financial and strategic goals of the Company.
• Ensures partnership and collaboration with Merchandise Planning and Allocation, Product Development, Store Operations, Digital, Marketing and vendor community.
• Moves the business forward with a sense of urgency by leveraging and integrating business analysis to track sales, identify key trends and maximize opportunities in the assortment.
• Responsible for vendor relationships including annual negotiations to secure financial and business support.
• Accountable for the skill development and career growth of the team.

Qualifications

• Bachelor Degree, MBA preferred.
• 8-10 years experience in Buying/Planning roles, with increasing levels of leadership experience. Retail experience required.
• Proven ability and experience in evaluating analytics and applying to business decision making.
• Proven track record of identifying opportunities and achieving sales and margin metrics.
• Proven strategic, customer focused, analytical, management, and financial skills.

• This role requires collaboration, teamwork, and face-to-face interaction with colleagues, leaders, and/or clients.
• Being in the office ensures access to leaders, cross-functional partners, and resources necessary to make timely decisions and drive results.
• On-site presence in accordance with our Flex Smart policy supports our culture of innovation, mentorship, and engagement, which is integral to our success in developing the best team.

* This is not intended to be an all-inclusive, exhaustive list of all essential job functions for this position. Pet Smart retains the right to change or assign other required job duties to this position.

At Pet Smart, Anything for Pets begins with our people. Every associate plays a vital role in creating meaningful experiences for pets and their families, and we empower our teams with the tools, resources, and opportunities to grow and succeed.

Were more than a workplace, were Team Pet Smart. Together, we grow, collaborate, and challenge ourselves to be the best in all we do. Our culture is built on belonging and shared purpose, where every voice and experience matters. Guided by our values, we strive to do whats right, lead responsibly, and bring our passion for pets to life every day.

Not sure if you meet 100% of the position requirements and whether you should apply? Wed still like to hear from you and encourage you to apply with us! You might be the right fit for this role or another opportunity across Team Pet Smart.

Our home office offers outstanding amenities in a fun and rewarding workplace including:

• Pet-friendly…