Merchant, Super Market Division – Frozen Grocery

Referred applicants should not apply directly to this role.

All referred applicants must first be submitted through Workday by a current Loblaw Colleague.

Come make your difference in communities across Canada, where authenticity, trust and making connections is valued - as we shape the future of Canadian retail, together. Our unique position as one of the country's largest employers, coupled with our commitment to positively impact the lives of all Canadians, provides our colleagues a range of opportunities and experiences to help Canadians Live Life Well®.

At Loblaw Companies Limited, we succeed through collaboration and commitment and set a high bar for ourselves and those around us. Whether you are just starting your career, re-entering the workforce, or looking for a new job, this is where you belong.

Why is this role important:

The Merchant plays a critical role to deliver exceptional value through shelf and promotional planning, together with the best assortment and customer programs to over than 400 grocery retail stores across Canada, including Ontario and West Superstore, Loblaws, Zehrs, Provigo, Atlantic Superstore, Dominion, Your Independent Grocer and Valu Mart.

Reporting to the Category Director, you will be a part of a diverse and dynamic team that is data-driven, has a passion for customers, and a love for food. If you are a driven self starter that thrives in a fast paced environment, takes ownership of a portfolio, has a passion for your business and a desire to grow category sales and share for Canada's leading retailers, this role is for you

What you'll do:

Assortment Planning, Optimization & Execution:

• Lead assortment optimization analysis, planogram design and in-store merchandising strategies for the Frozen Sweet and Savoury categories.
• Research the competitive landscape of the category and understand industry benchmarking standards on pricing, assortment, merchandising and promotional activity, with a focus on key product assortment
• Evaluate new product and/or platform innovation and work with our control brand team on product innovation and program development for our private labels.
• Use data and analytics to build strategic plans that best serve customers, and that achieve intended financial outcomes.

Promotional and Category Planning and Execution

• Manage promotional programs from end-to-end, including product selection and forecasting, financial impact analysis, pricing decisions, vendor engagement, flyer and digital content, and evaluate program success.
• Set and achieve goals for the category, working collaboratively with various colleagues in merchandising, operations, control brands, supply chain, loyalty, e-commerce, marketing, media and other divisions.
• Build trusted relationships with category vendors and external partners.
• Support the Category Director in managing the financial performance for the category (profit and loss) and competitive health of the category (market share performance.)
• Lead and assist vendor program meetings and product costing negotiations. Play an active role in managing vendors’ financial performance and product assortment.

What you bring:

• Post-secondary education in Business or related field
• 3+ years of relevant experience as a merchant/buyer, in retail sales or merchandising. Previous experience in retail operations and merchandise planning is an asset
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing portfolio financials
• A motivated and independent self-starter
• Ability to innovate, influence others, and collaborate with many complementary teams and cross functional stakeholders
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to analyze large data sets to bring forward key takeaways and use data to make decisions
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Independent problem solving and ability to think critically
• Skilled in MS Excel and PowerPoint, with the ability to learn and work with various software platforms. Knowledge of Loblaw systems, data sources, and metrics is an asset

At Loblaw, we respect the environment, source products with integrity and make a positive difference in the community. Our CORE Values - Care, Ownership, Respect and Excellence - guide all our decision-making and come to life through our Blue Culture. We offer our colleagues progressive careers, comprehensive training, flexibility, and other competitive benefits - these are some of the many reasons why we are one of Canada’s Top Employers.

Loblaw recognizes Canada's diversity as a source of national pride and strength. We have made it a priority to reflect our nation’s evolving diversity in the products we sell, the people we hire, and the culture we create in our organization.

Accommodation is available upon request for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment and assessment process and when hired.

Our commitment to Sustainability and Social Impact is an essential part of the way we do business, and we focus our attention on areas where we can have the greatest impact. Our approach to sustainability and social impact is based on three pillars - Environment, Sourcing and Community - and we are constantly looking for ways to demonstrate leadership in these important areas. Our CORE Values - Care, Ownership, Respect and Excellence - guide all our decision-making and come to life through our Blue Culture. We offer our colleagues progressive careers, comprehensive training, flexibility, and other competitive benefits - these are some of the many reasons why we are one of Canada’s Top Employers, Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, Canada’s Greenest Employers & Canada’s Top Employers for Young People.

If you are unsure whether your experience matches every requirement above, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are looking for varied perspectives which include diverse experiences that we can add to our team.

We have a long-standing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion because we know it will make our company a better place to work and shop. We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.

Please Note:
Candidates who are 18 years or older are required to complete a criminal background check. Details will be provided through the application process.