The Merchandise Manager provides expertise on all aspects of the Overseas Sourcing for multiple product categories and is a strategic partner to our US Merchants and PSS team. Reporting to the Managing Director, this role will identify/build/foster strong relations with factories / suppliers to drive our Merchant vision.
This person will come with a strong ability to build, develop and execute on our Merchants vision and product strategies. This role will work directly with factories to develop products and manage the production process to deliver to the Ross brand aesthetic, quality and value that meets the Merchant objectives. Essential Functions:
• Support Leadership and provide recommendations in driving sourcing strategy focused on building a solid vendor base to support the merchandising strategies.
• Develop product options to address specific merchandising needs and priorities via closeout scouters or production
• Provide perspective on sourcing and industry trends and potential risks with proposed solutions
• Collect and share current information on trends in raw materials, manufacturing, and product-specific intelligence (e.g., trending vendors, silhouettes, fabrications)
• Identify capacity and country issues in region which could create market disruption, increase risk, or drive cost increases. Proactively anticipates issues and provides fact-based solutions
• Proactively identifies product newness while in the factory and help guide Closeout Scouters when appropriate to drive productivity.
• Starts to own key partnerships & relationships with vendor resources that could provide regular access to Closeouts of both finished goods and raw materials
• In partnership with vendors, develop a range for seasonal and core products taking inspirations from merchant provided trends and at the right values.




• Support Merchandisers in Growing/Maintaining relationships with suppliers, factories, mills that could be potential partners for Ross
• Sources new suppliers to fulfill identified sourcing needs or opportunities
• Leads multiscale negotiations, cost, lead times, and minimum order quantities and supports Merchandisers.
• Ability to cost engineering product across multiple categories that meets the Ross and dd’s customer value proposition
• Drives key relationships to balance short-term goals of the business
• Overseeing new supplier set
- up and onboarding, according to Ross’ standard procedures
• Owns relationships with critical business partners both internally and externally to create long term plans aimed at giving Ross a competitive advantage
• Owns relationships with suppliers and vendors and teaches them how to work within the Ross off-price model.
• Owns supporting vendors in accrediting them for pre-production approvals and assists Merchandisers where needed
• Delivers on strategies aimed at evolving the business and determines what KPIs to track for its success.
• Ensures metrics on Development, Adoption Rate, Manufacturing KPIs meet the needs of the business
• Supports the PSS Process, addresses issues, assesses if changes are needed or if there are inefficiencies and offers options
• Maintains up to date knowledge of business performance and market impacts.



Identifies risks and calls them out
• Demonstrates strong understanding of both technical and knowledge and sourcing landscape across multiple categories and shares with team
• Participates and starts to lead in factory visits to assess production lines and gain intel
• Serve as first point of contact for vendors to address production issues; support any questions on testing requirements. Assists Merchandiser and steps in where needed.
• Maintains Vendor Scorecard to ensure accuracy
• Evaluate vendor performance based on data provided through business analysis report.
• Build effective collaborative working relationships with NY Buyer teams.
• Collaborate with Quality Team, Compliance Team and all cross-functional teams
• Delegate responsibilities to team and hold them accountable.
• Provide ongoing performance feedback to team; remain open to receiving performance feedback.

Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s Degree in textile or commensurate required (Strong experience in textile)
• Strong experience of leading and building teams
• 15-20 years’ experience, (new line) Comfort and experience working in/working with factories
• Knowledge of the product development and production process as well as technical aspects of the product (e.g., Materials, machinery, in home textile etc.)
• Previous experience with high SKU count at scale and multi category management.
• Detail oriented
• Strong organizational skills
• Entrepreneurial, demanding, willing to negotiate
• Digital communication – email, excel, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint
• Experience with elements of quality and discerning eye.
• Experience Sourcing and/or Technical in one of the pertinent categories (e.g. Home, Apparel, Center Core)

📌 Merchandise Manager (India)
🏢 Ross Stores
📍 India