Head of Merchandising and Direct Procurement

At GameStop, we are committed to providing exceptional service and delivering the latest and greatest in gaming products to our customers. As a leading global retailer of video games, electronics, and gaming merchandise, we take pride in offering a wide range of products that cater to the needs and desires of gamers worldwide. Our mission is to create unforgettable experiences for our customers by constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible. Whether you're a hardcore gamer or just starting out, we've got something for everyone. Join us in our mission to shape the future of gaming and bring the best gaming products to the world!

About the Role:

We are seeking a Head of Merchandising and Direct Procurement to lead the purchasing and procurement activities related to merchandising. Your role is pivotal, demanding leadership in category management, sourcing strategy and execution, and vendor relationship management. You are expected to set ambitious long-term strategic objectives for your team and drive cross-departmental initiatives and strategies. Your leadership involves steering complex processes and projects to fruition. A key aspect of your role involves high-stakes negotiations with vendors, requiring meticulous preparation and management.

This position will sit onsite in Grapevine, TX.

Responsibilities:

1. Lead the sourcing, vendor negotiation, and contract management processes for multiple categories.
2. Serve as key point person for executive leadership on all direct sourcing matters.
3. Negotiate contracts, prices and terms with suppliers to secure the best possible deals for the company, and proactively identify and capitalize on opportunities for cost savings within procurement processes across expiring and existing contracts.
4. Coordinate with inventory and warehouse teams to manage stock levels, ensuring all the right products are available at the right time.
5. Collaborate with finance to rigorously measure the success and effectiveness of sourcing efforts against budgets.
6. Establish and enforce top-tier category management practices and strategies for assigned categories.
7. Manage Category Lead development and execution of category strategy, including product selection, approval of marketing materials, and execution of pricing strategies in support of sales and profit.
8. Analyze promotional strategy and leverage product/consumer trends and historical data across all categories, to effectively support business strategies.
9. Achieve sales, share, profit and Private Label penetration targets, while appropriately balancing customer loyalty, innovation and blended margin.
10. Provide unwavering leadership, foster talent development, employee engagement, performance management, and training.
11. Ensure all procurement activities comply with legal and regulatory requirements.
12. Sustain robust relationships with internal customers, team members, and partners.
13. Oversee proactive contract lifecycle management (CLM) for designated categories (Coupa CLM).

Qualifications:

1. A minimum of 8 years of experience in direct strategic sourcing at a senior level within merchandising, with a proven track record of success.
2. Expert negotiator.
3. Demonstrated ability in developing and executing category management strategies across an enterprise.
4. Expertise in supplier development across regions leading multi-functional projects, and team development.
5. Excellent project management experience.
6. Proficiency in collaborating with all levels of management and departments.
7. Experience in managing and holding vendors accountable.
8. Ability to leverage spend analytics to create savings opportunities (Coupa).
9. Exceptional collaboration skills.

Full-time store positions at GameStop are also eligible to participate in incentive programs, health benefits, paid time off, 401(k), employee discount and a casual work environment. Positions at GameStop may also be eligible for a bonus and/or other incentives.