Division Merchandise Manager Opportunity: Convenience & Packaged Food CategoryEvent Network creates retail experiences inside some of the country's most memorable cultural, educational, and entertainment destinations. As Division Merchandise Manager, you will lead enterprise category strategy across assigned divisions, using collective scale, intelligence, and buying power to improve cost of goods, strengthen vendor partnerships, and create product opportunities.
This role combines exceptional merchandising, negotiation, and people leadership. You will develop Buyers, build strategic vendor relationships, stay connected to market and manufacturing innovation, and partner with General Merchandise Managers and the Creative Center of Excellence to turn business needs into differentiated, commercially compelling products.
We prefer someone located in either San Diego, CA or Park City, UT. However, for the right individual we are also open to someone working this role remotely.CURIOSITYStay relentlessly connected to the marketplace; seek new products, vendors, capabilities, and ideas and ask how they can create greater value.
GENEROSITYShare intelligence, relationships, capabilities, and opportunities across the organization; invest deeply in Buyer development and shared success.
CREATIVITYChallenge conventional sourcing and product solutions and connect enterprise scale with innovative, differentiated product experiences.
Leadership MandateLead enterprise category strategy, cost of goods, vendor relationships, product innovation, and Buyer development. Create measurable value through scale while protecting the relevance, differentiation, and storytelling each partnership requires.
Core ResponsibilitiesLead Category and Cost of Goods Strategy- Develop category strategies that improve product, cost, quality, terms, and scalability. Use enterprise spend, volume, and vendor intelligence to identify leverage and opportunities beyond a single business unit. Drive improvement through sourcing, negotiation, product engineering, volume leverage, vendor consolidation, and alternative solutions.
- Balance value, quality, speed, innovation, and business-unit needs; challenge fragmented or legacy approaches when a stronger enterprise solution exists.
Build Strategic Vendor Partnerships- Lead significant negotiations and establish commercial relationships that create sustainable value. Negotiate cost, terms, minimums, lead times, quality expectations, and capabilities with confidence and discipline.
- Build a strong supplier network, evaluate competitive alternatives, and create access to innovation, flexibility, and long-term opportunity. Set clear performance expectations and coach Buyers to manage relationships effectively.
Lead Product Innovation and Market Intelligence- Maintain a forward-looking view of product, consumer, category, and marketplace trends. Seek emerging vendors, brands, materials, manufacturing techniques, formats, and capabilities that expand what is possible.
- Partner with GMMs to connect business-unit needs to strong category and sourcing solutions, surface enterprise opportunities early, and collaborate with the Creative Center of Excellence on proprietary and custom product.
Build and Lead the Buying Team- Develop a high-performing team of Buyers with category expertise, merchant judgment, financial fluency, negotiation skill, and strong execution. Set clear expectations for discovery, sourcing, vendor management, product development, performance, timelines, and collaboration.
- Create accountability while giving Buyers the context and authority to make sound decisions. Develop proactive, succession-ready talent that continuously improves product quality and value.
The Leader Who Will Flourish Here- You are curious, generous, creative, commercially courageous, and accountable; an exceptional merchant and confident negotiator with strong product instinct.
- You think enterprise first, combining rigorous financial thinking with creativity and knowing that lower cost creates value only when the product remains right.
- You develop people intentionally, build true category experts, and are energized by markets, vendors, new capabilities, and collaboration across the organization.
Skills and Qualifications- Proficiency creating polished presentations in Canva and PowerPoint that communicate product strategies, assortments, financial insights, and recommendations.
- Strong project management skills, including the ability to organize priorities, manage timelines, track dependencies, and move multiple initiatives forward.
- Proficiency with Monday.com or similar project-management platforms, including maintaining project status, ownership, milestones, and deliverables.
- Advanced Excel skills with the ability to build reports, maintain data, analyze performance, identify trends, and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
- Ability to interpret business and sales data, evaluate product performance, and use insights to support category, purchasing, and assortment decisions.
- Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, vendor relationships, and product initiatives simultaneously.
- Proficiency creating polished presentations in Canva and PowerPoint that communicate product strategies, assortments, financial insights, and recommendations.
Physical RequirementsThe physical demands below are representative of those required to perform the essential functions of the role. Reasonable accommodations may be made.
- Frequently sit, stand, walk, and handle products and samples; occasionally reach, climb, stoop, kneel, crouch, or lift and move merchandise samples and materials. Travel as needed to markets, trade shows, vendor showrooms, factories, stores, and other business activities.
THE EXPERIENCE MATTERS.For our guests. For our partners. For our teams.Salary: $120,000.00 plus profit sharing bonusBRING YOUR PASSION AND TALENT TO OUR TEAM!Ready to make an impact and be part of something extraordinary?
Apply today and take the next step in your career journey with us!
Employee BenefitsEvent Network offers full-time team members a comprehensive total rewards package with a variety of coverage options.
- Health and Wellness Benefits: Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance; Basic Life and AD&D Insurance; Long-Term Disability; plus Voluntary Benefits options 100% paid by employee: Voluntary Life and AD&D Insurance, Short-Term Disability (for employees outside of CA, NY, NJ, HI, RI, Puerto Rico), Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, and Pet insurance.
- Retirement and Savings: 401(k) Retirement Plan; Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Paid Time Off: Vacation Accrual; Sick Leave
- Nine Paid Holidays.
- Profit Sharing Bonus Plan
- Employee Discounts: 25% discount to shop at our stores; and a separate discount program with exclusive savings on a variety of brand-name products, services, travel, entertainment, tickets, and more.
