This Manager will combine strong merchant instincts, diamond and product knowledge, customer understanding and analytical rigor to optimize these businesses. The role will own category-level analysis and execution across assortment, pricing, natural and lab-grown mix, product lifecycle, inventory and new product.
Responsibilities - Category Strategy & Ownership:
- Manage day-to-day performance and execution of the Diamond Basics businesses in partnership with the Director of Category Management
- Translate broader category strategies into actionable assortment, pricing, product, inventory and merchandising plans
- Develop deep expertise in the distinct customer missions, shopping behaviors and competitive dynamics of each category
- Maintain clear roles for natural and lab-grown diamonds within each category and identify opportunities to evolve the mix based on customer demand and business performance
- Identify white space across product type, diamond shape, carat weight, setting, metal, price point and customer need
- Develop fact-based recommendations for where Blue Nile should invest, expand, test, maintain, reposition or exit
- Balance assortment breadth and customer choice with the need for a more curated, intentional Blue Nile point of view
- Partner with Site Merchandising, Creative, Marketing, Technology and Retail to ensure Diamond Basics are presented in ways that make selection inspiring, understandable and intuitive on site and in store
- Establish product priorities for category pages, search, sort, recommendations, storytelling, marketing, and promotional placements
- Ensure hero products and key assortment stories receive appropriate visibility
- Balance visibility of proven core products with strategic newness and growth opportunities
- Translate complex product differences into clear merchandising stories that help customers quickly understand why a product matters
- Provide Retail partners with clear product priorities and category stories that Client Advisors can confidently bring to customers
Responsibilities - Assortment & Curation:
- Manage the Diamond Basics assortment across key classifications including earrings, pendants, necklaces, and bracelets with responsibility for natural and lab-grown diamond offerings
- Build clear assortment architecture across carat weight, diamond type, setting, metal, silhouette and price
- Ensure strong coverage of core customer needs while continually identifying opportunities for newness and assortment expansion
- Establish clear good/better/best and opening/core/premium product ladders where appropriate
- Analyze productivity at the SKU and attribute level to identify assortment gaps, duplication and opportunities for rationalization
- Identify and scale winning product concepts while ensuring long-tail SKUs have a strategic reason to remain in the assortment
- Partner with Demand Planning to align inventory depth and availability with product productivity and strategic importance
Responsibilities - Commercial Management:
- Monitor Diamond Basics performance across revenue, units, ASP, margin, conversion, inventory productivity and customer engagement
- Understand performance differences across natural versus lab-grown, preset versus customizable products, price tiers, carat weights, metals and product classifications
- Use performance data to recommend changes to assortment, pricing, promotions, inventory investment and site exposure
- Work closely with Pricing, Finance, and Planning to maintain competitive price architecture while protecting margin and profitability
Responsibilities - Product Development and Innovation:
- Partner with the Director, Product Development, Design, Sourcing and Planning to translate category opportunities into new-product briefs
- Use business performance, competitive intelligence, customer behavior and emerging diamond and jewelry trends to identify opportunities for innovation
- Recommend extensions of winning products across diamond type, shape, carat weight, metal, setting and price point
- Develop commercial guardrails for new products, including target price positioning, assortment role and expected customer need
- Support launches from initial concept through assortment planning, launch readiness, digital presentation and post-launch analysis
- Establish success criteria and provide clear recommendations to scale, adjust or exit products following launch
Requirements- Bachelor's degree in business, Economics, Analytics, Marketing or a related field
- 3-5+ years' experience in merchandising with preference for diamond expertise
- Strategic mindset with a focus on translating complex data into actionable business strategies
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities
- Strong analytical and quantitative skills with proficiency in tools such as Excel, SQL, Tableau or similar platforms
- Strong leadership skills #LI-WK1
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments
BenefitsAt Blue Nile, many of our roles offer a high-quality, comprehensive benefits package including healthcare, paid time off, retirement planning and opportunities for career advancement. Some offerings are dependent upon the role, employment type, work schedule or location:
- Paid Time Off
- Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Insurance
- 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match
- Flexible Spending Account Health Savings Account
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Employee Discount
- Parental Leave
- Life Insurance
Annual base pay: $100,000 - $140,000. Final pay rate shall be determined and is based on experience and qualifications.
At this time, Blue Nile will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization for this position.
