REI Co-op is united around discovering, building and celebrating better ways of working in this world, all so that folks can find and pursue a love of the outdoors. When you work for the co-op, you do your best work with the support to live your best life. And you play a part in shaping the future of the outdoors, for people and our planet. 

The Buyer is accountable for the financial performance and operational management of Snowboarding and Water Sports. With guidance of the Sr. CMM, they contribute to REI’s success by developing business plans and driving sales, turn, margin and in-stock goals. Responsible for end-to-end product lifecycle management including assortment design, promotional product selection and contribution to Retail and Marketing storytelling. Manages work flow internally through partnering with vendors, planning, replenishment and collaborating with cross-divisional partners. Responsible for style plan management, and partnering with Merchandising Data Specialist to coordinate product data creation and maintenance. Builds and maintains excellent relationships between vendors and REI in order to achieve mutual goals of sales and profitability. 

• Create assortment strategies and partner with Category Planning Manager to develop initial sales forecast for product category based on corporate and specialty shop strategic objectives; financial, market and industry trends; item and vendor performance (sales, margin, markdowns, quality and in-stocks). 
• Build compelling assortments that meet the needs of our target customers by considering product attributes, intended end use, activity levels, pricing ladder, REI Brand Frame and market trends. 
• Reconcile style plan and Marketing continuities with financial and space plan at class and departmental level. 
• Set retail prices in accordance with market needs as well as corporate and vendor policies. 
• Review and resolve in-season assortment requests. 
• Work with Visual Merchandising on product presentation issues and opportunities. 
• Communicate final assortment and department direction to other stakeholders within the company, such as the departmental teams, Marketing, Visual Merchandising, Digital and Retail. Include information about cost, terms, price, distribution and marketing as needed. Coordinate and disseminate product information to Marketing through product review process and to Retail through appropriate communication processes.
• Negotiate with vendors for best costs, terms, discounts, freight, co-op and marketing support. 
• Continually seek out new vendors and innovative product opportunities. 
• Gain vendor support for corporate inventory and terms initiatives. 
• Integrate Vendor Collaboration into negotiations regarding vendor marketing fund agreements with product vendors and follow up on collection as required. Business Acumen and Planning 
• Contribute to the development of short- and long-term specialty shop strategic and business plans. 
• Manages workflow and timeline of category team (includes planning and replenishment) 
• Collaborates with visual merchandising and digital teams to bring category strategy to life 

Qualifications

• 3+ years merchandising experience with 4 year college degree or equivalent experience. 
• PC proficiency in Microsoft Windows, Office: Excel, Word, Outlook 
• Experience with product inventory analysis, acquisition, allocation and management for multiple stores and direct sales. 
• Understanding and effective execution of merchandising math principles: initial mark-up, gross margin, markdowns, shrink, damages, inventory turnover, open-to-buy. 
• Familiarity and interest in REI products, activities and services. 
• Actively participates and collaborates with others on one’s own team and across REI for the achievement of business goals. 

At REI, we believe the outdoors is for all. We are committed to becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization. We know that there's strength in our diversity – that each employee brings unique skills, experiences, and perspectives. Every day you are driving change, fostering a culture of respect, and knowing you're backed by benefits that support your whole life. To work towards this commitment and fulfill our brand promise of inspiring and enabling a life outside for everyone, we seek employees who demonstrate different ways of working, create a sense of belonging, and actively listen and learn.  

Pay Transparency

We are committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. As required by applicable Pay Transparency laws, REI provides a range of compensation for roles that may be hired in locations under these requirements. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include a wide array of factors, including: your specific skills and experience, geographic location or other relevant factors.   

REI offers all regular employees a generous employee discount, access to health benefits, a retirement savings plan and accrued time off.  Click here for a detailed overview of benefits plans by employee profile.