Merchant I- Chains Line

Merchant I- Chains Line

The Opportunity:

Join Rio Grande as Merchant and play a key role in shaping our product offerings! You’ll work closely with design and production teams to develop jewelry collections that align with market trends and customer demands. This is your chance to blend creativity with strategy and drive growth in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.

What You’ll Do:

Product Selection & Buying

• Assist in identifying and capitalizing on market trends to curate a compelling, profitable assortment of offerings within a given product category.
• When appropriate, attend trade shows, industry events, and vendor meetings to evaluate new products.
• Assist in the curation of product assortments for key accounts and markets based on sales performance, customer needs, and trend insights.
• Assist in the analysis of sales data and market feedback to influence future product development and buying decisions.

Merchandising Strategy

• Assist in the development of seasonal merchandising plans based on sales data, market trends, and customer behavior.
• Collaborate with sales, planning, eCommerce and marketing teams to ensure cohesive brand messaging.
• Assist in the optimization of product mix and pricing strategies to maximize revenue and margin.
• Work closely with planning, logistics, and operations teams to ensure timely delivery and inventory accuracy.
• Assist in product life cycle management including introduction, growth, maturity, decline and exit strategies..

Web Merchandising

• Ensure products displayed on the web are accurate, appealing, and professional.
• Ensure products are strategically placed and can be easily located by customers shopping our site.

• Using Google Analytics and customer feedback, make data-driven decisions related to customer behavior and corresponding purchase trends.
• Ensure consistency with image aesthetics, product descriptions, and messaging within a category and across all channels.

Pricing & Margin Optimization

• Assist in the setting of pricing strategies in line with company margin goals and desired market positioning.
• Monitor cost structures, shipping, and production timelines to maintain profitability.
  • Vendor & Supplier Management
• Assist in the negotiation of pricing, minimum order quantities, and delivery timelines with vendors.
• Maintain strong relationships with current suppliers while seeking new opportunities.
• Ensure product quality standards and compliance with ethical sourcing guidelines.
  • Market & Competitive Analysis
• Track competitor assortments, pricing, and performance to maintain a competitive edge.
• When appropriate attend trade shows and market weeks to identify trends and meet with clients.
• Consistently work to collect VOC to ensure the correct product mix, pricing and market positioning. Use data that has been collected to make decisions.
  • Cross-functional Collaboration
• Partner with eCommerce, sales, manufacturing, marketing, and creative teams to execute product launches and campaigns.
• Provide training and product knowledge support to sales associates and customer service teams.

Training and Development

• Develop and provide new product training for Sales, QM, Manufacturing (when appropriate), and Marketing
• Develop and provide ongoing product training for current products for Sales, QM, Manufacturing (when appropriate), and Marketing
• Develop, with assistance of marketing, sales tools

• Develop, with the assistance of marketing, talking points for new and existing products

What You’ll Need:

• Understanding of product development, merchandising timelines, and B2B sales cycles.
• Proven ability to analyze data and trends to drive commercial decisions.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

Preferred Skills:

• GIA or jewelry certification is a plus.
• 1+ years of experience in wholesale merchandising, account management, or buying
• Proficient in Excel, ERP systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP), and CRM tools.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Marketing, or a related field.
• Experience with e-commerce platforms and digital merchandising.
• Strong visual merchandising and product storytelling skills.
• Strong understanding of jewelry trends, materials, and customer preferences.

Environment/Physical Requirements/Schedule:

• Office environment

• Sitting and standing for long periods of time
• May be required to occasionally lift up to 50 lbs (accommodation available)
• M-F FT between the hours of 8 AM-5 PM

The successful candidate will enjoy a rewarding, challenging, and principled work environment. For more information about us please visit: www.riogrande.com

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging:

Guided by our core values, Rio Grande is committed to treating all people with dignity and respect. We are an equal-opportunity employer with a zero-tolerance policy for harassment or discrimination of any kind. As an advocate for equity and equality, we hire, train, and promote qualified people of all backgrounds. We consider employment candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other underrepresented class. We value our associates and have won the yearly Healthiest Places to Work and Family Friendly Business awards on multiple occasions.

The Reward:
Rio Grande provides a generous benefit package for full-time (30+ hours a week) associates that includes:

• Medical plan with low premium rates and no high deductible (includes dental and vision) and telemedicine
• 401(k) matching program
• Paid time-off benefits, plus an additional seven paid holidays
• Paid life insurance and optional additional life insurance
• Long-term and short-term disability
• Flexible spending account
• Pet insurance
• Tuition reimbursement
• On-site gym and company wellness program
• Bereavement leave
• Employee discounts at Rio Grande
• Local and national discounts on various travel and entertainment
• Competitive compensation, including an opportunity to share in the profits

Our associates strive for joint accountability. We work together for the success of our stakeholders, and we provide a thoughtful, fun, and creative environment to support them. We encourage professional and personal development through a variety of training opportunities and a focus on promoting from within.

The Company:
Established in 1944, Rio Grande, a Berkshire-Hathaway manufacturer/distributor, has thousands of valued customers around the world. We are a principle-based company with a highly evolved team-based environment. We can show you how a profoundly effective organization lives these values every day. You can find our guiding principles, The 3 R’s, Respect, Responsibility and Results, on our website as well as information about our community support and how we protect the environment.

Within our 186,000 sq. ft., solar-powered facility, with covered parking, Rio Grande has sales, marketing, supply chain, IT and administrative offices, a climate-controlled distribution center with more than 40,000 items, and a comprehensive, well-equipped manufacturing operation. Manufactured products include jewelry-making equipment (from basic tools to highly sophisticated induction casting machines) and jewelry components—both die-struck and cast. Capabilities include CAD/CAM, casting, stamp and form, metal finishing, CNC machining, manual milling, tool & die and electronics/mechanical assembly.