Director of Merchandising and Retail Operations

Eataly is the world’s largest artisanal Italian food and beverage marketplace! Eataly is not a chain; each Eataly is different, with its own character and own theme – but all with the same aim... for our guests to:

• EAT authentic Italian food at our restaurants, cafés and to-go counters
• SHOP a selection of high-quality Italian, local and homemade products
• LEARN through our classes and our team’s product knowledge

The Director of Merchandising and Retail Operations is responsible for developing and implementing merchandising strategies to drive sales, profitability, and customer satisfaction. They drive the success of Eataly North America's retail departments through improving employees' product knowledge, increasing operational efficiency, updating and enforcing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each retail department. This role requires a senior professional with a passion for grocery retail, strong leadership skills, and a data-driven approach to support decision making. 

RESPONSIBILITIES  

• Develop and execute merchandising strategies to maximize sales and profitability while maintaining brand integrity. 
• Analyze sales data, market trends, and competitive intelligence to identify opportunities for growth and optimization. 
• Lead and develop a team of merchandising and operations professionals to achieve business objectives. 
• Collaborate with cross -functional teams, including purchasing, marketing, sales, and product development, to align merchandising efforts with overall business goals. 
• Collaborate with the Head of Pricing to develop pricing strategies based on market dynamics, competitive landscape, and financial objectives.  
• Own and manage both Retail Dry and Fresh planograms for all stores. 
• Develop visual merchandising guidelines and standards to ensure an engaging and cohesive shopping experience across all channels. 
• Write and enforce SOPs for the entire life cycle of the products, including purchasing, receiving, handling, merchandising, transformation, waste and sale. 
• Assists with new product launches, annual promotions, and activations tied to producer agreements. 
• Plays a key role in designing new store and supporting new store openings. 
• Collaborates and works cross functionally with Retail Managers, Fresh Market Managers, and Department Managers on projects defined by the Product Team and store leadership to ensure consistent execution of company standards and best practices. 
• In collaboration with the Product team manage and update retail recipes 
• Coordinate retail operations counter and products set up and support training sessions rollout for new store openings. 
• Conduct store visits and weekly call to review and ensure merchandising and training standards are in line with business needs and objectives. 
• Provides operational support and presence in stores, especially during new opening periods 
• Support and guide store in training. 

• ​​​​​Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Merchandising 
• 8+ years of experience in merchandising and planning 
• Experience in the food and beverage industry, ideally in Italian cuisine 
• Knowledge of Italian cuisine and culture  
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills and relationship-building skills 
• Excellent problem-solving and business management skills 

JOB REQUIREMENTS 

• Ability to travel 50% of the time 

The base pay range for this position is $120,000-$145,000 per year

Benefits and Perks

• Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Paid Parental Leave
• 401K with match or RRSP
• Bonus program
• Free family meal daily
• Discounts at Eataly
• Classes on products and Italian cuisine
• Referral bonus program
• and more!

Eataly is an equal employment opportunity employer. It is the Company’s policy to not unlawfully discriminate against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, age, disability or any other characteristic made unlawful to consider by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Eataly also prohibits harassment of applicants and employees based on any of these protected categories. It is also Eataly’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws regarding consideration of unemployment status, salary history, credit/bankruptcy history and criminal background/conviction history in making hiring decisions.  If contacted for an employment opportunity, please advise Human Resources if you require accommodation.