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What is a senior merchandising manager and how to become one
A senior merchandise manager is an individual who manages the purchasing and selling of products in a retail environment. These individuals supervise merchandising staff and in larger stores, oversee purchasing departments that work to procure retail products ranging from clothing to appliances, and manage purchasing budgets and inventory. These individuals also monitor product and fashion trends, work with various vendors and manufacturers, and handle promotional and marketing materials. Senior marketing managers also handle negotiations with suppliers and train staff in merchandising management.
Some retail employers may prefer candidates who have a bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or a related field; however, candidates with comparable skills and experience may be considered depending on the industry. These individuals should possess strong leadership, communication, negotiation, and organizational skills.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, senior merchandise managers can make up to $120,000 annually, and the job market is expected to increase 1% by 2024.
Avg. Salary $111,266
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth rate 10%
Growth rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.23%
Asian 8.15%
Black or African American 3.04%
Hispanic or Latino 8.67%
Unknown 5.32%
White 74.58%
Genderfemale 50.85%
male 49.15%
Age - 38American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 38Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work life balance is poor
6.4 - fair
Senior merchandising manager career paths
Key steps to become a senior merchandising manager
Explore senior merchandising manager education requirements
Start to develop specific senior merchandising manager skills
Skills Percentages Direct Reports 7.43% Digital Marketing 5.93% SR 5.89% Sales Floor 5.81% Product Knowledge 5.59% Complete relevant senior merchandising manager training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New senior merchandising managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a senior merchandising manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real senior merchandising manager resumes.Research senior merchandising manager duties and responsibilities
- Implement and manage new POS server system at the store and district level.
- Maintain effective vendor partnerships to achieve high service levels, meet IMU and MMU goals.
- Complete comprehensive training program and manage cosmetics, jewelry, women's accessories, women's fashions and men's apparel.
- Manage indirect purchasing of commodities and services during mergers and acquisitions; measure supplier / category integration savings.
Get senior merchandising manager experience
Generally, it takes 8-10 years to become a senior merchandising manager. The most common roles before becoming a senior merchandising manager include merchandising manager, store manager team lead and buyer.Prepare your senior merchandising manager resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior merchandising manager resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior merchandising manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
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Apply for senior merchandising manager jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a senior merchandising manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How did you land your first senior merchandising manager job
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Average senior merchandising manager salary
The average senior merchandising manager salary in the United States is $111,266 per year or $53 per hour. Senior merchandising manager salaries range between $79,000 and $155,000 per year.
What am I worth?
How do senior merchandising managers rate their job?
Senior merchandising manager reviews
Reviewing Brand Performance and competitive information. Also, I enjoying identifying the white space and opportunities to grow.
- Lot of challenges, a lot - Lot to innovate, to make customer's shopping experience beautiful, every month - Quick decision making, fail at times, learn every time - Big on power, bigger on responsibilities - Buck stops at you
- 24 X 7 on the toes - Manage across categories, across vendors - Keep all vendors happy, which you cannot - Failure of any cross-functional team will make you suffer from every angle
Updated January 8, 2025
