• New York, New York
• Retail
• $60K~$90K
• Full Time regular employee
•  9:00am-5:00pm
•  New

Job Description

Position
Food Merchandising Manager

Summary
The Food Merchandising Manager will lead the development, execution, and performance optimization of the company's food category across North America. This includes strategic assortment planning, supplier management, compliance oversight, and cross-functional coordination to ensure alignment with both Japan HQ and local business needs. The role is pivotal in delivering sustainable category growth, brand alignment, and a distinctive food offering reflective of our core values of simplicity, quality, and functionality.

Essential Duties
1. Merchandise & Category Strategy

• Lead end-to-end seasonal merchandise planning in collaboration with Japan HQ, aligning product direction with regional customer preferences.
• Own the food category vision, including short- and long-term assortment strategies that drive innovation, profitability, and market relevance.
• Develop and maintain a detailed competitive landscape analysis to identify assortment gaps and differentiation opportunities.
• Conduct regular customer insights reviews and store feedback loops to ensure the assortment reflects market demand and evolving trends.

2. Inventory Planning & Allocation Management

• Create and execute allocation strategies across stores and e-commerce, tailored by store profile, geography, and sales history.
• Partner with warehouse, demand planning, and logistics teams to ensure adequate stock levels for seasonal transitions, core lines, and promotional activity.
• Monitor key inventory KPIs including turns, aging stock, sell-through, shrink, and markdown rates to drive efficient merchandise flow.
• Support initiatives to minimize food waste and optimize shelf-life management in alignment with sustainability goals.

3. Supplier & Supply Chain Coordination

• Act as the primary liaison between our North America and Japan HQ for all food procurement activities, order timelines, and assortment changes.
• Establish and nurture strong relationships with domestic and international suppliers; drive commercial negotiations to improve cost, lead time, and product availability.
• Source new suppliers to expand the food assortment with local relevance and improved margin performance.
• Manage logistics timelines and ensure all supplier and freight partners meet our quality and delivery expectations.

4. Regulatory Compliance & Food Safety

• Ensure 100% compliance with all relevant U.S. and Canadian food safety regulations, including FDA, USDA, and CFIA standards.
• Partner with internal legal, QA, and compliance teams to oversee accurate and compliant labeling, ingredients, allergens, and nutritional information.
• Support internal training and documentation related to food handling, labeling protocols, and new product introduction (NPI) processes.
• 5. Performance Analysis & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Own category P&L performance and report weekly, monthly, and seasonal results to senior leadership with actionable recommendations.
• Collaborate closely with Store Operations, Visual Merchandising, Marketing, and E-commerce to deliver consistent and compelling product storytelling and presentation.
• Drive promotional and marketing strategies in partnership with marketing and digital teams, including in-store campaigns, signage, and seasonal events.
• Represent the food category in internal meetings, seasonal reviews, and product development discussions with global stakeholders.

Working Hours, Working style
09:00-18:00 / 08:00-17:00  
During the training period, attendance at the office is required every day.
After training, working from the office four days a week and one day remote work is allowed.

Working Location
Manhattan NY 

Salary, Benefit
$60K~90K＋（Bonus）　

Holidays
Sat Sun National Holidays 　

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Merchandising, Business, Food Science, Supply Chain, or related discipline.
• 5–7+ years of experience in food merchandising, category management, or product development—preferably in a multi-channel retail environment.
• Proven experience managing international suppliers, vendor negotiations, and merchandising lifecycle from concept to execution.
• Strong understanding of U.S. and Canadian food labeling, regulatory standards, and compliance practices.
• Data-driven mindset with proficiency in Microsoft Excel and planning/reporting tools
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and cross-functional leadership skills.
• Business-level Japanese language proficiency is a plus due to regular coordination with Japan HQ.

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