Category Buyer/Merchandise Planner - Hunting, Fishing, BBQ & Camping

Overview

This role blends the commercial execution of a Retail Buyer with the analytical rigor of a Merchandise Planner. You will be responsible for assortment planning, vendor relations, pricing strategies, and inventory analytics for the hunting, fishing, BBQ, and camping categories. While a strong background in data analytics is required, prior experience strictly in retail buying or category management is preferred but not mandatory for the right analytical candidate.

NOTE: This position is an in-office Mon - Fri opportunity in our Pearland, Texas office.

25 Days PTO - Use it, cash it, roll it

Medical * Dental * Vision

401k 100% Match up to 6%

The essential job functions include, but are not limited to:

Assortment Planning & Purchasing

• Develop and execute long-term merchandise strategies and assortment plans for assigned categories.

• Source new products, identify market trends, and capitalize on opportunity gaps in the outdoor sector.

• Build and manage vendor relationships, driving negotiations to support category growth and margin goals.

• Direct product selection, pricing strategies, and promotional calendars across all customer channels.

Merchandise Analytics & Inventory Management

• Analyze sales performance, sell-through rates, and consumer data to drive purchasing decisions.

• Manage inventory health by running ad hoc and regular reporting on out-of-stocks, SKU rationalization, and opportunity gaps.

• Optimize space planning and plan-o-grams based on financial performance and product movement.

• Monitor competitor pricing and adjust retail strategies to maintain market positioning.

• Partner with IT to define data requirements, optimize enterprise data flow, and ensure accurate reporting.

• Present financial performance, margin analysis, and strategic recommendations to leadership.

• Conduct field analysis and store visits to evaluate merchandising execution and localized product needs.

• Perform other duties as required and/or assigned

• Employee must be able to perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation   

The position requirements include, but are not limited to:

Education & Experience

• Master’s Degree (Business, Statistics, Mathematics, Accounting, Engineering, or related) with 2+ years of experience; OR Bachelor’s Degree with 4+ years of relevant experience
• Strong background in data analytics, merchandise planning, or retail buying working with large-scale datasets
• Preferred: Direct experience or strong product knowledge in hunting, fishing, BBQ, and camping gear

Technical Skills

• Requires advanced expertise in Microsoft Excel, particularly with pivot tables, complex formula creation, and data modeling. Successful completion of an Excel skills assessment is required
  Experience utilizing Data Visualization and Business Intelligence tools (e.g., Tableau, MicroStrategy) for retail reporting

Professional Skills

• Strong project management skills to oversee category resets, product launches, and promotional timelines
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, and the ability to manage multiple priorities efficiently
• Solid communication skills to present actionable insights to internal teams and negotiate with external vendors