Retail Program Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

The Product Manager is responsible for the strategic review, selection, and execution of all adult book category programs for the library and specialty channels. This role owns category performance by managing assortments, terms of sale, distribution strategies, and title level planning, while serving as a key partner to Sales, Merchandising, and Operations teams. The Product Manager combines market insight, data analysis, and customer knowledge to optimize category growth and ensure assortments align with retailer objectives and consumer demand.

What You Will Be Doing: 

• Own assigned book categories, developing and executing category strategies that support overall business objectives and customer-specific goals.
• Conduct regular category and title-level reviews to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and recommend adjustments to assortments, pricing, and distribution.
• Develop category plans that incorporate market trends, seasonality, promotional calendars, and customer strategies.

• Participate in publisher product presentations and prepare summary reports and reference materials to support discussions with the publishers, guiding feedback and product development.
• Review and select titles for inclusion in category assortments, balancing editorial quality, commercial performance, and customer requirements.
• Create program specific title pools from available and relevant titles, leveraging Blue Yonder Space Planning and demand forecasting insights to analyze performance and determine the optimal titles for inclusion in retail programs.
• Manage lifecycle planning for titles, including new releases, reorders, markdowns, and exits.
• Partner with the Space Planning team to ensure the accuracy and integrity of planograms and seasonal or promotional sets within areas of responsibility, including correct in-store dates, product assortments, store lists, and prepack configurations.
• Collaborate with the Space Planning team to execute planogram updates and maintenance resulting from changes to in store dates, drop-ins, title deletions, inventory availability, customer requests, or other business needs requiring planogram adjustments.

• Support Sales teams by providing category insights, data-driven recommendations, and timely responses to customer requests.
• Customize assortments and category presentations to meet the unique needs of specific accounts.
• Collaborate closely with Shoppers Marketing, Merchandising, Supply Chain, Inventory Planning, and Operations to ensure accurate execution of category plans.
• Align with Shoppers Marketing team on category-level initiatives and merchandising strategies.
• Participate in customer meetings, line reviews, and presentations as the category subject matter expert when required.

• Analyze sales, margin, inventory turns, and other key performance indicators at both the category and title level.
• Prepare and deliver clear recommendations based on data analysis, consumer trends, and retailer feedback.
• Monitor category performance against forecasts and adjust plans as needed to improve results.
• Monitor and analyze space productivity to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, and deliver data-driven insights and recommendations to key stakeholders.
• Develop PowerPoint presentations highlighting business performance, trends, and upcoming events or new releases for publishing partners, internal sales meetings, and retail customers. 
• Must be able to handle multiple tasks and work appropriate hours to keep projects on schedule.
• Help build and maintain long-term relationships with our customers and publishers.
• Self-manage, prioritize, multi-task, and work cross-functionally with other departments.
• Other duties may be assigned, directed, or requested.

What You Will Need: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or a related field is required.
• Minimum four (4) plus years of experience in product management preferred. 
• Minimum four (4) years of experience with Microsoft Power BI preferred.
• Minimum two (2) years of experience in the Book category and knowledge of the Library market is preferred.
• Previous buying or selling experience is preferred.
• Experience with Blue Yonder software (JDA), including Space Planning, is preferred.
• Strong to advanced experience in Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook is required.
• Advanced skills in the Microsoft Office suite are highly valued, specifically Microsoft Excel, including pivot tables and V-lookup functions, are preferred.
• Self-starter with a high energy level, with the ability to prioritize and keep multiple projects on schedule.
• Working knowledge of Blue Yonder Space Planning is preferred.
• High-level written and verbal communication skills.
• Must have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Ability to speak with all levels of the organization and outside partners.
• Ability to communicate complicated information to others. 
• Must be proficient in basic mathematics: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
• Ability to do algebra, calculate figures and amounts, and apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations. 
• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
• A methodical and organized approach to problem-solving.
• Must be able to work in a fast-paced, team environment.
• Employee is occasionally exposed to vibration and dust.