Director of Merchandising
About this role
Competitive Benefits • Fitness Center Reimbursement • Product Discounts
This is a remote position; however, candidates must be located in Minneapolis, MN; Fargo, ND; or Chicago, IL.
Who We Are:
Swanson Health Products has been committed to bringing wellness to the world for over 50 years. As a leader in the vitamins, supplements, and natural wellness industry, we focus on delivering science-backed, high-quality products that support healthier lives. We are a digitally driven organization investing in innovation, customer experience, and data-informed growth.
About the Role:
We are seeking a Director of Product Merchandising to define and execute enterprise-wide category, assortment, and innovation strategies across Swanson’s product portfolio. This role is responsible for driving category growth, profitability, innovation performance, and portfolio optimization across Direct-to-Consumer, Amazon & 3P Marketplaces, and International channels.
As a key leader within the organization, you will oversee category strategy, assortment planning, innovation roadmaps, and portfolio performance while leading and developing a team of merchandising professionals. You’ll collaborate cross-functionally with Innovation, Marketing, Pricing, Analytics, Purchasing, Ecommerce, Marketplace, and International teams to deliver business growth and strengthen Swanson’s market position.
What You'll Do:
Category & Portfolio Strategy
- Own category vision, strategy, and performance across multiple channels
- Lead assortment architecture, governance, and SKU rationalization initiatives
- Monitor category performance and implement improvement plans
- Identify growth opportunities, portfolio gaps, and emerging market trends
- Leverage consumer, competitive, industry, and internal insights to inform strategic decisions
Innovation Leadership
- Own innovation roadmaps and product pipelines for both owned and partner brands
- Oversee product launches, reformulations, and discontinuations
- Partner cross-functionally to commercialize innovation initiatives
- Evaluate launch performance and optimize future innovation investments
Leadership & Talent Development
- Lead, coach, and develop Associate and Assistant Merchants
- Establish clear priorities, accountability, and performance expectations
- Build organizational capability and succession plans
- Foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, continuous improvement, and results
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Represent Merchandising across enterprise initiatives and strategic projects
- Influence decisions across Innovation, Marketing, Pricing, Analytics, Purchasing, Ecommerce, Marketplace, and International teams
- Align stakeholders around category priorities and business objectives
Business Performance & Growth
- Drive category growth, profitability, and portfolio optimization
- Manage innovation performance and product lifecycle strategies
- Utilize analytics and financial insights to guide business decisions
- Support enterprise growth initiatives across all sales channels
Required Qualifications:
- 10+ years of progressive merchandising or category management experience
- Demonstrated success managing category performance, innovation pipelines, and cross-functional business initiatives
- Strong analytical, financial, and strategic planning capabilities
- Experience owning financial performance and driving business results
- Proven experience managing product lifecycles and innovation portfolios
- Executive presence with the ability to influence senior leaders and stakeholders
- Exceptional communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills
- Strong leadership, coaching, and talent development abilities
- Ability to navigate ambiguity and lead through organizational change
- Bias toward action, accountability, and results
- Experience working across multiple sales channels, including DTC, marketplaces, and international markets a plus
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Management, or a related field
Why Join Us?
Join a company with over 50 years of leadership in health and wellness and play a key role in shaping the future of our product portfolio. As Director of Product Merchandising, you'll drive category growth, lead innovation, influence enterprise-wide strategy, and make a meaningful impact on the health and wellness journey of millions of customers.
Originally posted on Himalayas