Assistant Merchant

Company: Ace Hardware Corporation
Location: Oak Brook
Posted on: June 15, 2026

Job Description:

The Job

As an Assistant Merchant, you are responsible for all aspects of support for a product category, including but not limited to category review support, promotional planning, show prep, retailer communication, SKU on-boarding, and maintenance and special projects as assigned.

The position is designed as a support role, as well as development step in all aspects of the buying department to prepare a candidate for full category responsibility as a Merchant I.

The Assistant Merchant:

• Executes the current year plan that has been laid out by the Merchant
• Is responsible for all aspects of support for a product category
• Assists with teams' responsibilities and projects, including category reviews, promotional planning processes, show preparation, retailer communication, SKU onboarding and maintenance, and special projects as assigned.
• Is expected to consider enterprise (retail, EJD, international) impact with all decisions.

What you'll do:

Category Review Support

• Support merchant in all phases of category review process
• Request and prepare all category analytics
• Participate in all aspects of vendor meeting prep, meetings, item selection, plan-o-gram build, marketing and execution to retailers

Promotional Planning Support

• Support in organizing and securing all vendor marketing assessments
• Assist in solicitation of monthly promotional items from vendors
• Assist with promotional item submission forms, target pricing, correction notices and AD proofing

Retailer Communication

• Support with daily retailer customer service
• Assist with communication via ACENET to relay new programs, changes or issues
• Assist with Merch CARE to prep Ace Care Center for calls and e-mails related to respective category

Convention Planning Support

• Assist in selecting and inviting vendors to attend semi-annual convention
• Lead prep of show materials including drop ship forms, as well as submission for Power Buys, Saving Showcase and New Arrivals
• Assist in planning merchant area theme and execution for respective category

Inventory/Supply Chain Support

• Assist in diagnosing and resolving vendor service issues
• Assist in inventory planning for promotional items

Systems Support

• Lead SKU on-boarding for department with respective merchandising SYSTEMS coordinator
• Lead processing of department SAP price changes with respective merchandising SYSTEMS coordinator
• Lead all item master data changes with article content team

Special Projects

• Lead department and cross-functional projects as assigned by DMM and merchant

What you will need:

Knowledge, Experience, and Competencies:

Ace Assistant Merchant Competencies

• Product passion - Natural and fanatical curiosity around product and retail marketplace, demonstrated and put into action.
• Strategic thinking - has advanced business acumen to draw insights from gathered data.
• Relationship Builder - Builds and leverages internal / external network (vendors, retailers, cross functional team members, etc.) to drive results and improve processes.
• Results-oriented - Ability to drive results to and above plan with full accountability, proactively shifting efforts as trends and business variables change
• Presentation skills - Ability to plan, assemble and present with excellence strategy, execution and updates to leadership, across the organization, vendors and retailers

Experience and Technical Requirements:

• 2+ years of business experience
• Retail experience preferred
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Understand financial measures that impacts corporation
• Demonstrate strong decision-making skills
• Highly creative, flexible and adaptable with good follow-through
• Proven ability to multi-task projects and meet deadlines
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Access, Power Point,
• Knowledge of PCM, SAP and guided Ad-hoc reporting tools
• Ability to travel 15%

Compensation Details:

$76300 - $90000 Per Year

Why should you join our team?

We live our values - W.E.L.I.G.H.T (Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork). Gratitude. Humility. Love. You don't often see values like these in most corporate statements, but Ace is different. These things are important to us. They represent our commitment to the company, our employees, to Ace retailers and to the Ace brand.

In addition to providing our employees a great culture, Ace also offers competitive benefits that address life's necessities and perks, many of which expand and improve year after year, including:

• Incentive opportunities, based on role/grade level (company growth over the past 5 years resulted in incentives being paid out at an average of 122% of your target opportunity!)
• Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year in addition to quarterly contributions and annual discretionary contribution (once eligibility requirements have been met). Over the past 5 years, company contributions (matching, quarterly & discretionary) for fully eligible employees have averaged 10% of total eligible compensation
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability - up to 26 weeks short-term disability and long-term disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents
• 21 days of vacation immediately available (prorated in the first year) and up to 6 paid holidays depending on the month of hire
• Company Car, phone and fuel card are provided for field-based positions
• Your career at Ace is more than just a job. It's a chance to be part of something meaningful. We help locally-owned businesses thrive and make an impact in their communities - and we support our employees in doing the same by offering an annual Ace Cares Week, 20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice, opportunities to help Children's Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation
• Ace invests in every employee we hire, with a key focus on development and coaching. We offer on-site classes, facilitator-led courses, and a generous tuition assistance program, plus a performance management approach that goes beyond the typical annual review
• We know the work environment matters. That's why Ace holds frequent campus events like Employee Appreciation Week, vendor demos, cookouts, and merchandise sales
• We bring them to you! Services such as mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, recycling and more!
• Employee discounts on Ace merchandise (including top brands like Weber, Traeger, Yeti, Craftsman, DeWalt and more), travel, fitness, computers and thousands more

• Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off
• Adoption cost reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) - access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events
• Identity theft protection

Benefits are provided in compliance with applicable policies.

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We want to hear from you!
When most people think of career opportunities with Ace Hardware, they often think of the helpful cashiers and sales associates at their local store. However, have you also considered the people behind the scenes who select, promote, ship and process the invoices for more than 75,000 products? Maybe you haven't, but we'd like you to. Because together we help our customers take care of their homes. Come find out why a career with the Ace Hardware Corporation is one of America's best kept secrets.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Ace Hardware Corporation is committed to a policy of promoting equal employment opportunities. The company recognizes the importance of diversity and leveraging the skills and talents of all people to the mutual advantage of each individual and the organization. The company is committed to the prevention of employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability and military or veteran status, sexual orientation or any other action covered by federal or applicable state/local laws.

Disclaimer

The pay range for this position starts as listed in the job posting, but could be higher based on education and experience. Please note, compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each opening. We take into consideration the minimum requirements outlined in the job description, such as an individual's education, training and experience, the position's work location, required travel (if any), and external market conditions when determining the final salary for potential new hires.
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Keywords: Ace Hardware Corporation, Buffalo Grove , Assistant Merchant, Sales , Oak Brook, Illinois

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