Director - Vendor Negotiations & Commercial Strategy
Job Description
This leader partners closely with Merchandising, Planning, Finance, and Supply Chain to shape vendor strategies that drive margin expansion, product differentiation, speed to market, and customer relevance. The role goes beyond cost negotiation — serving as a commercial architect who aligns vendor relationships with brand positioning, assortment strategy, and long-term growth.
The ideal candidate is a sophisticated negotiator, retail merchant thinker, and enterprise influencer capable of operating at both strategic and tactical levels.
Key Responsibilities
Enterprise Negotiation Strategy
- Develop and execute negotiation strategies across national brands, private label suppliers, and strategic vendor partners.
- Lead complex, high-value negotiations including cost of goods, margin structures, markdown funding, exclusivity, marketing support, supply commitments, and joint business plans.
- Establish standardized negotiation frameworks aligned with merchandising calendars and seasonal buying cycles.
- Drive continuous improvement in commercial terms across categories while protecting brand equity and product quality.
Merchandising Partnership & Commercial Leadership
- Act as a strategic partner to Merchandising leaders to influence assortment decisions through financial and vendor insights.
- Support category strategies by aligning vendor economics with growth opportunities, trend investments, and innovation initiatives.
- Collaborate on product lifecycle profitability, pricing architecture, and promotional funding strategies.
- Enable merchants to negotiate from a position of data, clarity, and strategic alignment.
- Demonstrated success negotiating with national brands and strategic suppliers.
- Deep understanding of retail financial drivers: margin, inventory turns, GMROI, and promotional economics.
- Proven ability to influence senior merchandising and executive leadership.
- Experience operating in fast-paced, multi-category retail environments.
Margin Expansion & Value Creation
- Identify and unlock sustainable margin opportunities beyond initial cost negotiations, including:
- Vendor-funded marketing and customer acquisition programs
- Inventory risk-sharing models
- Exclusive product development
- Improved payment terms and cash flow optimization
- Build multi-year value creation roadmaps with top vendor partners.
Strategic Vendor Partnerships
- Establish executive-level relationships with key brands and suppliers.
- Lead joint business planning processes to align vendor investment with company growth priorities.
- Balance collaborative partnership with disciplined commercial accountability.
- Serve as senior escalation point for complex negotiations or performance issues.
Data-Driven Negotiation Excellence
- Leverage analytics including sell-through, inventory productivity, pricing elasticity, and competitive benchmarking to inform negotiation positions.
- Partner with Planning, Pricing and Finance to model negotiation outcomes and margin impact scenarios.
- Introduce negotiation scorecards and performance dashboards across vendor portfolios.
Governance, Risk & Contract Leadership
- Oversee commercial contract structures in partnership with Legal.
- Ensure consistent governance around vendor terms, compliance, and performance accountability.
- Reduce supply, margin, and operational risk through proactive negotiation structures.
Team & Capability Development
- Elevate negotiation capability across the merchandising organization through coaching, tools, and structured preparation processes.
- Develop negotiation playbooks and training programs for merchants and category leaders.
- Foster a culture of disciplined preparation, fact-based negotiation, and enterprise thinking.
- Champion professional development by mentoring team members to enhance skills and career growth
- Set clear expectations, priorities, and performance standards across the team
Success Measures
- Gross Margin dollar improvement
- Vendor investment growth (marketing funds, exclusives, partnerships)
- Improved inventory productivity, supply chain efficiencies and risk mitigation
- Stronger strategic vendor alignment
- Increased negotiation capability across merchandising teams
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent experience
- 10+ years in retail merchandising, sourcing, buying, or commercial negotiations.
Core Leadership Competencies
- Merchant mindset with strong commercial acumen
- Advanced negotiation and deal architecture
- Executive influence and stakeholder alignment
- Financial and analytical rigor
- Vendor partnership leadership
- Strategic decision-making under ambiguity
Leadership Profile
- Thinks like a merchant, negotiates like a strategist
- Balances partnership with disciplined commercial rigor
- Influences without authority across complex organizations
- Data-driven but relationship-centered
- Comfortable challenging the status quo to unlock value
Applicants in the U.S. must satisfy federal, state, and local legal requirements of the job.
At The Michaels Companies Inc., our purpose is to fuel the joy of creativity and celebration. As the leading destination for creating and celebrating in North America, we operate over 1,300 stores in 49 states and Canada and online at Michaels.com and Michaels.ca. The Michaels Companies, Inc. also owns Artistree, a manufacturer of custom and specialty framing merchandise. Founded in 1973 and headquartered in Irving, Texas, Michaels is the best place for all things creative. For more information, please visit www.michaels.com.
At Michaels, we prioritize the wellbeing of our teams by providing robust benefits for both full-time and part-time Team Members. Our benefits include health insurance (medical, dental, and vision), paid time off, tuition assistance, generous employee discounts, and much more. For more information, visit www.michaels.com.
Michaels is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are here for all Team Members and all customers to create, innovate and be better together.
Michaels is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. In keeping with this commitment, Michaels will assure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. Accordingly, if a reasonable accommodation is required to fully participate in the job application or interview process, to perform the essential functions of the job, and/or to receive all other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Customer Care at 1-800-642-4235 (1800-MICHAEL).
EEOC Know Your Rights Poster in English
EEOC Know Your Rights Poster in Spanish