Merchandise Buyer & Sales Floor Supervisor

Location: San Diego

Position Status: Full-time regular

About the Department

The Division of Student Affairs seeks an individual with a strong commitment to inclusive excellence and a strong interest in working at a mission-driven, faith-based institution. Responsibilities of the position are significantly tethered in the university's contemporary Roman Catholic mission and commitment to creating an equitable, welcoming community for all. The Division of Student Affairs is committed to grounding our policies, programs, and procedures in inclusive excellence. We expect all members of the Division to engage in this work to uphold our Catholic mission in creating a welcoming environment where the dignity of all students, staff, administrators, and faculty at USD is embraced.

About the University

The University of San Diego, an engaged and contemporary Catholic institution, was founded by the Diocese of San Diego and the Society of the Sacred Heart in 1949. Inspired by this centuries-old tradition of Catholic higher education, the University welcomes people of all faith traditions and any, or no, religious background.

Responsibilities

• Visual Merchandising & Floor Operations
  • Ensures the sales floor remains clean, organized, fully stocked, and re-stocked throughout the day.
  • Creates visual merchandising direction, rotates stock, and sets up promotional signage or seasonal decor.
  • Coordinates stock transfers from the stockroom to the sales floor to maintain full product presentations.
• Buying and Inventory Management
  • Plan, forecast, and initiate purchasing for assigned merchandise categories.
  • Meet with assigned vendors to manage vendor relationships; evaluate purchasing terms, freight, sales data, markdown dollars, discounts, and weekly sales audits.
  • Evaluate pricing, co-op and markdown dollars, return policies, USD brand identification, and representation.
  • Assist with cycle counts, damaged merchandise processing, and annual physical inventory audits.
  • Enforce loss prevention standards, monitor high-theft areas, and ensure safety guidelines are followed by staff and visitors.
  • Verify correct price ticketing, markdown tagging, and promotional price accuracy across all departments.
• Daily Floor Leadership & Team Supervision
  • Supervise and oversee day-to-day sales floor operations, assign tasks, and manage floor coverage and break schedules.
  • Onboard, train, and coach student employees on selling techniques, customer engagement, product knowledge, and store procedures.
  • Provide ongoing feedback to team members, assist with performance evaluations, and motivate staff to achieve daily sales targets.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for employee questions, operational issues, and schedule adjustments during shifts.
  • Execute routine opening and closing checklists, including locking/unlocking the building, setting alarms, and conducting security sweeps.
  • Communicate daily performance metrics, floor challenges, and key updates to store management during shift transitions.
• Customer Service & Escalations
  • Model proactive, high-quality customer service behaviors and ensure staff adhere to USD hospitality standards.
  • Direct and resolve customer complaints, complex returns, and service issues with diplomacy and authority.
  • Actively engage with customers to assess needs, answer questions, and increase sales.
  • Assist at registers during high-volume periods to keep wait times minimal and maintain efficient checkout flow.
  • Perform daily register opening/closing duties, including float counts, till balances, safe drops, and audit reconciliations.
  • Responsible for manager overrides, high-value returns, tax-exempt transactions, and employee discounts at the Point-Of-Sale (POS).

Requirements

• Minimum Qualifications
  • Associate’s degree required. A high school diploma and 2 additional years of work experience may be substituted for the degree requirement.
  • Minimum 5 years of general merchandise (GM) buying responsibility in the retail or college industry. GM areas can include gifts, supplies, apparel, etc.
  • Demonstrated experience in selecting products, negotiating cost, and establishing retail pricing.
• Preferred Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree preferred.

Skills

• Proven ability to make appropriate and sound buying decisions, sustaining inventory based on financial purchasing principles, including markdowns, sales goals, forecasting, and gross margins.
• Proven ability to develop and implement marketing strategies and goals.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment.
• Excellent problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize tasks and delegate in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to merchandise a wide array of products in an attractive, clean, uncluttered, and creative fashion.
• Demonstrated knowledge of open-to-buy, inventory management, gross margin calculations, turns, and other financial considerations for a profitable department.
• Knowledge of graphics, emblematic product, and apparel trends.
• Demonstrated knowledge of principles, techniques, practices, and procedures in retail, purchasing, and sales.
• Demonstrated knowledge of supervisory techniques and employee development and evaluation.
• Demonstrated competency with computer applications, including Google Suite, MS Word, Excel.
• Demonstrated knowledge of merchandising skills across diverse retail products.
• Knowledge of POS and inventory management systems, including e-commerce integration.
• Demonstrated knowledge of retail trends.

Special Conditions of Employment

• This position will require flexibility in schedule and hours during special events and peak business periods.
• Successful completion of a pre-employment background check.
• Persons offered employment in this position will be required to provide official education transcripts for degree verification purposes.

Pay

$5,858.67 - $5,943.05 per month

Benefits

• Competitive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, and a retirement contribution given by the University.
• Access to on-campus Fitness Centers.
• Tuition opportunities supporting the education of employees and eligible dependents.
• Professional development and Culinary Institute of America accredited trainings.
• Complimentary tasting meals and uniform, including slip-resistant shoe reimbursement.
• Ten paid holidays and no Christmas Day or New Year’s Day shifts.
• Discounts at USD Torero Store, Bartell Hotels, local event tickets, and free tickets to most USD sporting events.

Schedule

• 40 hours per week.
• Typical schedule is Tuesday through Saturday. Schedule will vary during peak business periods.