Merchandising Manager - Category Management, Diamond Basics

Description
Blue Nile is seeking a Manager of Category Management, Diamond Basics to drive day-to-day strategy, performance, and evolution of the Blue Nile assortment. This Manager will combine strong merchant instincts, diamond and product knowledge, customer understanding and analytical rigor to optimize these businesses. The role will own category-level analysis and execution across assortment, pricing, natural and lab-grown mix, product lifecycle, inventory and new product.

Responsibilities - Category Strategy & Ownership:

Manage day-to-day performance and execution of the Diamond Basics businesses in partnership with the Director of Category Management
Translate broader category strategies into actionable assortment, pricing, product, inventory and merchandising plans
Develop deep expertise in the distinct customer missions, shopping behaviors and competitive dynamics of each category
Maintain clear roles for natural and lab-grown diamonds within each category and identify opportunities to evolve the mix based on customer demand and business performance
Identify white space across product type, diamond shape, carat weight, setting, metal, price point and customer need
Develop fact-based recommendations for where Blue Nile should invest, expand, test, maintain, reposition or exit
Balance assortment breadth and customer choice with the need for a more curated, intentional Blue Nile point of view
Partner with Site Merchandising, Creative, Marketing, Technology and Retail to ensure Diamond Basics are presented in ways that make selection inspiring, understandable and intuitive on site and in store
Establish product priorities for category pages, search, sort, recommendations, storytelling, marketing, and promotional placements
Ensure hero products and key assortment stories receive appropriate visibility
Balance visibility of proven core products with strategic newness and growth opportunities
Translate complex product differences into clear merchandising stories that help customers quickly understand why a product matters
Provide Retail partners with clear product priorities and category stories that Client Advisors can confidently bring to customers

Responsibilities - Assortment & Curation:

Manage the Diamond Basics assortment across key classifications including earrings, pendants, necklaces, and bracelets with responsibility for natural and lab-grown diamond offerings
Build clear assortment architecture across carat weight, diamond type, setting, metal, silhouette and price
Ensure strong coverage of core customer needs while continually identifying opportunities for newness and assortment expansion
Establish clear good/better/best and opening/core/premium product ladders where appropriate
Analyze productivity at the SKU and attribute level to identify assortment gaps, duplication and opportunities for rationalization
Identify and scale winning product concepts while ensuring long-tail SKUs have a strategic reason to remain in the assortment
Partner with Demand Planning to align inventory depth and availability with product productivity and strategic importance

Responsibilities - Commercial Management:

Monitor Diamond Basics performance across revenue, units, ASP, margin, conversion, inventory productivity and customer engagement
Understand performance differences across natural versus lab-grown, preset versus customizable products, price tiers, carat weights, metals and product classifications
Use performance data to recommend changes to assortment, pricing, promotions, inventory investment and site exposure
Work closely with Pricing, Finance, and Planning to maintain competitive price architecture while protecting margin and profitability

Responsibilities - Product Development and Innovation:

Partner with the Director, Product Development, Design, Sourcing and Planning to translate category opportunities into new-product briefs
Use business performance, competitive intelligence, customer behavior and emerging diamond and jewelry trends to identify opportunities for innovation
Recommend extensions of winning products across diamond type, shape, carat weight, metal, setting and price point
Develop commercial guardrails for new products, including target price positioning, assortment role and expected customer need
Support launches from initial concept through assortment planning, launch readiness, digital presentation and post-launch analysis
Establish success criteria and provide clear recommendations to scale, adjust or exit products following launch

Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in business, Economics, Analytics, Marketing or a related field
3-5+ years’ experience in merchandising with preference for diamond expertise
Strategic mindset with a focus on translating complex data into actionable business strategies
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities
Strong analytical and quantitative skills with proficiency in tools such as Excel, SQL, Tableau or similar platforms
Strong leadership skills
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments