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Overview

The Head of Merchandising is responsible for leading the integrated 4-Walls merchandising agenda across the business, ensuring category, pricing, promotional, seasonal, and banner strategies come together to deliver strong commercial outcomes. This role serves as the central point of integration across Merchandising, Marketing, Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain—balancing customer experience, sales growth, margin performance, and operational simplicity to ensure a cohesive and effective in-store execution.

Role Purpose

Own the integrated 4-Walls merchandising agenda across the business, aligning banner strategy, category priorities, pricing, promotions, seasonal programs, and weekly execution to deliver business outcomes—sales, margin, customer response, and execution quality—while making transparent trade-offs across banner differentiation, store simplicity, and long-term value. The role acts as the "air traffic controller" for merchandising priorities, ensuring strategies work together and are executed in stores in a coordinated, customer-focused way.

What You'll Focus On

Integrated Sales, Promotion & Margin Planning Own integrated commercial outcomes, including sales growth, gross margin, promotional effectiveness, and execution quality across the 4-Walls merchandising agenda. Align sales plans, promotional strategies, and margin targets to deliver balanced business results. Make informed trade-offs between traffic and profitability, as well as short-term performance and long-term customer value. 4-Walls Integration & Prioritization Serve as the central point of coordination for merchandising priorities across the business. Align and sequence category initiatives, marketing campaigns, and store execution to create a clear and manageable roadmap. Eliminate duplication, resolve competing priorities, and ensure teams are focused on the highest-impact work.

Banner Differentiation

Ensure each banner's strategy is clearly reflected through assortment, promotions, pricing, and the in-store experience. Champion differentiated customer experiences while challenging one-size-fits-all approaches where appropriate.

In-Store Execution & Planning Rhythm

Translate merchandising strategies into clear weekly, promotional, and seasonal execution plans. Ensure stores receive consistent, coordinated direction aligned with established planning cycles, including flyers and seasonal programs.

Growth & Customer Relevance

Lead strategic growth initiatives, including multicultural and local community relevance, as well as new and noteworthy products. Ensure these priorities are embedded within core merchandising plans and consistently brought to life in stores.

Governance & Operating Cadence

Establish and lead the enterprise merchandising planning cadence across weekly, promotional, and seasonal planning. Facilitate alignment across functions, resolve conflicts early, and drive transparent decision-making before plans reach stores.

Analytics & Decision Enablement

Leverage data, customer insights, and merchandising systems to improve decision-making, prioritization, and organizational visibility. Monitor performance and identify opportunities to continuously improve commercial outcomes.

Leadership & Capability Building

Build a high-performing merchandising organization by clarifying accountabilities, improving ways of working, and developing future leaders. Foster collaboration across teams while promoting a culture of accountability, agility, and continuous improvement.

What You Should Have

12+ years of progressive leadership experience in merchandising, category management, pricing, promotions, or retail operations within a complex, multi-banner and/or multi-category retail environment. 5+ years of experience leading senior managers or directors while influencing cross-functional executive stakeholders. Demonstrated ownership of commercial performance, including sales, margin, promotional effectiveness, and P&L-related outcomes. Proven success leading enterprise operating rhythms and cross-functional planning across Merchandising, Marketing, Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain. Strong strategic, commercial, and analytical mindset with the ability to make data-informed decisions and balance competing priorities. Exceptional communication, stakeholder management, and influencing skills, with the ability to align diverse teams around shared business objectives. Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment with sound judgment, resilience, and a bias for action.

Who we are

Sobeys is one of Canada’s leading grocery retailers, with more than 1,600 stores across all 10 provinces and banners including Sobeys, Safeway, IGA, Foodland, FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, and Lawtons Drug Stores. Our 128,000 teammates and franchise affiliates are passionate about delivering great food and exceptional experiences to our customers and communities.

Learn more about our story and culture

Who We Are | Why Work With Us Total Rewards We offer a Total Rewards package designed to support teammates at work and in life. Depending on role and eligibility, teammates may receive health and dental benefits, retirement and savings programs including an Employee Share Ownership Plan, a 10% in-store discount at participating banners, virtual healthcare and an Employee and Family Assistance Program, learning and development opportunities, parental leave top-up, and paid vacation. Sobeys is committed to providing a compensation structure that is flexible, equitable and competitive in the market to enable performance and growth. To learn more about this opportunity including the expected range of compensation in accordance with Pay Transparency Legislation where required please click the “I’m interested” or "Apply" button above. Individual compensation is determined based on qualifications, experience, and internal equity within the range provided.

Additional Information

External websites may share our organization's job postings which includes compensation information based on similar roles and market benchmarks. These figures are provided for general comparison purposes only and are not issued or verified by our organization. We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to support efficiencies in the candidate screening, assessment, and recruitment processes. These AI tools do not make hiring decisions on behalf of the Company. Hiring decisions are made by our Hiring Teams. Sobeys is committed to creating accessible and inclusive hiring processes. We will work with applicants requesting accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. Please note: Successful candidates will be required to provide documentation to prove their legal ability to work in the position during the onboarding process. Documentation will be assessed by the employer prior to commencement of work.