Vendor Manager

More than 20 years ago, zooplus was one of the first to bring the pet category into the world of eCommerce. Today, we stand strong as Europe's leading online pet platform, delivering moments of happiness to more than 9 million pet parents each year.

We're on a mission to create joy for pets and their parents, driven by our core values of Care, Courage, Openness, and Simplicity. At the heart of everything we do, they inspire us to grow, raise the bar for our customers and fuel a pet-first business.

Vendor Managers are responsible for managing customer experience, topline performance, and ultimately, profitability for their vendors. They facilitate all interactions with the vendor base, including identifying and signing up new vendors, creating items in the catalog, negotiating contracts and terms, managing promotional activities, and resolving operational issues (e.g., inbound logistics, in-stock, payments). Vendor Managers focus on creating scale and identifying competition and external trends for their vendors and categories.

Your Tasks:

• Develops and negotiates exclusive articles, limited editions, pre-launches, and bundles for Branded Accessories independently. 
• Initiates new concepts of an attractive presentation of the products (local product content as well as brand presentation). 
• Manages payment terms and cost structure in contractual agreements; audits for best-in-class terms for assigned vendors or categories; drives strategic negotiations to deliver top- and bottom-line category growth for vendors and categories. 
• Creates opportunities for growth, customer acquisition and retention by conducting market, competitor, and range analysis. 
  
  Influences strategic or complex vendors to prioritize customer experience by lowering costs, improving the supply chain, reducing defects, and driving efficiencies.
• Provides feedback on existing programs or initiates the creation of new programs to drive vendor participation.
• Reviews results of promotions and changes course of action and negotiates new promotions if needed; creates strategic and prioritized vendor marketing plan that maximizes margin euros and customer experience.
• Identifies areas that need vendor attention and directs team to address issue; acts as escalation point, helping team and vendor(s) resolve conflicts.
• Audit metrics regularly; evaluates products and services to continually drive quality of customer experience across multiple vendors and categories.
• Works cross functionally to implement scalable solutions to address customer pain points.
• Partners with cross-functional teams to develop and propose an annual plan for multiple vendors or categories; builds a network in the pet industry.
• Leads cross functional projects and involves the appropriate stakeholders ("Subject Matter Expert Role")
• Hold team accountable for maintain robust process documentation.
• Actively seeks feedback from others; is self-aware; identifies areas for personal growth and sets goals for development.
• Acquisition of new vendor partners to grow and strengthen the Accessories portfolio.

• Graduate degree in business-related discipline
• At least 3 years of relevant work experience in Category Management, Vendor Management or Purchasing, ideally in retailing or the pet industry; experience working in an e-Commerce are an advantage.
• Work experience in an international company
• Experience in project work based on analytical and strategic thinking and ability to structure complex facts.
• Ability to unlock complex issues and to work proactively on proposals, solution thinking.
• Ability to understand customer needs and market requirements to enhance the customer experience.
• Ability to think and react in a high-energy, fast-paced environment.
• Strong influencing abilities and vendor management experience
• Fluency in German and English

Additional Information:

With more than 1,000 passionate professionals located across 6 European offices, we believe our success comes from working together and leveraging our international strengths. Expect a hybrid work setup: 60% in-office, 40% remote, collaborating with colleagues across locations.

Our benefits:

20% discount in our zooplus shop

Internal and external training

Team events

28 vacation days and days off on 24th and 31st of December

Corporate rates at a local gym chain (Body & Soul)

Company mobile phone for work and personal use

#LI-Hybrid

Want to know more? Learn more about zooplus here, and check out our LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to get a glimpse into the zooplus culture.

zooplus is committed to equal opportunity. We value and embrace diversity and inclusion of all Team Members.

zooplus is committed to equal opportunity. We value and embrace diversity and inclusion of all Team Members.