Executive Leader, Category Merchant

DescriptionThe Executive Leader of Local and Emerging Brands is avisionary and transformational leadership role that embodies and elevates the role of local and emerging brands at Whole Foods Market (WFM) and in the food industry. This leader is accountable for creating the strategic direction for local and emerging brand development in support of Whole Foods Market and Merchandising strategies. This role will lead a team of foragers focused on finding local and emerging growth brands and supporting community connections through taste of place. Success is measured by creating a locally relevant customer experience and successfully establishing an emerging brand pipeline. This leader will play a leading role within the industry and supplier community to amplify Whole Foods Market status as the growth destination for founders and early-stage brands. This role will engage with the local and emerging supplier community through various platforms including trade-show supplier summits, as well as the Local and Emerging Accelerator Platform (LEAP). This role will identify and develop partnership opportunities with industry organizations in support of brand incubation, business development, and brand development through development stages. This role will be an industry change agent who fosters community to support the emerging brand ecosystem. This leader will support their team to nurture relationships by meeting suppliers where they are and providing the right tools for brand growth, development, and Local advocacy. As the leader of the team, this role is responsible for identifying roadblocks to advancing the Local and Emerging program and securing the necessary resources to develop merchandising solutions. This leader partners cross-functionally with Merchandising, Marketing, and Operations to integrate Local and Emerging Brands team outputs into broader team efforts in areas of supplier engagement, assortment activation, product discovery, supplier storytelling, and store level execution. Reporting to the Vice President of Merchandising u2013 Center Store, thisrole is pivotal inadvancing Whole Foods Market's mission to nourish people and the planet through meaningful and value-driven supplier partnerships. Leadership Capabilities: This purpose driven leader will excel at driving results, leading change, influencing stakeholders, and developing high-performing teams by fostering trust, mentoring talent, and empowering collaboration. This role is based in Austin, TX, with an expectation of five days per week in the Store Support office.Domestic travel up to 25%. Key job responsibilities u2022 Create the strategic direction for Local and Emerging (L&E) brands in support of WFM and Merchandising strategies. u2022 Establish success metrics for Local and Emerging Brands programming initiatives. u2022 Identify a focused framework and use it to prioritize investment in which categories Local and Emerging Brands matters most to customers. u2022 Ensure that Whole Foods Market's customers have an unparalleled locally relevant experience by supporting relevant brands and surfacing geographical taste preferences. u2022 Lead and develop a team of foragers for team and individual growth through goal establishment, personal growth plans, coaching & mentoring, and succession planning. u2022 Coach Foragers to tailor partnership and negotiation approaches by supplier. u2022 Create the strategy and support the facilitation of LEAP (Local & Emerging Accelerator Program). u2022 Create a Team Member facing curriculum for program engagement, including culture champion program and new Team Member onboarding. u2022 Partner cross-functionally with Merchants, Marketing, and Retail/Regional Operations to drive speed to market, strong execution in stores, and storytelling. u2022 Foster a culture of collaboration and accountability within cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment between supplier strategies and broader organizational objectives. u2022 Design and implement a comprehensive supplier engagement roadmap, supplier education, supplier success planning, supplier summits, and industry events. u2022 Support the development of local and emerging suppliers to onboard, activate and grow including quality standards compliance, distribution, promo planning, demo activation, and marketing support. u2022 Set new suppliers up for success by leading a team to provide onboarding resources and support. u2022 Work with a bias for action to identify high potential suppliers for accelerated scaling opportunities. u2022 Draft and oversee supplier communications for critical updates, programmatic changes, and newsletters. u2022 Engage in industry-facing platforms like panels, speaking engagements, and PR opportunities. u2022 Identify partnership opportunities with brand incubators, incubator kitchens, distributor partners, operating partners, and ad agencies. u2022 Stay informed on emerging industry trends and best practices to enhance supplier engagement capabilities. Skills: u2022 Able to shift comfortably between big picture strategic thinking and the tactics required to achieve outcomes u2022 Demonstrated ability to drive cultural transformation and operational excellence through innovative supplier strategies. u2022 Experience in designing and facilitating strategic engagement roadmaps. u2022 Track record of recruiting top talent and cultivating a high-performing team. Skilled in identifying and attracting exceptional candidates. u2022 Proven success in mentoring and developing high-performing teams through servant leadership principles. u2022 Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams in dynamic, high-pressure environments to deliver measurable business outcomes. u2022 Proven ability to navigate complex stakeholder relationships and build consensus across diverse teams. u2022 Demonstrated expertise in managing retail supplier relationships to achieve long-term value creation and mutual growth. u2022 Demonstrated exceptional negotiation and influencing skills, with a focus on driving mutual-gain outcomes that align with organizational priorities. u2022 Established executive presence with excellent written and verbal communication skills and experience maintaining a poised, credible, and confident demeanor in high-pressure situations. u2022 Demonstrated strategic influence skills, with experience developing and executing influence strategies to gain commitment from stakeholders. u2022 Nuanced understanding of the grocery retail industry and the business models of key strategic partners and competitors. u2022 Strong business acumen, with experience analyzing economic, financial, market, and industry trends to inform strategy and enhance organizational performance, including omnichannel environments. u2022 Expertise in leveraging data and market insights to inform supplier strategies and optimize outcomes. u2022 Track record of creative problem-solving, demonstrating the ability to think innovatively and find effective solutions to complex challenges. u2022 Ability to leverage resources effectively to overcome obstacles and achieve successful hiring outcomes. u2022 Proven ability to work under pressure, prioritize work, and balance a portfolio of programs.Basic Qualifications- BA/BS degree and 8+ years relevant merchandise experience OR equivalent combination of education and relevant experience - 6+ years of proven success in leadership in merchandising, supplier or founder role - Demonstrated ability to craft and execute visionary plans that drive organizational success. Proven history of inspiring and leading teams, motivating them to achieve exceptional results. - 4+ years proven success in mentoring and developing high-performing teams through servant leadership principles.Preferred Qualifications- Passion for Organics, Fair Trade, Quality Standards, Animal Welfare, Sustainability, Win-Win Supplier Relationships and world-class retail. Amazon is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected veteran status, disability, or other legally protected status. Our inclusive culture empowers Amazonians to deliver the best results for our customers. If you have a disability and need a workplace accommodation or adjustment during the application and hiring process, including support for the interview or onboarding process, please visit for more information. If the country/region youu2019re applying in isnu2019t listed, please contact your Recruiting Partner. Our compensation reflects the cost of labor across several US geographic markets. The base pay for this position ranges from $165,300/year in our lowest geographic market up to $273,300/year in our highest geographic market. Pay is based on a number of factors including market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Amazon is a total compensation company. Dependent on the position offered, equity, sign-on payments, and other forms of compensation may be provided as part of a total compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits. For more information, please visit . This position will remain posted until filled. Applicants should apply via our internal or external career site.

Created: 2026-01-15