SENIOR PRINT BUYER - IN-STORE MARKETING, MARKETING OPERATIONS

Company: Recreational Equipment Inc. Location: WA 98030 Status: Full Time, Employee Job Category: Marketing/Product Reference Code: 2995MON At REI we aim to create a retail environment that inspires, educates, and outfits our customers for a lifetime of outdoor adventure. REI's interactive store environment delivers on the company's motto "Out is In!" Our stores are recognized for exceptional selection of human powered outdoor sporting equipment such as kayaks, bikes, and skis to a wide selection of men's, women's and children's apparel as well as novelty accessories to support an active lifestyle. Paired with our gear testing areas and our gear repair shops we design our stores to ensure an engaging, fun, and comfortable experience for our customers. Recognized for the eleventh consecutive year as one of FORTUNE Magazine's 100 Best Company's to Work For - Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) is seeking a Senior Print Buyer - In-Store Marketing! REI's Marketing Operations team is seeking a Senior Print Buyer to lead the planning and execution of in-store marketing and collateral print projects. The scope of the position ranges from collaboration with partners through annual planning, concepting, project engineering, production/fulfillment and expense management. Responsible for timely on-budget delivery, with a focus on quality and sustainable production solutions. Responsibilities: The Senior Print Buyer leads the in-store print team's activities and leverages their expert knowledge of state-of-the-industry production & manufacturing solutions to drive efficiency, deliver creative innovation and sustainable practices. The scope of the role includes consulting with internal business partners throughout concepting and project engineering; bidding, and sourcing of print production projects, color management, vendor negotiations and relationships, expense management, and annual program budget forecasting. The Senior Print Buyer ensures the highest quality assurance standards are met in accurate and compelling color reproduction, flawless execution of programs, and timely delivery. The ideal candidate for this position is a collaborative project manager and problem solver, adept at managing multiple, complex projects with tight timelines while building effective relationships with key partners. Savvy negotiation skills are leveraged to procure top quality products at an equitable cost; keen analytical abilities deliver on-target expense goals. Extensive knowledge of sustainable production solutions is leveraged to support our corporate goals around stewardship. This key role reports to the Manager of Print Production, and partners closely with marketing project managers, creative & visual merchandising partners, internal clients and external vendors. Recreation is our business, and REI offers a great work environment that balances hard work with time off to play. We offer an excellent compensation package, flexible benefits, an outstanding retirement plan, incentive program, relocation assistance, a generous merchandise discount to help you enjoy your free time, and - most importantly - a work environment where respect for the individual and teamwork are our fundamental employee values. If you'd like to be rewarded for initiative, effort, and creative thought, come join us! 5+ years demonstrated expertise in technical print production including prepress, sheetfed, digital, photographic, screen & specialty printing, substrates, bindery & finishing, fulfillment & distribution services. Excellent retail and POS signage production knowledge required with experience in new store signage prototype development & implementation ideal. Requires expertise in color management and print quality assurance systems. Proficient in a fully digital environment. Proven project management skills; highly organized and detail-oriented, able to easily manage frequently shifting priorities and high volumes of project detail across a variety of print production platforms in a deadline-driven environment. Ability to work creatively & collaboratively with business partners, attending and constructively participating in meetings and information sharing. Strong background in planning and administering budgets on a project and program basis. Demonstrated attitude of problem-solving, teamwork, initiative and innovation. Familiarity with postal regulations, production and delivery elements of Direct Mail projects ideal. Bachelors degree in advertising, marketing, graphics or related field preferred. Proficiency in MS Excel and Word required. REI is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.