Who We Are

The Italian Country Management Team based in Milan owns a significant and growing share of Wayfair’s European business. Italy is a key sourcing and retail market for home and living - our mission is to capture that potential by marrying Italian industry competence with Wayfair’s extensive customer reach, tech and logistics network. As a team we own this part of the business end to end in collaboration with cross functions like logistics, pricing and marketing. We set the strategy, prioritise our initiatives and execute with a high level of ownership and self-sufficiency. 

As an Associate Manager you have ownership of key supplier relationships and a direct impact on the team’s success and Wayfair’s bottom line. You will be expected to proactively define overarching goals and strategy for your suppliers, independently problem-solve, articulate and execute against tactical plans, and manage key business metrics.

What You'll Do

• Strategically manage a portfolio of key suppliers
• Build and maintain long term, relationships focused on mutual growth
• Analyse commercial and operational performance to strategize profit growth opportunities
• Execute high volume of negotiations with potential and existing suppliers including product selection, pricing and operations
• Conduct regular meetings and calls with suppliers to review the business and advance Wayfair business goals
• Travel to trade shows with cross functions and senior leadership (2-4 trips per year)
• Collaborate across departments to drive portfolio and team goals (Inventory Planning, Advertising, Merchandising, Operations, PR, Customer Service, Business Intelligence)

What You'll Need

• Fluency in both Italian and English with articulate and persuasive communication skills, both verbal and written
• A track record of successful negotiation and relationship management with internal and external stakeholders
• Analytical mindset and data-driven approach; demonstrated experience working with data to develop recommendations
• Relentless problem-solver approach with the demonstrated ability to dissect and determine root causes of problems and implement solutions
• A strong desire to win and drive independent collaboration with relative cross-functional teams
• A personable, proactive and passionate contributor, eager to progress professionally and motivated to independently drive business growth
• A proven ability to thrive as part of a team and also to work autonomously
• Bachelor Degree or higher in business studies or a related field;