Merchandising & Category Management Specialist
Handshake · United States
- Hybrid
- Full-time
- $60,000 / year
- United States
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Subject: Interested in the Merchandising & Category Management Specialist role at Handshake
Hi Alex — I came across the Merchandising & Category Management Specialist opening and wanted to reach out directly. I've spent the last few years doing exactly this kind of work, and Handshake stood out because…
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Job highlights
- Evaluate AI content on merchandising workflows.
- Utilize your pricing and markdown expertise.
- Flexible contract work alongside other commitments.
- Fully remote with asynchronous scheduling.
- Ongoing project-based opportunities.
About the role
Overview
Handshake is seeking Merchandising & Category Management professionals to support AI research through flexible, hourly contract work. This role leverages your hands-on experience in pricing strategy, markdown planning, and competitive analysis to evaluate AI-generated content. Your feedback will help AI better understand merchandising and category management workflows.
This is an ongoing, project-based opportunity that can be taken on alongside other commitments.
Details
This project involves using your professional experience and knowledge of industry tools to create expert-level training data and evaluate AI-generated responses for accuracy and relevance. No prior AI experience is necessary.
The position is fully remote with a flexible, asynchronous schedule and no minimum hour requirement. Most contributors participate in active projects for approximately 5–20 hours per week.
Placement is dependent on current project needs, with opportunities for consideration in future projects.
Qualifications
- At least 5 years of professional experience in merchandising, category management, or buying, in roles such as: Merchandiser, Merchandise Planner, Category Manager, Buyer, or equivalent retail industry roles.
- Hands-on experience with merchandising and category management workflows, including pricing strategy (tariff and competitive pricing analysis), markdown optimization and hindsight analysis, and promotional campaign planning.
- Strong written communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently and asynchronously with AI research teams.
Key skills/competency
- Merchandising
- Category Management
- Pricing Strategy
- Markdown Planning
- Competitive Analysis
- AI Training Data
- Retail Industry
- Buyer Experience
- Promotional Campaigns
- Hindsight Analysis
Skills & topics
- Merchandising
- Category Management
- AI Research
- Retail
- Pricing Strategy
- Markdown Optimization
- Competitive Analysis
- Contract Work
- Remote
- Buyer
How to get hired
- Tailor your resume: Highlight your 5+ years in merchandising, category management, or buying roles. Emphasize specific experience with pricing strategy, markdown optimization, and competitive analysis.
- Showcase relevant workflows: Clearly list your hands-on experience with promotional campaign planning and hindsight analysis in your application.
- Demonstrate independence: In your cover letter or application, mention your ability to work asynchronously and provide detailed, high-quality feedback independently.
- Network with Handshake: Follow Handshake on professional platforms and look for opportunities to engage with their content related to AI and retail innovation.
Technical preparation
Behavioral questions
Frequently asked questions
- What is the typical time commitment for a Merchandising & Category Management Specialist at Handshake?
- The time commitment for this Merchandising & Category Management Specialist role is flexible, with most contributors working approximately 5-20 hours per week on active projects. There is no minimum hour requirement, making it suitable for those seeking project-based work.
- Do I need prior AI experience to apply for the Merchandising & Category Management Specialist role at Handshake?
- No, prior AI experience is not required to be considered for the Merchandising & Category Management Specialist position. Handshake is looking for professionals with strong merchandising and category management backgrounds to help train their AI.
- What kind of merchandising experience is Handshake looking for in this role?
- Handshake is looking for professionals with at least 5 years of experience in merchandising, category management, or buying. This includes hands-on experience with pricing strategy, markdown optimization, competitive analysis, and promotional campaign planning.
- Is the Merchandising & Category Management Specialist role at Handshake remote?
- Yes, the Merchandising & Category Management Specialist role at Handshake is fully remote. The work involves evaluating AI-generated content and providing feedback, which can be done from any location.
- How does Handshake use the feedback from Merchandising & Category Management Specialists?
- Handshake uses the expert feedback from Merchandising & Category Management Specialists to improve their AI. Your input helps the AI better understand and replicate real-world merchandising and category management workflows and practices.
- What are the key skills needed for the Merchandising & Category Management Specialist position?
- Key skills for this role include a strong understanding of pricing strategy, markdown optimization, competitive analysis, and promotional campaign planning. Excellent written communication, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently and asynchronously are also crucial.