Blue Nile

Direct-to-consumer online diamond retailer

Merchandising Manager - Category Management, Diamond Basics

Business & StrategyPosted on Nov 9

Full-timeNew York, NY, USA

About the Job

Requirements

A bachelor's degree in business, Economics, Analytics, Marketing, or a related field is required.
Three to five or more years of merchandising experience are required; diamond expertise is preferred.
A strategic mindset focused on translating complex data into actionable business strategies is required.
The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities is required.
Strong analytical and quantitative skills, with proficiency in tools such as Excel, SQL, Tableau, or similar platforms, are required.
Strong leadership skills are required.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments, are required.

Responsibilities

Manage day-to-day performance and execution of the Diamond Basics businesses in partnership with the Director of Category Management.
Translate broader category strategies into actionable assortment, pricing, product, inventory, and merchandising plans.
Develop deep expertise in the distinct customer missions, shopping behaviors, and competitive dynamics of each category.
Maintain clear roles for natural and lab-grown diamonds within each category and identify opportunities to evolve the mix based on customer demand and business performance.
Identify white space across product type, diamond shape, carat weight, setting, metal, price point, and customer need.
Develop fact-based recommendations for where Blue Nile should invest, expand, test, maintain, reposition, or exit.
Balance assortment breadth and customer choice with the need for a more curated, intentional Blue Nile point of view.
Partner with Site Merchandising, Creative, Marketing, Technology, and Retail to ensure Diamond Basics are presented in ways that make selection inspiring, understandable, and intuitive on site and in store.
Establish product priorities for category pages, search, sort, recommendations, storytelling, marketing, and promotional placements.
Ensure hero products and key assortment stories receive appropriate visibility.
Balance visibility of proven core products with strategic newness and growth opportunities.
Translate complex product differences into clear merchandising stories that help customers quickly understand why a product matters.
Provide Retail partners with clear product priorities and category stories that Client Advisors can confidently bring to customers.
Manage the Diamond Basics assortment across key classifications including earrings, pendants, necklaces, and bracelets, with responsibility for natural and lab-grown diamond offerings.
Build clear assortment architecture across carat weight, diamond type, setting, metal, silhouette, and price.
Ensure strong coverage of core customer needs while continually identifying opportunities for newness and assortment expansion.
Establish clear good/better/best and opening/core/premium product ladders where appropriate.
Analyze productivity at the SKU and attribute level to identify assortment gaps, duplication, and opportunities for rationalization.
Identify and scale winning product concepts while ensuring long-tail SKUs have a strategic reason to remain in the assortment.
Partner with Demand Planning to align inventory depth and availability with product productivity and strategic importance.
Monitor Diamond Basics performance across revenue, units, average selling price, margin, conversion, inventory productivity, and customer engagement.
Understand performance differences across natural versus lab-grown, preset versus customizable products, price tiers, carat weights, metals, and product classifications.
Use performance data to recommend changes to assortment, pricing, promotions, inventory investment, and site exposure.
Work closely with Pricing, Finance, and Planning to maintain competitive price architecture while protecting margin and profitability.
Partner with the Director, Product Development, Design, Sourcing, and Planning to translate category opportunities into new-product briefs.
Use business performance, competitive intelligence, customer behavior, and emerging diamond and jewelry trends to identify opportunities for innovation.
Recommend extensions of winning products across diamond type, shape, carat weight, metal, setting, and price point.
Develop commercial guardrails for new products, including target price positioning, assortment role, and expected customer need.
Support launches from initial concept through assortment planning, launch readiness, digital presentation, and post-launch analysis.
Establish success criteria and provide clear recommendations to scale, adjust, or exit products following launch.

Desired Qualifications

Diamond expertise is preferred.

Merchandising Manager - Category Management, Diamond Basics

Blue Nile · New York, United States (Hybrid) · Full-time · Posted 2026-11-12

Salary: USD 100,000–140,000

Workplace: hybrid

Department: Merchandising

Description

Blue Nile is seeking a Manager of Category Management, Diamond Basics to drive day-to-day strategy, performance, and evolution of the Blue Nile assortment. This Manager will combine strong merchant instincts, diamond and product knowledge, customer understanding and analytical rigor to optimize these businesses. The role will own category-level analysis and execution across assortment, pricing, natural and lab-grown mix, product lifecycle, inventory and new product.

Responsibilities - Category Strategy & Ownership:

Manage day-to-day performance and execution of the Diamond Basics businesses in partnership with the Director of Category Management
Translate broader category strategies into actionable assortment, pricing, product, inventory and merchandising plans
Develop deep expertise in the distinct customer missions, shopping behaviors and competitive dynamics of each category
Maintain clear roles for natural and lab-grown diamonds within each category and identify opportunities to evolve the mix based on customer demand and business performance
Identify white space across product type, diamond shape, carat weight, setting, metal, price point and customer need
Develop fact-based recommendations for where Blue Nile should invest, expand, test, maintain, reposition or exit
Balance assortment breadth and customer choice with the need for a more curated, intentional Blue Nile point of view
Partner with Site Merchandising, Creative, Marketing, Technology and Retail to ensure Diamond Basics are presented in ways that make selection inspiring, understandable and intuitive on site and in store
Establish product priorities for category pages, search, sort, recommendations, storytelling, marketing, and promotional placements
Ensure hero products and key assortment stories receive appropriate visibility
Balance visibility of proven core products with strategic newness and growth opportunities
Translate complex product differences into clear merchandising stories that help customers quickly understand why a product matters
Provide Retail partners with clear product priorities and category stories that Client Advisors can confidently bring to customers

Responsibilities - Assortment & Curation:

Manage the Diamond Basics assortment across key classifications including earrings, pendants, necklaces, and bracelets with responsibility for natural and lab-grown diamond offerings
Build clear assortment architecture across carat weight, diamond type, setting, metal, silhouette and price
Ensure strong coverage of core customer needs while continually identifying opportunities for newness and assortment expansion
Establish clear good/better/best and opening/core/premium product ladders where appropriate
Analyze productivity at the SKU and attribute level to identify assortment gaps, duplication and opportunities for rationalization
Identify and scale winning product concepts while ensuring long-tail SKUs have a strategic reason to remain in the assortment
Partner with Demand Planning to align inventory depth and availability with product productivity and strategic importance

Responsibilities - Commercial Management:

Monitor Diamond Basics performance across revenue, units, ASP, margin, conversion, inventory productivity and customer engagement
Understand performance differences across natural versus lab-grown, preset versus customizable products, price tiers, carat weights, metals and product classifications
Use performance data to recommend changes to assortment, pricing, promotions, inventory investment and site exposure
Work closely with Pricing, Finance, and Planning to maintain competitive price architecture while protecting margin and profitability

Responsibilities - Product Development and Innovation:

Partner with the Director, Product Development, Design, Sourcing and Planning to translate category opportunities into new-product briefs
Use business performance, competitive intelligence, customer behavior and emerging diamond and jewelry trends to identify opportunities for innovation
Recommend extensions of winning products across diamond type, shape, carat weight, metal, setting and price point
Develop commercial guardrails for new products, including target price positioning, assortment role and expected customer need
Support launches from initial concept through assortment planning, launch readiness, digital presentation and post-launch analysis
Establish success criteria and provide clear recommendations to scale, adjust or exit products following launch

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, Economics, Analytics, Marketing or a related field
3-5+ years’ experience in merchandising with preference for diamond expertise
Strategic mindset with a focus on translating complex data into actionable business strategies
Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with shifting priorities
Strong analytical and quantitative skills with proficiency in tools such as Excel, SQL, Tableau or similar platforms
Strong leadership skills
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments

Benefits

At Blue Nile, many of our roles offer a high-quality, comprehensive benefits package including healthcare, paid time off, retirement planning and opportunities for career advancement. Some offerings are dependent upon the role, employment type, work schedule or location:

Paid Time Off
Medical, Dental, Vision and Prescription Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match
Flexible Spending Account | Health Savings Account
Tuition Reimbursement
Employee Discount
Parental Leave
Life Insurance

Annual base pay: $100,000 - $140,000. Final pay rate shall be determined and is based on experience and qualifications.

At this time, Blue Nile will not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization for this position. #LI-WK1

Additional Information: Blue Nile is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), race, color, age, national origin, religion, disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender reassignment, citizenship, immigration status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited under applicable federal, state or local law. Blue Nile will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable laws.

LI-WK1

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About the Company

Blue Nile

Direct-to-consumer online diamond retailer

Blue Nile is an online retailer that sells diamonds and fine jewelry. It operates mainly through its website, letting customers browse, compare, and buy engagement rings, wedding bands, and other jewelry without visiting a physical store. The product experience is built around selecting a diamond and jewelry pieces online, with information on diamond grades and prices to help customers make informed choices, and then the items are shipped to the customer. The company differentiates itself by offering a large online selection and lower prices achieved through a direct-to-consumer model, avoiding many costs of traditional jewelers. In 2022, it was acquired by Signet Jewelers, the world’s largest diamond jewelry retailer, which shapes its competitive landscape. The goal is to provide access to a wide range of diamonds and jewelry online with clear value and transparency, making high-quality pieces more affordable and easy to buy for consumers.

Company size: 1,001-5,000
Company stage: IPO
Headquarters: Seattle, WA
Founded: 1999

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