Overview
The Director, Merchandise Planning is a high impact position leading teams of merchandise planners and analysts to drive merchandise strategies to optimize sales, landed margin, and inventory productivity. The Director is responsible for category financial, assortment and promotional planning as well as open to spend management (OTS) and facilitating strategic tradeoff scenarios with senior level and cross functional leadership. This position requires strong business acumen, financial, analytic, communication, and team development skills.
Responsibilities
- Develop and implement comprehensive merchandise strategies to drive sales and landed margin growth, inventory productivity, and service levels.
- Directs the annual merchandise category and department budget process along with recurring merchandise financial forecasting, open to spend (OTS) management, and facilitating category management performance reviews.
- Creates assortment plans and sku optimization thru data science, analytics, and assortment optimization tools and technology
- Provides promotional, pricing, sell thru, markdown, and seasonal management scenario planning and recommendations.
- Streamline merchandise processes and systems with robotic process automation (RPA) and A.I. to increase efficiency and accuracy
- Collaborate with cross functional teams including finance, merchandising, marketing, sales, supply chain, and operations to drive alignment and synchronization between planning and execution including integrated business (IBP) and flow planning.
- Understand macro economic, market trends, consumer preferences, and competitive landscape.
- Lead the merchandise planning team, setting initiatives, development plans, and clear goals while fostering a culture of customer focus, winning attitude, collaboration, and high standard of excellence.
Qualifications, Skills, And Experience
- Proven experience (typically 7+ years) in merchandise and/or supply chain leadership roles, with a track record of driving results in complex organizations.
- Strong strategic thinking, planning, and analytical skills, with the ability to develop and execute merchandise strategies that drive business objectives and outcomes.
- Proven track record of developing and implementing merchandise strategies in dynamic, fast-paced environments.
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels internally and externally.
- Proficiency in merchandise, procurement, assortment, and space planning software and systems, with the ability to leverage technology, ML, and A.I. to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
- Experience leading business process planning over multi time horizons, annual budget cycle, and multi year strategy planning. Expert-level financial, quantitative, and analytical skills.
- Demonstrated leadership ability for building high-performing teams, individual development and culture
- Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
- Bachelor's degree in business, merchandising, retail, supply chain management, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.