Ladies Specialty Retailer with over 500+ stores, located in the Mid West.

Competencies (skills, knowledge and behaviors) that are required for this position

• Ability to analyze, understand and anticipate market and industry trends, competitors' tactics, the consequences and implications of situations and demonstrates passion and innovation to ensure competitive advantage
• Demonstrates understanding and commitment to the role and responsibilities in delivering a brand experience that exceeds our customers' expectations.
• Cultivates teamwork and collaboration by developing, communicating, partnering and personally executing to goals that are aligned with the brand strategy.
• 3-5 years in apparel retail, preferably as a merchandise planner, allocator, financial analyst, or buyer.
• Undergraduate degree preferred
• Strong systems skills with experience in managing and reporting data in such environments as Arthur Planning, Data Warehouse, Excel, Access, etc.

Summary of primary duties and responsibilities

• Partners with Buyer to develop strategic vision of department.
• Collaborates with Buyer to architect detail class plans that integrates fashion, lifestyle, fit, pricing, advertising support, with merchandise flow across time and store population to achieve financial objectives.
• Identifies opportunities or disparities using trend information.
• Continually updates in season forecast to react to current business trends, develop upside strategies; prepare contingency plans to drive sales and profit objectives.
• Formulates a financial plan for each merchandise department that supports detailed unit plans.
• Identifies and reacts to opportunities to increase sales, improve margin, optimize inventories, and decrease markdowns. Maintains a running financial forecast of sales dollars, margin components and inventory.
• Recommends pricing and promotional strategies that optimize margin, freshness, and exit strategies, and that balance appropriately with the entire business pricing approach.
• Ensures broad business strategies and objectives are translated into specific "local" objectives and plans.  This includes alternative assortment needs for large stores and different personality stores, climate alternatives, sizing needs.
• Presents financial information in a concise, clear, and confident manner.  Articulates key issues and adapts presentation style to suit needs of audience.  Readily communicates important information despite challenges.  Makes a compelling and persuasive case for proposals.
• Translates large, complex data sets into major points and issues that readily facilitate decision-making and are executable from both a product and logistical perspective..
• Provides reporting and analysis to highlight important trends or to support multi-department analysis.
• Continually examines product successes and failures to extract key lessons.
• Partners with Allocation to ensure distribution methodologies and special strategies (e.g. tiered distribution) are uniformly understood and executed. 

 Systems: Arthur Planning & Allocation, E-3 Replenishment, and Excel.