Manager, Merchandising Strategy and Planning

A role in Petco Merchandising Operations means leading a game changing blueprint to align people, process, and systems so that we can evolve and execute Merchandising's multi-year winning strategy. Within Merchandising Operations, the Merchandising Strategy and Planning Manager manages the achievement of strategic merchandising department initiatives, coordinates and supports the execution of deliverables across multiple workstreams, rolls out process improvements, and develops support capabilities to more effectively empower the Merchandising team to make and execute strategic Merchandising decisions. The position requires collaboration with cross-functional teams and senior leadership to drive business initiatives and optimize results. You will work closely with the Category Management, Marketing, Financial Planning and Analysis, Demand Planning, Supply Chain, Channel functions, Enterprise Analytics, Consumer Insights, IT, Product Management, and across the Merchandising Operations teams to find new ways for us to win.

Responsibilities

• Manage a team of business analysts, proficient in SQL, to proactively create self-service reporting and dashboarding for the business to enhance overall Merchandising efficiency

• Optimize internal Merch Portal insights by auditing and creating a roadmap for automation and usability improvements as well as a pipeline to intake enhancement requests

• Proactively lead the creation, through Business Analyst Team, self-service reporting and dashboarding for the business to enhance overall Merchandising efficiency

• Project management of key initiatives within Merchandising Operations including, but not limited to Annual and Joint Business Planning, in support of the Merchandising and Planning organizations

• Project manage content curation for annual Vendor Summit and annual Merch (LT) Strategy Offsite to fuel Annual Operating Plan (AOP), as needed

• Project manage category review process refinement; drive change management and adoption of merchandising process, strategy, and technology improvements to support enhanced assortment decisions

• Project manage Go-To-Market Seasonal Planning process to drive cohesive strategy across SBUs and create transparency for cross functional partners to ensure executional success in addition to a winning strategy

• Project Plan to define strategic, operational, and timeline goals

• Governance guidelines for each workstream and overall program

• Kickoff and ongoing cross-channel communication to coordinate Merchandising, Marketing, Inventory, Vendor Ops, Business Information, Technology, Data Engineering, Enterprise Data Analytics, and Executive teams

• Alignment with project team, sponsors, stakeholders on ongoing resources needed to support initiatives

• Risk/Resolution Management across workstreams

• Coordination and support for execution of deliverable across multiple workstreams, to include but not limited to:

• Coordination of visibility to strategic plans and execution standards and status

• Coordination of key constituents across the enterprise to design and develop processes and technology to successfully support Merchandising objectives.

• Close work with project leaders to ensure consistency and seamlessness of user experience across workstreams.

• Ensure coordination between existing and new functionality, as well as process and procedure to be embedded in new initiatives.

• Resolution of any process, system and/or communication gaps to ensure smooth transition.

• Coordination of change management and training as needed to ensure successful transition

• Collaboration with Merchandising Enablement & Training and Operational teams as needed to document and develop training associated with any new or modified systems, processes and procedures.

• Drive collaboration and deliver a service-oriented working environment with the primary focus on providing excellent service to Merchants, actively involving them in the process and leveraging everyone's expertise to achieve the best possible outcome;emphasize cooperation, shared responsibility, and a customer-centric approach to problem-solving

• Create a framework to ensure consistent, actionable analytics and reporting to support and guide decision making for all Merchants as they collaborate across the organization.

• Drive change management and adoption of merchandising process, strategy, and technology improvements.

• Provide inspirational leadership to guide merchandising teams toward operational excellence.

Key Leadership Competencies:

• Lead, coach and develop direct reports.

• Manage workstreams across the broader Merchandising Operations, Strategy & Support team as needed.

• Strong leadership, organization, coaching and influencing skills

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively at all levels; including executive leadership, stakeholders, and external contractors / suppliers.

• Ability to create the case for change and help drive and manage the change with internal and external stakeholders. Ability to solve problems by assessing the situation, leveraging and analyzing relevant data, identifying root cause and developing potential solutions.

• Makes informed decisions, demonstrates initiative, and acts with autonomy to execute initiatives.

• High level of agility and adaptability; ability to quickly learn details of new business challenges and identify dependencies and impacts of other key initiatives.

• Manage collaboration and communication with other teams, both internal and external, to ensure teams have what they need and can work efficiently.

• Drives results and establishes metrics to monitor, track, and report sourcing project progress.

Qualifications

• 4-year degree

• 4-6 years in Retail, Project Management, Merchandising functions, Retail Analytics or related areas

• Strong knowledge of retail merchandising cross-functional teams and dynamics, retail merchandising systems, processes, and tools

• Experience working cross-functionally with merchandising, marketing, IT, finance, Channel teams, operations

• Proven ability to drive projects from inceptions to delivery with structure, timely communication, and governance

• Proficiency in data analysis tools (Excel, SQL, Tableau, Power BI)

• Proven track record driving and delivering results.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presentation skills

• Demonstrated ability to guide and influence

• Significant project and program management experience, and ability to manage high visibility projects to completion

• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage complex projects.

• Demonstrated success developing and building strong teams

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