Merchandising and Planning Operations Specialist

Lululemon Athletica; Vancouver; Hybrid; CAD 88,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work arrangement

Onsite 4 days per week

Job summary

lululemon is seeking a Merchandising and Planning Operations Specialist to optimize cross-functional workflows in the Store Support Centre. You will manage timelines, ensure accurate data for Mandatory Buy, and build reporting for business insights.

You will collaborate with Merchandising, Planning, Product, Design, Brand, and Enterprise teams, and support process improvements while maintaining calendar discipline and milestone tracking. Hybrid work with onsite collaboration four days a week.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in Retail, Buying, Product Merchandising, Planning, Operations, or related field.
• Understanding of merchandising, planning, and product creation processes.
• Understanding of the go-to-market process and calendar.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Miro, Smartsheet; advanced Excel is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate cross-functional merchandising and planning workstreams with clear timelines and milestones.
• Maintain and manage Mandatory Buy files and related GTM information.
• Prepare and maintain reports supporting attribution, regional alignment, and OTP.
• Track deliverables and milestones, updating status and coordinating reviews.
• Document and improve merchandising and planning processes and tools.
• Provide strategic, ad hoc support for operational priorities.

Skills

Retail experience

GTM process

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

Microsoft Office

Miro

Smartsheet

Excel

Job description

Merchandising and Planning Operations Specialist

Business Unit: Store Support Centre (SSC)

Merchandising and Planning Operations Specialist

who we are

lululemon is an innovative performance apparel company for yoga, running, training, and other athletic pursuits. Setting the bar in technical fabrics and functional design, we create transformational products and experiences that support people in moving, growing, connecting, and being well. We owe our success to our innovative product, emphasis on stores, commitment to our people, and the incredible connections we make in every community we're in. As a company, we focus on creating positive change to build a healthier, thriving future. In particular, that includes creating an equitable, inclusive and growth-focused environment for our people.

about this team

The Merchandising and Planning Operations team is responsible for optimizing Merchandising and Planning workflows and managing timelines and deliverables for Merchandising and Planning teams. They are an expert in the go-to-market process, remove operational roadblocks and make decisions to support the Merchandising and Planning teams in reaching their GTM milestones. Through their work, they unlock merchandising and planning capacity and enable teams to thrive and focus on merchandising and planning endeavors.

core responsibilities

Cross-Functional Coordination & Execution

• Coordinate cross-functional merchandising and planning workstreams by tracking actions, timelines, and key milestones.
• Support alignment across Merchandising, Planning, Product, Design, Brand, and Enterprise partners through effective communication and follow-through.
• Help identify dependencies and elevate risks to support successful execution of deliverables.
• Build and maintain frameworks for Merchandising seasonal tools that enable visibility and consistency across functions, divisions, and regions.
• Maintain seasonal tools in support of Mandatory Buy execution.
• Examples include Hero Styles Tracker, Anaplan Mandatory Buy attribution slots, and VibeIQ Global Looks boards.

Mandatory Buy Management

• Maintain Mandatory Buy files and ensure current versions are housed in the appropriate GTM SharePoint locations.
• Support enterprise access to accurate and up-to-date information aligned to GTM milestones.

Reporting & Analytics

• Prepare and maintain reports that support review and validation of Mandatory Buy attribution, Regional Alignment, and OTP.
• Validate data for accuracy, identify discrepancies, and partner with stakeholders to support resolution.
• Format and organize reporting outputs to enable efficient business analysis.
• Assist with identifying trends, gaps, and opportunities through reporting and analytics.
• Build and maintain Reprice Master List templates that support a clear source of truth throughout project phases.
• Organize project documentation and SharePoint folders across phases and fiscal years.

Calendar Management & Critical Path Management

• Track upcoming deliverables and key milestones for the Merchandising and Planning Operations team.
• Coordinate operating cadences, milestone reviews, and supporting meetings.
• Monitor progress and provide status updates to help ensure deliverables remain on track.

Process Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Document and maintain merchandising and planning operational processes.
• Support process improvement initiatives that increase efficiency, visibility, and consistency across workflows.
• Assist with implementation and adoption of new tools, processes, and ways of working.
• Help identify operational challenges and elevate issues as appropriate.

Strategic & Ad Hoc Support

• Provide support for emerging operational priorities, process improvements, and strategic initiatives within Merchandising and Planning Operations.

qualifications

• 2+ years of experience in Retail, Buying, Product Merchandising, Planning, Operations, or a related field.
• Understanding of merchandising, planning, and product creation processes.
• Understanding of the go-to-market process and calendar.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Miro, and Smartsheet; advanced Excel skills are considered an asset.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional partners.

must haves

• Acknowledge the presence of choice in every moment and take personal responsibility for your life.
• Possess an entrepreneurial spirit and continuously innovate to achieve great results.
• Communicate with honesty and kindness and create the space for others to do the same.
• Lead with courage, knowing the possibility of greatness is bigger than the fear of failure.
• Foster connection by putting people first and building trusting relationships.
• Integrate fun and joy as a way of being and working, aka doesn’t take yourself too seriously.

additional notes

Authorization to work in Canada is required for this role.

compensation and benefits package

lululemon’s compensation offerings are grounded in a pay-for-performance philosophy that recognizes exceptional individual and teamperformance. Thetypical hiring range for this positionis from $88,200 - $115,800 annually ; the base pay offered is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity. As part of our total rewards offering, permanent employees in this position may be eligible for our competitive annual bonus program and , subject to program eligibility requirements.

At lululemon, investing in our people is a top priority. We believe that when life works, work works. We strive to be the place where inclusive leaders come to develop and enable all to be well. Recognizing our teams for their performance and dedication, other components of our total rewards offerings include support of career development, wellbeing, and personal growth:

• Extended health and dental benefits, and mental health plans
• Paid time off
• Savings and retirement plan matching
• Parenthood top-up
• Extensive catalog of development course offerings
• People networks, mentorship programs, and leadership series (to name a few)

Note: The incentive programs, benefits, and perks have certain eligibility requirements. The Company reserves the right to alter these incentive programs, benefits, and perks in whole or in part at any time without advance notice.

workplace arrangement

Hybrid

In-person collaboration and connection is important to our culture. Work is performed onsite, minimum 4 days per week.

Lululemon is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs, and not on race, color, creed, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions or any other classification protected by federal, state or provincial and local laws and ordinances. Reasonable accommodation is available for qualified individuals with disabilities, upon request. This Equal Employment Opportunity policy applies to all practices relating to recruitment and hiring, compensation, benefits, discipline, transfer, termination and all other terms and conditions of employment. While management is primarily responsible for seeing that Lululemon equal employment opportunity policies are implemented, you share in the responsibility for assuring that, by your personal actions, the policies are effective.

lululemon is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. If you would like someone from our team to contact you for individualized support, email us [e-mail]. In your email, please include the position title, the location of the position and the nature of your request. The use of AI tools, including but not limited to ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Gemini, DeepSeek, or any other AI-assisted software, is strictly prohibited during the interview process. This includes AI-generated responses, content creation, or any form of automated assistance in live interviews, case studies, technical assessments, or written submissions. At lululemon, we are committed to privacy, integrity, transparency, and ethical hiring practices. Our commitment to responsible AI ensures that proprietary information is protected and that all hiring decisions are based on an individual’s own skills, judgment, and expertise without AI assistance. Any use of AI during the interview process will result in immediate disqualification. lululemon reserves the right to use AI detection tools to verify the authenticity of candidate responses.