Dir Mdse Execution & Strategy - Western US

Follett Corporation; Westchester (IL); On-site; USD 40,000 - 205,600; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Follett Higher Education seeks a Director of Merchandise, Execution, and Strategy to drive data-driven decisions across merchandising, pricing, and inventory for top schools. You will lead analytics initiatives and collaborate with buying, marketing, and sales to align insights with business goals.

You will oversee BI tools, establish KPIs, and leverage customer insights to optimize performance and profitability, while guiding cross-functional teams in a dynamic educational services environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent.
• 5+ years of related experience.
• Experience with data tools (Power BI, SQL, Python, Tableau).
• Ability to extract data, analyze information, and act on insights.
• Strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Data Strategy Development – Define and implement analytics frameworks to optimize merchandising performance.
• Market Trend Analysis – Monitor industry trends and consumer behavior to refine product assortments.
• Inventory Optimization – Use predictive analytics to improve stock levels and reduce overstock or shortages.
• Pricing and Promotion Strategy – Develop data-backed pricing models and promotional strategies to maximize revenue.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration – Work with buying, marketing, and sales teams to align data insights with business goals.
• Technology and Tools Management – Oversee the implementation of BI tools and data governance practices.
• Performance Metrics and Reporting – Establish KPIs and dashboards to track merchandising effectiveness.
• Customer Insights and Personalization – Leverage data to enhance customer experience and drive loyalty.

Skills

Power BI

SQL

Python

Tableau

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Tools

Power BI

Tableau

Python

SQL

Job description

Job Description

Follett Higher Education is a leading educational service provider and omnichannel retailer, providing students, faculty, staff, parents, and fans with the course materials, learning tools, and retail services needed to successfully support the collegiate journey. Follett Higher Education supports over 6 million students through its 1,100 physical and 1,750 eCommerce campus stores across North America.

The Director of Merchandise, Execution, and Strategy plays a critical role in leveraging data to drive merchandising decisions, optimize inventory, and enhance customer experiences for our top 75 schools. This role is responsible for developing and executing data‑driven strategies to improve merchandising performance, pricing optimization, and inventory management. It requires strong analytical skills, leadership, and collaboration across multiple departments.

Responsibilities

• Data Strategy Development – Define and implement analytics frameworks to optimize merchandising performance.
• Market Trend Analysis – Monitor industry trends and consumer behavior to refine product assortments.
• Inventory Optimization – Use predictive analytics to improve stock levels and reduce overstock or shortages.
• Pricing and Promotion Strategy – Develop data‑backed pricing models and promotional strategies to maximize revenue.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration – Work with buying, marketing, and sales teams to align data insights with business goals.
• Technology and Tools Management – Oversee the implementation of business intelligence tools and data governance practices.
• Performance Metrics and Reporting – Establish KPIs and dashboards to track merchandising effectiveness.
• Customer Insights and Personalization – Leverage data to enhance customer experience and drive loyalty.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent.
• 5+ years of related experience.
• Experience using data tools (e.g., Power BI, SQL, Python, Tableau) strongly preferred.
• Ability to extract data, analyze information, and take appropriate actions.
• Understanding of pricing models, assortment planning, and inventory optimization.
• Ability to interpret customer behavior and industry trends.
• Strong leadership skills to guide cross‑functional teams.
• Familiarity with AI‑driven analytics and automation tools.
• Ability to manage budgets, forecast sales, and optimize profitability.
• Clear communication skills to work with marketing, supply chain, and executive teams.
• Capacity to develop creative solutions for merchandising challenges.

Pay Range

$40,000.00 - $205,600.00 / year

Pay Transparency

The annual salary range has been established based on the role, experience, skill set, and location. The exact starting salary or hourly rate within the range will depend on the role and the local market. This position may be eligible to participate in one of the Company’s incentive plans. The amount of any incentive payment varies and is subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan.

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical, dental, vision, disability, wellness programs, 401(k) plan, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. Eligibility for benefits is governed by the applicable policies and plan documents.

Equal Opportunity Employer. This company considers candidates regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.

Follett Higher Education is a drug‑free workplace environment.