Dir Merchandise Execution & Strategy

Follett; California (MO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Follett seeks a Director of Merchandise, Execution, and Strategy to leverage data for merchandising decisions, pricing optimization, and inventory management. You will drive data-driven strategies, oversee BI tools, and lead cross-functional teams to improve profitability and customer experience.

The role requires strong analytics, leadership, and collaboration across buying, marketing, and sales. Expect sophisticated dashboards, forecasting, and AI-driven insights to guide strategy in a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent and 5+ years of related experience.
• Experience using data tools such as Power BI, SQL, Python, Tableau preferred.
• Strong leadership and ability to guide cross-functional teams and drive data-driven decisions.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement analytics frameworks to optimize merchandising performance.
• Monitor market trends and consumer behavior to refine product assortments.
• Use predictive analytics to optimize inventory and reduce stock imbalances.
• Develop data-backed pricing and promotions to maximize revenue.
• Lead data governance, BI tool adoption, and KPI dashboards across teams.

Skills

Data analysis

Leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

AI analytics

Forecasting

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Power BI

SQL

Python

Tableau

Job description

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. This role 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 (ie: 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.