Manager, Gross Margin Analytics (67)

Barnes & Noble Education, Inc.; Florham Park (NJ); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

BARNES & NOBLE EDUCATION, INC. in Florham Park, NJ seeks a senior FP&A professional to lead gross margin reporting, COGS budgeting, and advanced margin analytics.

You will partner with Merchandising and cross-functional teams to drive accuracy, forecast accuracy, and data-driven decision making. The role requires 7–10 years in finance/FP&A with strong Excel/PowerPoint skills, Oracle knowledge, and experience with AI-enabled tools for variance analysis.

Qualifications

• Degree in Finance, Accounting, Business or related field required.
• MBA preferred; strong communication and analytical skills.
• Minimum 7–10 years of finance/FP&A or related experience; retail exposure preferred.
• Proficiency with financial statements, gross margin, budgeting, forecasting and variance analysis.

Responsibilities

• Own monthly gross margin reporting and analysis across BNED brands.
• Develop the detailed COGS budget at multiple levels and monthly detail.
• Prepare quarterly gross margin projections and communicate risks and opportunities.
• Support close process by validating margin, inventory, and COGS data.
• Act as FP&A SME for gross margin definitions and methods.
• Drive process improvements in margin reporting, forecasting, and analytics.

Skills

Financial analysis

Budgeting

Forecasting

Variance analysis

Excel

PowerPoint

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting/Business

MBA (preferred)

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Oracle

Job description

Education - It's in Our DNA

At Barnes & Noble Education (“BNED”) and across our family of brands, we are dedicated to making tomorrow a better, more inclusive, and smarter world by servicing all who work in education. As a leading solutions provider for the education industry, we are committed to driving affordability, accessibility, and achievement at hundreds of academic institutions nationwide by ensuring millions of students are equipped for success in the classroom and beyond. Together, our teams work to elevate lives through education.

Education - It's in Our DNA

At Barnes & Noble Education (“BNED”) and across our family of brands, we are dedicated to making tomorrow a better, more inclusive, and smarter world by servicing all who work in education. As a leading solutions provider for the education industry, we are committed to driving affordability, accessibility, and achievement at hundreds of academic institutions nationwide by ensuring millions of students are equipped for success in the classroom and beyond. Together, our teams work to elevate lives through education.

How You’ll Make An Impact

• Own monthly gross margin reporting and analysis across BNED and its family of brands, providing clear commentary on performance and identifying key drivers, trends, risks, and opportunities relative to budget, forecast, and prior year.
• Develop the detailed Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) budget, including store-, division-, product category-, and monthly-level assumptions, partnering with Merchandising and other business partners to gather, challenge, and validate key inputs.
• Develop quarterly gross margin projections, incorporating actual performance, current trends, and evolving business assumptions, and clearly communicate changes, risks, and opportunities to the outlook.
• Support the accuracy and integrity of gross margin results during the monthly close process by validating gross margin, inventory, COGS, and related financial data and researching and resolving significant variances or discrepancies.
• Serve as the FP&A subject-matter expert for gross margin, including internal and external margin definitions, methodologies, calculations, and performance, and provide guidance and analysis on margin-related questions.
• Develop and maintain expertise in the Stock Ledger and its role in calculating inventory and gross margin, using that knowledge to support financial analysis, investigate issues, and improve understanding of margin performance.
• Prepare and communicate gross margin analysis for audiences across the organization, including the Board of Directors, senior leadership, field management, and store management, tailoring the level of detail and commentary to the audience.
• Provide detailed COGS, pricing, and margin analytics for key areas of the business, including Logo Products and First Day Complete, identifying performance drivers and supporting business decisions.
• Drive continuous improvement in gross margin reporting, forecasting, budgeting, and analytical processes, identifying opportunities to improve accuracy, efficiency, consistency, and the quality of financial insights.
• Drive continuous improvement in gross margin reporting, forecasting, budgeting, and analytical processes, including the application of AI-enabled tools and automation, to improve accuracy, efficiency, consistency, and the quality of financial insights.
• Additional responsibilities as required.

What You’ll Need To Succeed

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, or a related field required; MBA preferred.
• 7–10 years of relevant finance, financial planning and analysis, or related experience; retail experience preferred.
• Strong understanding of financial statements, gross margin, Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex financial and operational data, identify key drivers and trends, and translate findings into meaningful business insights.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly communicate financial results, analysis, and insights to business partners and multiple levels of management.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, exercise sound judgment, and collaborate effectively across Finance and cross-functional teams.
• Strong attention to detail with a focus on accuracy, consistency, and data integrity.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, with demonstrated experience using financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting systems; Oracle experience preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and implement process improvements that enhance the efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness of financial analysis and reporting.
• Experience using AI-enabled tools to accelerate variance analysis, identify margin drivers, or streamline recurring reporting and forecasting tasks.
• Demonstrated ability to practice sound judgment in evaluating AI-generated output, including draft commentary, forecast scenarios, or variance explanations, for accuracy and business context before incorporating it into decision-making materials for senior leadership.

Please Note: This is a hybrid role requiring in-office attendance three (3) days per week at our Florham Park, NJ headquarters. Applicants must be within a commutable distance, as relocation assistance will not be provided.

How We Elevate Our Employees

We believe your success is our success, so our benefits package is designed specifically to support you in every aspect of your life. At BNED, we offer a variety of programs and resources to support the physical, mental, and financial well-being of our employees by offering a competitive total rewards package for full-time employees, which includes medical, dental, and vision plans, 401k with an annual discretionary match, life insurance, commuter benefits, paid time off with paid holidays, and a broad range of other benefits.

The hiring range for this position is $130,000 - 140,000 per year. This range represents the base salary only, in good faith at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as relevant experience, skills, and qualifications. This position is bonus-eligible, with bonus amounts determined at the company’s discretion based on individual qualifications and applicable program terms.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

At Barnes & Noble Education (“BNED”) and across our family of brands, we believe in empowering people and elevating lives through education. Our mission is to serve students, faculty, institutions, and communities by meeting the evolving needs of higher education and the next generation of learners. That starts with our people and fostering a workplace where diverse perspectives, experiences, and individuality are valued and celebrated.

Barnes & Noble Education (“BNED”) and its family of brands are committed to providing equal employment opportunities and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

As part of this commitment, we provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete an application or participate in the interview process, please contact [e-mail].