Markdown Optimization Analyst

maurices; Duluth (MN); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Dental

Vision coverage

Flexible Spending Accounts

401(k) with company match

Onsite Fitness Facility

Job summary

maurices is seeking a Markdown Optimization Analyst to drive markdown strategies that maximize margin and enhance the customer experience at our Duluth, MN corporate office. The role focuses on lifecycle, pricing, and strategic support within cross-functional teams.

You will analyze data, generate insights, and implement top-down markdown processes while collaborating with Pricing, Promotions, and Marketing to optimize promotions and inventory management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience required.
• 3+ years related experience in retail/markdown optimization preferred.
• Strong Excel and analytical skills; familiarity with Microstrategy.

Responsibilities

• Drives maximized sales, margin & inventory through optimized markdowns and lifecycle/ pricing strategies.
• Partners with cross-functional teams to create optimal clearance markdown strategies to maximize margin and inventory management.
• Provides reporting and insights to aid strategic development and actions that increase sales and profits (MD Planner, Weekly Clearance Reports, MD Calendars).
• Attends meetings to understand liabilities and pre-season markdown strategies; translates data into meaningful insights and recommendations.
• Supports promotion inputs into the markdown tool and collaborates with Pricing & Promotions, Visual, and Marketing on markdown events.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Initiative

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent

Tools

Excel

Microstrategy

Job description

Brand Overview

At maurices, we’re all about feel-good fashion for real life. We’re committed to our service with style promise and to offering affordable fashion that takes women from workday to weekend—and all of life’s adventures in between. With inclusive sizing from 0–24, maurices is known for versatile styles across key categories like denim, dresses, tops, and more. We’ve been doing this since 1931, and today you’ll find us in over 800 communities across North America and online at maurices.com. At maurices, it’s more than clothes - it’s where fun, friendship and fashion come together! We believe in putting People First — and that starts with you. We’re a collaborative team that leads with kindness, values authenticity, stays curious, and moves with agility. We work smart, have fun, and support one another in a generously flexible environment that empowers you to thrive both personally and professionally. We’re headquartered in the heart of Duluth, Minnesota overlooking the beautiful shores of Lake Superior. Our original hometown offers the perfect blend of natural beauty, four-season adventure, and a vibrant college town atmosphere.

Brand Overview

At maurices, we’re all about feel-good fashion for real life. We’re committed to our service with style promise and to offering affordable fashion that takes women from workday to weekend—and all of life’s adventures in between. With inclusive sizing from 0–24, maurices is known for versatile styles across key categories like denim, dresses, tops, and more. We’ve been doing this since 1931, and today you’ll find us in over 800 communities across North America and online at maurices.com. At maurices, it’s more than clothes - it’s where fun, friendship and fashion come together! We believe in putting People First — and that starts with you. We’re a collaborative team that leads with kindness, values authenticity, stays curious, and moves with agility. We work smart, have fun, and support one another in a generously flexible environment that empowers you to thrive both personally and professionally. We’re headquartered in the heart of Duluth, Minnesota overlooking the beautiful shores of Lake Superior. Our original hometown offers the perfect blend of natural beauty, four-season adventure, and a vibrant college town atmosphere.

Ready to apply? We currently have an opportunity for a Markdown Optimization Analyst to join our team located at our Corporate Office-maurices-Duluth, MN 55802.

Position Overview

The Markdown Optimization Analyst is responsible for analysis and execution support of markdown strategies based on merchandise lifecycle strategy in conjunction with in-season results, driving maximized margin and customer experience.

Key Responsibilities

Essential Duties and Functions:

Drives maximized sales, margin & inventory through optimized markdowns via the following:

Lifecycle & Pricing

• Identifies and supports maintenance of systemic changes of styles as they pertain to retail pricing and product lifecycle. This includes but is not limited to identifying needed changes in business-relevant UDA’s, supporting price adjustments, supporting store pricing IT requests, and supporting maintenance of lifecycle strategy notes on all styles between systems
• Identifies needed change in MDO business rules and settings when necessary
• Evaluates current markdown policies and procedures to identify improvement opportunities to profitability, sell through, and processes
• Implements MDO target strategies
• Troubleshoots systemic issues as they arise

Strategy Support

• Partners with cross functional team members, both internally and externally, to create optimal clearance markdown strategies to maximize margin and inventory management
• Implements a top-down markdown process and ensures process is fully operationalized across MP&A
• Provides reporting and insights that aid in strategic development and actions that result in increased sales, profit, and/or unit liquidation. This includes but is not limited to analysis of the MD Planner Review File, Weekly Clearance Reports, Pre/Post MD Recaps, MD Calendars, and any additional needs
• Attends or reviews strategic product meetings, like OTB and PLC milestone meetings to gain understanding of liabilities and pre-season markdown strategies
• Mines and translates data into meaningful insights and recommendations

Promotion Support

• Supports maintenance of promotional inputs into the markdown tool
• Provides product and location level clearance analysis to drive profits and/or unit liquidation
• Collaborates with Pricing & Promotions Team, Visual, and Marketing on markdown promotional events
• Supports cross-category and clearance promotional analysis

Education

Education/Skills and Experience Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience required

Experience

• 3+ years related experience required
• Prior retail experience, with a thorough understanding of operations/dynamics to provide insight preferred

Skills

• Ability to take initiative
• Strong understanding of retail calculations and formulas
• Proficient with Excel & Microstrategy
• Organizational and analytical skills
• Detail oriented
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to quickly adapt to changing business priorities
• Ability to synthesize data in an easily digestible way.
• Ability to collaborate with others to maximize business process and drive financial results

Location: Corporate Office-maurices-Duluth, MN 55802

Position Type Regular/Full time

Pay Range: $0.00 - $0.00

This position is eligible for an annual incentive compensation based on company performance.

How We Work: Our Smart Work program pairs the best of in‑person collaboration with the flexibility to work remotely, guided by business needs and the nature of each role. Corporate associates work at least three days a week in our offices, with teams setting core days to brainstorm, build relationships, and move work forward. The goal is simple: help you do your best work, stay connected to your team, and maintain healthy work‑life balance.

What We Offer: We offer a comprehensive and competitive benefits package designed to support your health, financial security, and work-life balance. Full-time associates are eligible for a suite of benefits. Choice of three medical plans, including a PPO plan or High-Deductible plans. High-Deductible plans offer the option of a Health Savings Account, with employer contribution.

Additional benefits include Dental, and Vision coverage, Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare and Dependent Care), Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity coverage, Voluntary Life, Spouse, and Child Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability coverage. maurices provides, at no cost to our associates, Basic Life Insurance and Short-Term Disability coverage, access to our Wellbeing platform with Personify Health, and an Employee Assistance Program available for associates and their families. After 6 months of employment, you may be eligible for our 401(k), which offers an immediately vested Safe Harbor matching contribution. maurices supports continued education with our Tuition Assistance program, available after 1 year of employment.

Associates also have access to PTO benefits, including vacation (with accrual or flexible options based on role), annual sick time awards, holiday pay, and two weeks of New Parent Leave for birth, adoption, or foster placement. We offer continuous opportunities for learning, connection building through Associate Resource Groups and for our Duluth based associates, free access to a state-of-the-art onsite Fitness Facility.

Equal Employment Opportunity
The Company is committed to hiring and developing the most qualified people at all levels. It is our policy in all personnel actions to ensure that all associates and potential associates are evaluated on the basis of qualifications and ability without regard to sex (including pregnancy), race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability that can reasonably be accommodated without undue hardship, genetic information, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other protected classification under federal, state, or local law. We do not discriminate in any of our employment policies and practices. All associates are expected to follow these principles in all relationships with other associates, applicants, or others with whom we do business.