Markdown Optimization Intern

Maurices Incorporated; Duluth (MN); Hybrid; USD 21,000 - 29,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plans

Health Savings Account

Dental and Vision coverage

Wellbeing platform

401(k) after 6 months

Tuition Assistance

Job summary

Maurices Incorporated in Duluth, MN seeks a part-time Markdown Optimization Analyst to drive AI-driven improvements and maximize markdown effectiveness. The role supports pricing, lifecycle management and promotions across merchandising, planning and marketing teams.

Flexibility is built into a 20-hour weekly schedule with a hybrid office setup in Duluth. You’ll use Excel and retail math to turn sales data into actionable recommendations, while learning our AI-driven markdown workflow.

Qualifications

• Strong Excel skills and comfort with retail math.
• Analytical, detail-oriented mindset.
• Clear written and verbal communication; data storytelling.
• Interest in AI and process improvement.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

• Drive AI and process improvements to speed up markdown work.
• Support markdown strategy with lifecycle and in-season results.
• Turn data into insight with weekly reports and calendars.
• Keep pricing and lifecycle data in sync across systems.
• Manage the markdown tool and update business rules.
• Support promotions with inputs and cross-team collaboration.

Skills

Excel skills

Retail math

Analytical mindset

Communication skills

AI interest

Bachelor's degree

Equivalent experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Tools

MicroStrategy

AI tools

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.

Position Overview

At a glance Position type Part‑time, temporary (non‑exempt) Hours 20 per week, set schedule with built‑in flexibility (see below) Duration Now through mid‑May 2027 Pay $18 per hour Team Markdown Optimization, Merchandise Planning & Allocation (MP&A) Location Hybrid, Duluth, MN

Our ideal week

This is the rhythm that works best for our team, but it isn’t set in stone. We want your schedule to work for you, and we’ll find the right fit together.

• Monday 4-6 hours with AM focus needed
• Tuesday 4 hours any time between 8am-5pm
• Wednesday 4 hours, flexible but afternoon is ideal
• Thursday 4 hours, flexible but AM is ideal
• Any day, Mon–Fri 2 additional hours, flexible any day between 8am-5pm
• Some weeks we may need extra hours for team PTO coverage. We’ll always discuss and coordinate that with you in advance.

About the role

Help us decide what goes on markdown, when, and by how much. As a member of the Markdown Optimization team, you’ll turn sales results and product lifecycle plans into clear markdown recommendations that protect margin and keep inventory moving. You’ll work with our Markdown Optimization tool and partner with Merchandising, Planning, Promotions, Visual and Marketing Teams. You will play a central role in using AI and process improvement to change how markdown work gets done. This is a part‑time role built for someone who wants hands‑on retail analytics experience on a flexible schedule.

What you’ll do

• Drive AI and process improvement. Find, test and roll out ways to use AI and automation to speed up, simplify and improve our markdown work. This is a core part of the job, not a side project.
• Support markdown strategy. Use lifecycle plans and in‑season results to help build clearance recommendations that maximize sales, margin and inventory health.
• Turn data into insight. Build and review the weekly clearance reports, markdown recaps, calendars and planner files, then share what the numbers mean. Also supporting, as needed
• Keep our data in sync. Maintain pricing and lifecycle information for styles across systems, and support price adjustments and store pricing requests.
• Manage the markdown tool. Update business rules and settings when needed, and troubleshoot issues as they come up.
• Support promotions. Maintain promotional inputs in the markdown tool and partner with Pricing & Promotions, Visual and Marketing on clearance events.

What you bring

• Must have Strong Excel skills and comfort with retail math (margin, sell-through, inventory)
• An analytical, detail‑oriented mindset
• Clear written and verbal communication, including the ability to make data easy to understand
• Real interest in AI and process improvement, with the initiative to try new ideas
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Nice to have

• Experience in retail, merchandising, pricing or planning
• Familiarity with MicroStrategy
• Hands‑on experience with AI tools, automation or workflow improvement

Why join us

Join a team that is actively rethinking how markdown work gets done, and see how merchandising, pricing and marketing decisions connect. You’ll have a hybrid, flexible schedule that works around your life, and a team that wants you to succeed. This position runs through mid‑May, but we hope it’s just the beginning of your story with maurices. It’s a chance to learn our business, meet teams across the company, and open the door to future possibilities with a great place to work. We can’t promise a future role, but we’d love for you to explore what could be possible here.

Location

Corporate Office-maurices‑Duluth, MN 55802

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.

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