Physical Retail Associate Director, Planning and Allocation

Wayfair; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Wayfair seeks a Physical Retail Associate Director to drive planning and allocation strategies for expanding stores in the home sector. The ideal candidate will lead a team, develop merchandising plans, and leverage data to achieve sales and inventory goals in a dynamic retail environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in retail management with a focus on home categories.
• Experience in leading teams for merchandising and demand planning.
• Ability to leverage data for strategic decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Own the performance outcomes for in-store categories.
• Develop strategic merchandising plans across product life-cycle.
• Lead a team for planning and allocation to ensure customer satisfaction.

Skills

Leadership

Retail Management

Data Analysis

Strategic Planning

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business or related field

Job description

Physical Retail Associate Director, Planning and Allocation

Wayfair is a powerful brand with exceptional depth and breadth of product; we believe there is a white space in the brick-and-mortar market to create a differentiated retail experience that showcases our online catalog and leverages our dynamic business model. The Associate Director of Planning + Allocation will help craft and execute Wayfair’s strategy as we stand up and scale stores across North America. Specifically they will support the Furniture and Home Improvement categories. The ideal candidate is a proven leader with a track record of building retail assortments in the home space. Our Physical Retail division operates like a venture-backed start-up within Wayfair’s already entrepreneurial culture. To be successful in this role, you must get energy from operating amidst ambiguity, setting a vision for your categories while also rolling up your sleeves, and being a fierce advocate and brand steward with senior leadership, cross-functional peers, and the core team.

The Associate Director will work closely with the Wayfair Head Category Merchants to build the merchandise assortment and strategy to ensure achievement of sales, margin and inventory turn goals. Categories include: Rugs+Textiles, Decor, and Housewares. This is a diverse category scope with experience necessary in both depth, breadth, replenishment, and never-outs.

They will be responsible for leading the plan building pre-season and in-season - on an item and department level. Leading a team of planners and allocation analysts, they will collaborate closely with cross-functional partners (e.g., Merchandising, Visual Merchandising, Marketing, Partner Operations, Sales Forecasting, Supply Chain and Store Operations). We are seeking a motivated leader who can drive strong sales productivity, profitability, and allocation to ensure customer satisfaction in our physical retail business.

This role is based in Boston and reports to the Head of Planning + Allocation, Wayfair, Physical Retail, with significant cross-functional responsibility, as well as responsibility to build out best-in-class process, reporting and tools. As the physical retail portfolio grows, the Associate Director should expect to build out a team to manage an increasing fleet of stores.

Responsibilities:

• Own the outcomes for the performance of your categories in-store (sales, margin, inventory) and ability to communicate the business needs clearly and concisely to leadership and cross functional partners.
• Develop strategic merchandising plans across the product life-cycle that ladder up to company financial goals.
• Pre-season: collaborate with merchants in developing tailored product assortments that support the needs of the customer, stores and financial plans: assortment frameworks, sku productivity, item leveling, flow plans and ideal depth.
• In Season, lead milestone meetings in assessing and reacting to the business: Weekly business meetings, Monthly OTB, Quarterly Hindsight and Annual plan build.
• Manage Allocation to bring selection to life in the store.
• Partner closely with Forecasting, Partner Operations and Supply Chain to ensure inventory needs are met
• Identify, introduce and implement new process improvements that encompass our CFT touchpoints.
• Leverage quantitative and qualitative data, along with test-and-learn methodology, to continue to improve performance
• Adjust strategies in-season where needed and provide appropriate and timely direction in order to react to customer and business needs
• With geographic expansion, establish and test potential for regional merchandising solutions
• Partner with Wayfair’s ecommerce team to build an industry-leading omni-channel offering
• Partner with Promotional team to build sales and inventory maximizing promotions.

Requirements:

• Significant Physical Retail experience required, with preferred experience in Home or adjacent categories (e.g., general merchandise)
• 10+ years in Retail Management that incorporated breadth of product mix
• Led Merchandising Planning and or Demand Planning
• Led an Allocation/Replenishment team
• Demonstrated ability to lead important strategic initiatives
• Ability to implement strategic plans and drive results with multi-level team.
• Ability to identify, introduce and implement new process improvements.
• Ability to leverage data (quantitative and qualitative) to drive strategic decision-making and tight execution
• Able to collaborate across all levels and functions of the organization to achieve objectives
• Evidence of “scrappy start-up execution” and a “get it done” attitude when time is tight and stakes are high
• Thrives in a high growth, ambiguous environment

Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities

Wayfair is fully committed to providing equal opportunities for all individuals, including individuals with disabilities. As part of this commitment, Wayfair will make reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of qualified individuals with disabilities, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on business operations. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, please let us know by completing our Accomodations for Applicants form .

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For more information about applying for a career at Wayfair, visit our FAQ page here .

About Wayfair Inc.
Wayfair is one of the world’s largest online destinations for the home. Whether you work in our global headquarters in Boston or Berlin, or in our warehouses or offices throughout the world, we’re reinventing the way people shop for their homes. Through our commitment to industry-leading technology and creative problem-solving, we are confident that Wayfair will be home to the most rewarding work of your career. If you’re looking for rapid growth, constant learning, and dynamic challenges, then you’ll find that amazing career opportunities are knocking.

No matter who you are, Wayfair is a place you can call home. We’re a community of innovators, risk-takers, and trailblazers who celebrate our differences, and know that our unique perspectives make us stronger, smarter, and well-positioned for success. We value and rely on the collective voices of our employees, customers, community, and suppliers to help guide us as we build a better Wayfair – and world – for all. Every voice, every perspective matters. That’s why we’re proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected characteristic.

We are interested in retaining your data for a period of 12 months to consider you for suitable positions within Wayfair. Your personal data is processed in accordance with our Candidate Privacy Notice (which can found here: https://www.wayfair.com/careers/privacy). If you have any questions regarding our processing of your personal data, please contact us at [e-mail]. If you would rather not have us retain your data please contact us anytime at [e-mail].

About the company

Wayfair Inc. is an American e-commerce company that sells furniture and home-goods.

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