Purpose of Role:
The Merchandise Assortment Senior Planning Manager serves as Business Area leader and Product Line Review (PLR) / Business Review (BR) subject matter expert. Accountable for $19B+ in sales, guiding both Senior Assortment & Planner levels through optimal best in class Assortment Planning practices. Focuses on proactive leadership of Role of Category through product assortments, item selection including brand & vendor performance, to drive optimal assortment decisions and localization opportunities. Provides leadership and guidance to the team responsible for overall category advisement for the core merchandising team. The Senior Manager will effectively manage the assortment lifecycle end to end development and necessary activities to achieve optimal productivity improvements through product line reviews (PLRs) and business reviews (BR).
The Senior Manager will assume responsibility for overall ownership for their team through the entire PLR process & Portfolio Management including tracking and reporting of PLR and BR deliverables & success metrics. Will also lead cross functionally to ensure continual alignment to core strategies, productivity improvement opportunities, and category management insights through effective merchandise assortment decisions.
The Senior Manager is responsible for coaching, mentoring and overseeing the team through end-to-end product group life cycle planning process from the initial assortment kickoff through post product line review and business review meeting deliverables. Anchoring team and deliverables ensuring valuable application of core strategies (e.g. role/intent of the category), partnering and synthesizing cross-functional team assortment recommendations (e.g. Finance, Supply Chain, Pricing, etc.) and Assortment localization opportunities.
Primary responsibilities include leadership, guidance, training, and mentoring to include support of other cross-functional partners who would be directly involved in the end to end assortment planning process. Assortment Planning Senior Managers will own driving targeted plan improvement in category sales, margin and turn for the business area they manage.
Responsibility Statements:
• PLR/BR process coach and captain, establishes and manages all aspects of the end to end planning process including Pre-coordination session, assortment kickoff meeting, cluster strategy review, supplier planning sessions, calibration sessions w/ cross functional teams (e.g. Finance, Inventory, Pricing, Field Merchandising) and leadership review meetings including final assortment publication.
• Ensures leadership is aligned on all PLR activities & accomplishments.
• Provides leadership, mentoring individuals with optimal Assortment Planning & Category Management best practices to ensure team is delivering on all aspects of the PLR & BR line reviews.
• Responsible for Assortment Planner development, training, day to day management to ensure team is optimizing assortments, identifying gaps including finalization of product detail cost/retail/case pack/supplier, etc.
• Provides direct oversight and accountability ensuring enterprise portfolio objectives are being achieved in Role of the Category, Localization, Pro Growth, Private Brands, and Assortment/Space Productivity.
• Will serve as Category Management expert. Coach & consultant to the business, which includes assisting in defining the customer path to purchase decisions. Will lead Merchants through the evaluation and determination of store clustering and assortment selection (e.g. shop, drop, keep).
• Oversee the creation and configuration of the store stocking matrix with approved cluster strategy and product performance information. Ensures team is performing necessary updates and overrides of item recommendations as needed ensuring accuracy and seamless transitions to support team members.
• Coach, train and collaborate with team members, Merchants to interpret AO recommendations for current items and to develop assortment plans for new items.
• Coach and share relevant information with various business areas of Lowe’s (e.g., Visual Space Planning, GFO, Pro, Field Merchandising and Logistics) to ensure Merchandising’s vision and strategies are effectively implemented.
• Drive category management conversations with Merchandising, advising them on appropriate consumer decision trees and attributes for store clustering and assortment planning.
• Provide coaching, guidance, and mentoring to Assortment Planning team members and Merchant teams throughout execution of the Product Line Review.
• Provide recommendations & upgrade opportunities for Assortment Optimization tools ensuring they are effectively supporting the PLR/BR process.
• Train, mentor and when necessary integrate Assortment Planning tool results with product knowledge, merchandising programs, and customer needs to provide practical recommendations and deep analytical insight to others.
REQUIRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
• Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Finance, Business, or related field
• 8+ years’ experience in Merchandise Buying, Merchandise Financial Planning and/or Assortment Planning related work experience or 8+ years comparable experience
• 8+ years’ experience with assortment and/or merchandising planning (e.g. categories, products, processes, etc.)
• 5+ years’ experience executing on project plans in a cross-functional environment
• Experience working for a large retail organization, preferably in Merchandising Buying, Merchandise Planning, or Assortment Planning
• Strong Business Acumen with an understanding of how assortment planning can influence results of various functions across the organization
PREFERRED EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
• 8+ years working in large scale retail environment
• 5+ years’ experience with retail assortment store clustering
• 5+ years’ experience with Assortment Planning Software (e.g. SAS, JDA, Oracle, etc.)
About Lowe’s:
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving approximately 18 million customers a week in the United States and Canada. With fiscal year 2019 sales of $72.1 billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,200 home improvement and hardware stores and employ approximately 300,000 associates. Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports its hometown Charlotte region and all communities it serves through programs focused on creating safe, affordable housing and helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts. For more information, visit Lowes.com.
About Lowe’s in the Community:
As a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company, Lowe’s is committed to creating safe, affordable housing and helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts through nonprofit partnerships. Across every community we serve, Lowe’s associates donate their time and expertise through the Lowe’s Heroes volunteer program. For the latest news, visit Newsroom.Lowes.com or follow @LowesMedia on Twitter.
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Lowe’s is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer and administers all personnel practices without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran status, genetics or any other category protected under applicable law.