Manager, Merchandise Analytics

Overview

This role owns enterprise post-season and post-launch analytical discipline for the Merchandise organization. The position establishes how the business looks backward—measuring what actually happened against what was planned—so future plans are grounded in evidence rather than intuition.

The manager builds and maintains the hindsight framework covering assortment performance, promotional effectiveness, sales and margin forecast accuracy, and new product introduction outcomes. Findings are translated into specific, actionable recommendations that feed into assortment planning, pricing strategy, and demand planning cycles.

The role is designed for an analytically rigorous professional comfortable working at the SKU level and communicating a clear performance narrative to Merchant and Planning leadership.

Responsibilities

Hindsight Framework & Reporting

• Own the hindsight calendar and cadence: establish and manage recurring post-season, post-promotion, and post-launch review processes across all merchandise categories
• Build standardized hindsight templates covering sell-through, margin realization, forecast accuracy, markdown effectiveness, and inventory productivity
• Maintain data lineage and definitions to ensure consistent metric definitions and reliable data sourcing so outputs are trusted and comparable period over period
• Prepare and present the hindsight package to Merchants, Planning, and senior leadership with clear, prioritized recommendations

Performance Analysis

• Assortment hindsight: quantify SKU and category-level productivity; identify winners, underperformers, and structural patterns to inform the next assortment cycle
• Promotional and pricing hindsight: measure incrementality and margin impact of promotional events and pricing actions; distinguish true lift from pull-forward and cannibalization
• New product introduction hindsight: evaluate NPI performance against pre-launch forecast and go/no-go criteria; feed learnings back into the forecasting framework
• Demand forecast accuracy measurement: own measurement of forecast accuracy and bias by category, item, and horizon; partner with Demand Planning on root-cause and remediation
• Margin forecast accuracy measurement: own measurement of margin forecast accuracy and bias by category, item, and horizon; partner on root-cause and remediation

Insight to Action

• Close the loop by ensuring hindsight findings are documented, owned, and translated into changes in assortment, pricing, or planning assumptions
• Partner with merchant teams as an analytical thought partner, framing findings constructively and focusing on the decisions to change
• Continuously improve the hindsight framework by refining methodology as data availability, tooling, and business questions evolve

Success Metrics

In the first 12 months, this role will be evaluated on:

• Adoption: Hindsight reviews established as a standing input to the assortment and pricing planning cycles across all major categories
• Actionability: A documented decision log showing specific plan changes driven by hindsight findings
• Forecast Accuracy: Baseline measurement of forecast accuracy and bias, with a demonstrated improvement trend

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Statistics, Economics, or a related analytical field
• 6+ years of experience in financial analysis, merchandise finance, retail analytics, FP&A, banking, or a comparable analytical role
• Advanced Excel and financial modeling skills
• Experience with data visualization tools such as Power BI or Tableau
• Proven ability to translate complex analysis into concise, actionable recommendations for non-technical audiences
• Strong communication skills, including presenting findings clearly to cross-functional leadership
• Strong attention to detail with discipline to maintain consistent definitions and reproducible analysis
• High standards for accuracy and analytical integrity, with the ability to move quickly without sacrificing either
• Demonstrated ability to work calmly in a fast-paced team environment while managing multiple concurrent workstreams

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience designing or significantly improving post-season or hindsight processes
• Proficiency in SQL or a comparable data query language
• Experience with enterprise planning tools such as Oracle, Hyperion, or similar
• Experience with enterprise resource planning software such as SAP
• Experience in furniture, home, or big-ticket retail

Compensation & Benefits

Expected Base Pay

• $105,000 - $130,000 (base pay only; not including potential commissions, incentive, bonus, etc.)

Benefits & Perks (available)

• Nationally provided Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance
• Paid vacation, personal days, sick days, holidays, work anniversary, and birthday
• 401(k) profit sharing plan with a generous company match
• Pet insurance
• Employer-paid basic life insurance, with the option to add voluntary life insurance
• Financial planning, voluntary legal benefits, and wellness plans
• Generous employee discount starting on the 1st day
• Additional employee discounts through the Hays Perks discount program (hundreds of online discounts)
• Tuition reimbursement and access to scholarship opportunities open to employees and their dependents
• Professional development options (in-person, virtual, and on-demand classes)

Location

Not specified in the provided description.