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

Ass