La Jolla Group
Senior Director, Ecommerce Buying & Merchandising
La Jolla Group, Irvine, California, United States, 92713
Senior Director, Ecommerce Buying & Merchandising
Job Category : Ecommerce/DigitalRequisition Number : DIGIT001346Apply nowPosted: October 4, 2024Full-TimeHybridSalary Range: $165,000 USD to $190,000 USDLocations
Showing 1 locationLJG Corporate14350 Myford RoadIrvine, CA 92606, USAThe La Jolla Group is a worldwide leader in the action sports apparel business segment with a fast-paced, high-energy environment that is continually on the move. With prominent brands such as O’Neill, PSD Underwear, Mountain Khakis, Sol Angeles, and Hang Ten, La Jolla Group has proved to be a builder of great brands, a creator of innovative products, and a master of operational excellence.Our team enjoys flexibility with a hybrid schedule of in-office and remote work. We offer awesome discounts on our clothing brands, early release Fridays (2:00pm), occasional employer-provided lunches, year-round fun events as well as a full benefits package! We believe our employees are our strongest asset and invest in their growth by focusing on developing their strengths.General SummaryWe are seeking a Senior Director of Web Planning & Buying to lead the strategic and operational merchandise planning and buying across a portfolio of small to mid-sized ecommerce apparel businesses. This key role will be responsible for developing data-driven buying strategies, optimizing product assortments, and managing markdown and inventory levels to maximize sales and profitability. The ideal candidate will be highly analytical, collaborative, and adept at using data to shape and execute actionable plans that drive both short- and long-term business objectives.Essential Job FunctionsDevelop and lead the overall merchandise strategy across multiple brands, ensuring a cohesive approach to product selection, seasonal assortments, and category expansion.Utilize historical sales data, market trends, and customer insights to forecast demand and establish category budgets, sales plans, and inventory targets.Build and manage buy plans, focusing on key product categories, styles, and colorways, and ensuring that product investments align with financial targets, customer demand, and brand positioning.Establish pricing strategies that support brand positioning while ensuring competitive advantage and profitability across ecommerce channels.Regularly review and adjust plans based on sales performance, competitive analysis, and customer behavior, ensuring quick adaptation to market changes.Lead the assortment planning process, ensuring the right balance of core, seasonal, and trend-driven products to meet customer needs and sales objectives.Optimize product depth and breadth through data analysis, identifying opportunities to expand high-performing categories while rationalizing underperforming SKUs.Drive effective inventory management across the portfolio by monitoring stock levels, managing replenishment cycles, and adjusting open-to-buy budgets in real time.Implement and maintain inventory planning processes that balance the needs of each ecommerce business, ensuring the availability of key products while avoiding overstock or stockouts.Design and implement markdown strategies that align with business goals, moving inventory efficiently while preserving margins.Develop a comprehensive markdown strategy for seasonal merchandise, end-of-life inventory, and promotional events.Utilize data to determine the optimal timing and depth of markdowns, ensuring a balance between clearing inventory and maximizing margin recovery.Collaborate with the Marketing team to design promotions that align with product lifecycle stages, customer acquisition goals, and broader business campaigns.Conduct post-promotion analysis to evaluate the success of markdown and promotional strategies, making data-driven adjustments to future plans.Collaborate with Product Development and Sourcing teams to align product assortment strategies with production timelines, lead times, and supplier capabilities.Work closely with the Marketing and Merchandising teams to ensure product launches and seasonal campaigns are supported with the right inventory levels and promotions.Act as a liaison between the eCommerce, Operations, and Finance teams to ensure that planning and buying strategies support company-wide goals for revenue growth and profitability.Serve as a key business owner in cross-functional meetings, driving alignment on product, pricing, and promotional initiatives across the organization.Leverage sales, traffic, and conversion data to optimize planning decisions, ensuring products are driving customer engagement and meeting financial objectives.Use data to analyze customer behavior, purchasing patterns, and inventory performance, identifying opportunities for new product offerings, pricing adjustments, or promotions.Maintain a robust reporting process, tracking performance across categories and brands, and using insights to improve future buys and product strategies.Develop predictive models to forecast demand, ensuring that buy plans and inventory decisions are based on forward-looking data and market conditions.Create and implement long-term ecommerce growth strategies that focus on expanding product offerings, enhancing customer engagement, and driving profitability.Monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as sales velocity, conversion rates, return on investment (ROI), and customer retention, adjusting strategies accordingly.Ensure that financial targets for revenue, gross margin, and inventory turn are met, making real-time adjustments to plans based on performance data.Identify new growth opportunities, including emerging product categories, customer segments, and digital marketing initiatives that can enhance profitability.Required Knowledge, Skills, and AbilitiesERP Systems (e.g., NetSuite, FullCircle)
for managing inventory, orders, and financials.Assortment Planning Software (e.g., JustEnough, Logility, or similar)
for developing seasonal buy plans and tracking product performance.eCommerce Platforms (Shopify preferred)
for managing product listings, stock levels, and promotional activity.Advanced Analytics Tools (e.g., Power BI, Looker, Tableau)
for in-depth reporting on customer behavior, sales trends, and inventory performance.Inventory Planning Software (e.g., StitchLabs, Inventory Planner)
for managing replenishment, stock allocations, and open-to-buy processes.Markdown Optimization Tools (e.g., Revionics, 7thonline)
for developing and executing promotional and markdown strategies.Required Education and ExperienceBachelor’s degree in Business, Fashion Merchandising, Finance, or a related field. Master’s degree is a plus.Minimum of 8-10 years in merchandise planning, buying, and inventory management, with a strong focus on ecommerce in the apparel industry.Demonstrated ability to profitably grow small to mid-sized ecommerce businesses, preferably with experience managing multiple brands.Experience with developing markdown strategies, clearance processes, and promotional campaigns to drive margin optimization.Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights.Physical RequirementsSeeing: Must be able to see well enough to read reports.Hearing: Must be able to hear well enough to communicate with customers, vendors, and employees.Climbing/Stooping/Kneeling: Must be able to stoop or kneel to pick up products.Lifting/Pulling/Pushing: Must be able to lift up to 10 pounds.Fingering/Grasping/Feeling: Must be able to type and use technical sources.La Jolla Group provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected classification. Equal employment opportunity includes, but is not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, demotion, transfer, leaves of absence, and termination. La Jolla Group takes allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation seriously and will promptly investigate when such behavior is reported.Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed, but are not to be seen as a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Also, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Job Category : Ecommerce/DigitalRequisition Number : DIGIT001346Apply nowPosted: October 4, 2024Full-TimeHybridSalary Range: $165,000 USD to $190,000 USDLocations
Showing 1 locationLJG Corporate14350 Myford RoadIrvine, CA 92606, USAThe La Jolla Group is a worldwide leader in the action sports apparel business segment with a fast-paced, high-energy environment that is continually on the move. With prominent brands such as O’Neill, PSD Underwear, Mountain Khakis, Sol Angeles, and Hang Ten, La Jolla Group has proved to be a builder of great brands, a creator of innovative products, and a master of operational excellence.Our team enjoys flexibility with a hybrid schedule of in-office and remote work. We offer awesome discounts on our clothing brands, early release Fridays (2:00pm), occasional employer-provided lunches, year-round fun events as well as a full benefits package! We believe our employees are our strongest asset and invest in their growth by focusing on developing their strengths.General SummaryWe are seeking a Senior Director of Web Planning & Buying to lead the strategic and operational merchandise planning and buying across a portfolio of small to mid-sized ecommerce apparel businesses. This key role will be responsible for developing data-driven buying strategies, optimizing product assortments, and managing markdown and inventory levels to maximize sales and profitability. The ideal candidate will be highly analytical, collaborative, and adept at using data to shape and execute actionable plans that drive both short- and long-term business objectives.Essential Job FunctionsDevelop and lead the overall merchandise strategy across multiple brands, ensuring a cohesive approach to product selection, seasonal assortments, and category expansion.Utilize historical sales data, market trends, and customer insights to forecast demand and establish category budgets, sales plans, and inventory targets.Build and manage buy plans, focusing on key product categories, styles, and colorways, and ensuring that product investments align with financial targets, customer demand, and brand positioning.Establish pricing strategies that support brand positioning while ensuring competitive advantage and profitability across ecommerce channels.Regularly review and adjust plans based on sales performance, competitive analysis, and customer behavior, ensuring quick adaptation to market changes.Lead the assortment planning process, ensuring the right balance of core, seasonal, and trend-driven products to meet customer needs and sales objectives.Optimize product depth and breadth through data analysis, identifying opportunities to expand high-performing categories while rationalizing underperforming SKUs.Drive effective inventory management across the portfolio by monitoring stock levels, managing replenishment cycles, and adjusting open-to-buy budgets in real time.Implement and maintain inventory planning processes that balance the needs of each ecommerce business, ensuring the availability of key products while avoiding overstock or stockouts.Design and implement markdown strategies that align with business goals, moving inventory efficiently while preserving margins.Develop a comprehensive markdown strategy for seasonal merchandise, end-of-life inventory, and promotional events.Utilize data to determine the optimal timing and depth of markdowns, ensuring a balance between clearing inventory and maximizing margin recovery.Collaborate with the Marketing team to design promotions that align with product lifecycle stages, customer acquisition goals, and broader business campaigns.Conduct post-promotion analysis to evaluate the success of markdown and promotional strategies, making data-driven adjustments to future plans.Collaborate with Product Development and Sourcing teams to align product assortment strategies with production timelines, lead times, and supplier capabilities.Work closely with the Marketing and Merchandising teams to ensure product launches and seasonal campaigns are supported with the right inventory levels and promotions.Act as a liaison between the eCommerce, Operations, and Finance teams to ensure that planning and buying strategies support company-wide goals for revenue growth and profitability.Serve as a key business owner in cross-functional meetings, driving alignment on product, pricing, and promotional initiatives across the organization.Leverage sales, traffic, and conversion data to optimize planning decisions, ensuring products are driving customer engagement and meeting financial objectives.Use data to analyze customer behavior, purchasing patterns, and inventory performance, identifying opportunities for new product offerings, pricing adjustments, or promotions.Maintain a robust reporting process, tracking performance across categories and brands, and using insights to improve future buys and product strategies.Develop predictive models to forecast demand, ensuring that buy plans and inventory decisions are based on forward-looking data and market conditions.Create and implement long-term ecommerce growth strategies that focus on expanding product offerings, enhancing customer engagement, and driving profitability.Monitor and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) such as sales velocity, conversion rates, return on investment (ROI), and customer retention, adjusting strategies accordingly.Ensure that financial targets for revenue, gross margin, and inventory turn are met, making real-time adjustments to plans based on performance data.Identify new growth opportunities, including emerging product categories, customer segments, and digital marketing initiatives that can enhance profitability.Required Knowledge, Skills, and AbilitiesERP Systems (e.g., NetSuite, FullCircle)
for managing inventory, orders, and financials.Assortment Planning Software (e.g., JustEnough, Logility, or similar)
for developing seasonal buy plans and tracking product performance.eCommerce Platforms (Shopify preferred)
for managing product listings, stock levels, and promotional activity.Advanced Analytics Tools (e.g., Power BI, Looker, Tableau)
for in-depth reporting on customer behavior, sales trends, and inventory performance.Inventory Planning Software (e.g., StitchLabs, Inventory Planner)
for managing replenishment, stock allocations, and open-to-buy processes.Markdown Optimization Tools (e.g., Revionics, 7thonline)
for developing and executing promotional and markdown strategies.Required Education and ExperienceBachelor’s degree in Business, Fashion Merchandising, Finance, or a related field. Master’s degree is a plus.Minimum of 8-10 years in merchandise planning, buying, and inventory management, with a strong focus on ecommerce in the apparel industry.Demonstrated ability to profitably grow small to mid-sized ecommerce businesses, preferably with experience managing multiple brands.Experience with developing markdown strategies, clearance processes, and promotional campaigns to drive margin optimization.Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights.Physical RequirementsSeeing: Must be able to see well enough to read reports.Hearing: Must be able to hear well enough to communicate with customers, vendors, and employees.Climbing/Stooping/Kneeling: Must be able to stoop or kneel to pick up products.Lifting/Pulling/Pushing: Must be able to lift up to 10 pounds.Fingering/Grasping/Feeling: Must be able to type and use technical sources.La Jolla Group provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected classification. Equal employment opportunity includes, but is not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, demotion, transfer, leaves of absence, and termination. La Jolla Group takes allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation seriously and will promptly investigate when such behavior is reported.Note: The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed, but are not to be seen as a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Also, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.
#J-18808-Ljbffr