Analyst, Price & Markdown Optimization

Walgreens•Deerfield, IL

4d•$65,000 - $113,750

About The Position

The Analyst, Price & Markdown Optimization analyzes data and develops recommendations for Category Managers on omnichannel retail prices and markdown strategies for items, categories, and markets or stores. The role aims to optimize profit, drive sales and sell-through, increase market share, and improve consumer value image. It forecasts and evaluates pricing decisions using factors such as elasticity, competitive data and indexing, and category role, then communicates recommendations to internal stakeholders and seeks approval from Merchandising clients. The analyst may also support strategic projects and ad hoc analyses, including key value item identification and pricing-tool calibration, to advance business strategy and company financial goals. The role collaborates with cross-functional teams, develops reporting and analytical processes, and supports pricing and markdown tools and initiatives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree, or a high school diploma/GED and at least 3 years of experience in promotions, marketing, retail, analytics, pricing, consumer packaged goods, insights, vendor collaboration, consumer research, inventory, category management, and/or business analysis.
Experience with MS Office Suite.
Experience prioritizing and organizing work, tracking details, and meeting deadlines across multiple projects with varying completion dates.
Experience analyzing and reporting data to identify issues, trends, or exceptions, improve results, and find solutions.
Experience collaborating with internal and external resources to develop strategies that meet department goals within budget and established timelines.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree or MBA.
Experience with revenue management or pricing analysis, inventory management, and/or reviewing and analyzing retail data such as Nielsen or IRI.
Intermediate SQL skills, including complex nested SELECT queries, creating views, deleting and altering tables, using Boolean logic, handling NULL values, and constructing queries.
Experience writing macros.
Experience with price or markdown optimization software.
Experience developing and delivering presentations to audiences at different organizational levels.
Experience leading strategic projects and proactively identifying process improvements.
Project management experience, including planning, organizing, and managing resources to complete project goals and objectives.
Experience establishing and maintaining relationships with people at all levels of an organization, in the business community, and with vendors.

Responsibilities

Forecast the impact of price changes at category, item, store or zone, and channel levels; assess alignment with category strategy and recommend price or pricing-strategy adjustments.
Prepare ad hoc reporting on price changes, markdown performance, and competitive indexing with support from the Category Insights team.
Analyze competitor activity and develop strategic omnichannel pricing initiatives; present findings to build understanding of competitors’ pricing activity.
Identify distressed inventory when applicable and develop omnichannel markdown scenarios that improve profitable sell-through; manage discontinued items’ lifecycle and exit path, and monitor and adjust in-flight plans to meet profit and inventory targets.
When needed, lead cross-functional work across Merchandising, Store Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain to address discontinued and distressed inventory.
Develop standard pricing or markdown report templates, presentations, methodologies, and processes.
Identify and analyze pricing for special item groups, such as Known Value Items and National Brand/Private Brand relationship items, and for stores or regions to align with corporate strategy and category role.
Understand pricing and markdown modeling tools and help ensure they are working optimally.
Present recommendations to internal clients and management, including Pricing managers, Category Managers, and Store Operations; attend client meetings to understand business needs and objectives.
Identify likely root causes of problems or issues and prepare accurate documentation and communications to help eliminate roadblocks and implement efficient fixes.
Collaborate across functions and exchange semi-complex information with internal and external peers or managers about assigned activities.
Challenge current methods constructively to identify improvements and deliver better results.
Contribute relevant input at departmental meetings to help drive program results.
Work on small projects as needed, gather and update information, communicate with appropriate parties, and complete assigned initiatives on time and within budget.
Develop knowledge and understanding of the area of responsibility.