Manager Space and Assortment Planning

Petco

About The Position

Want to help pets live their best lives? We’re proud to be where the pets go and where the pet people go. If you want to make a real difference, create an exciting career path, feel welcome to be your whole self and nurture your wellbeing, Petco is the place for you. Our core values capture that spirit as we work to improve lives by doing what’s right for pets and people. Pet First – Protect & Empower. All pets should Live their Best Life. We put the needs of pets and pet parents at the center of everything we do. Foster the Fun – Connect & Bond. Our Passion for pets brings us together! We celebrate the journey of pet parenthood through district experiences, products, and services. Let’s Go! Own & Commit. We are stronger as One Petco team. We bring our unique superpowers and champion authenticity in everyone to drive success. About Petco: We’re proud to be "where the pets go" to find everything they need to live their best lives for more than 60 years — from their favorite meals and toys, to trusted supplies and expert support from people who get it, because we live it. We believe in the universal truths of pet parenthood — the boundless boops, missing slippers, late night zoomies and everything in between. And we’re here for it. Every tail wag, every vet visit, every step of the way. We are 29,000+ strong and together we nurture the pet-human bond in more than 1,500 Petco stores across the U.S., Mexico and Puerto Rico, 250+ Vetco Total Care hospitals, hundreds of preventive care clinics and eight distribution centers. In 1999, we founded Petco Love. Together, we support thousands of local animal welfare groups nationwide and have helped find homes for approximately 7 million animals through in-store adoption events. Position Purpose Responsible for optimal macro space allocation of all New and Remodel stores plus optimized assortment recommendations for new stores, remodels and resets. Leads a team of planners to develop strategies and plans to maximize sales, units and profit in alignment with business objectives, builds advanced analytical models to identify optimal space and assortment scenarios and executes plans through usage of the company’s optimization software and evaluate performance to inform future planning. Leads efforts to localize assortment based on demographics, shopper patterns and other inputs. Drives process improvement to minimize time from reset/remodel determination to final execution. Manages business rules within software system to drive scenario analytics and maximize profit. Drives category management discipline into the organization to optimize macro space and assortment efforts. Drives implementation of consumer decision trees to understand transferable demand and inform/build customer focused assortment plans. Champions the implementation of efficient item assortment methods such as loyalty, shopper worth, substitutability and exclusivity principles and calculations. Leverages store profiles and product attributes to monitor and analyze assortment matrix and maximize efficiency of SKU and store distribution. Works directly with merchandising and inventory to affect change where necessary. Leads special projects related to space and assortment and supports related inventory and merchandising initiatives. Conducts and/or provides direction against both assigned and ad hoc analytic projects of a more complex nature, utilizing appropriate financial and operational metrics, financial modeling, and business knowledge. Provides meaningful and actionable recommendations to business partners based on findings.

Requirements

A qualified applicant to this position will have a four-year degree in a related field, supervisory experience, a strong background and advanced knowledge of the retail industry with emphasis in merchandising, space/assortment planning and project management.
A minimum of seven to ten years progressively responsible related experience in a management or supervisory position with a demonstrated, proven ability to lead, provide direction and resolve difficult or complex problems is required.
Advanced knowledge of optimization software applications, spreadsheets and database applications is preferred.
Analytical, problem solving and exceptional communication skills is required.
Advanced ability in analytical techniques and modeling.

Nice To Haves

An MBA in Finance or Mathematics is a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead the SPEE process (strategy/planning/execution/evaluation) for all initiatives related to Macro Space and Assortment optimization. Build advanced analytical models to identify opportunity. Lead a team of planners to build out strategies and plans to maximize sales, units and profit in alignment with business objectives. Accountable for driving adoption and business results. (30%)
Drive and ensure execution of forward thinking business solutions designed to evolve organization’s category management capabilities such as localized assortments and demand transfer/CDT informed space allocation and assortments. (30%)
Ideates and leads ad hoc analytic projects/test of intermediate to high complexity such as inventory turn improvement. Determines appropriate tools for analysis, relevant data set(s), applies financial modeling and big data analytic techniques, and business knowledge to develop meaningful and actionable recommendations. Includes meetings with merchants, store design, floor planning and other business partners to gather data, perform preliminary analysis, and provide recommendations as to scope and approach. (20%)
Owns, understands and administers all business rules related to macro space and assortment optimization, and adjusts as appropriate in order to maximize business results. (10%)
Coaches team of analysts and planners to enable high role engagement and business delivery. Develops the interpersonal and analytical capabilities of the analysts/planners to enable positioning the individuals and collective team as solution providers and great business partners. (10%)
Lead strategy and planning efforts in the macro space and assortment discipline and maximize sales, unit and profit growth in accordance with company business objectives.
Build category management discipline within the organization to drive macro space and assortment strategy and planning.
Drive implementation of consumer decision trees to understand transferable demand and inform/build customer focused assortment plans.
Lead implementation of efficient item assortment methods such as loyalty, shopper worth, substitutability and exclusivity principles and calculations.
Drive and implement location specific assortments.
Own and administer all macro space and assortment related business rules.
Partner with business unit leaders to influence and deliver on macro space and assortment related business commitments.
Align resources to deliver on New/Remodel/Reset macro space and assortment process and commitments.
Develop project timelines, determine resource requirements, and allocate headcount to meet deliverables.
Lead a team of planners and analysts to build out strategies and plans to maximize sales, units and profit in alignment with business objectives.
Drive change management efforts and adoption of new space and assortment software.