Lululemon
Job description
who we are
lululemon is an innovative performance apparel company for yoga, running, training, and other athletic pursuits. Setting the bar in technical fabrics and functional design, we create transformational products and experiences that support people in moving, growing, connecting, and being well. We owe our success to our innovative product, emphasis on stores, commitment to our people, and the incredible connections we make in every community we’re in. As a company, we focus on creating positive change to build a healthier, thriving future. In particular, that includes creating an equitable, inclusive and growth-focused environment for our people.
• *About this team**:
The Merchandising team creates and executes transformative global product strategies that ensure we have the right assortment in the right place at the right time to fulfill our guests’ unmet needs to deepen our guest relationships, grow our brand and deliver on our long-term enterprise goals. We possess deep awareness and intuition of global marketplace dynamics and regional guest needs and use this knowledge to identify opportunities to maximize guest demand.
• *A day in the life**:
The Associate Regional Merchant is responsible for delivering region-specific insights to the Global Merchandising team to inform product strategies. With guidance and collaboration from the Senior Merchant and Manager, the Associate Merchant builds out and manages their strategies and assortment plan for a small sub-class of styles or category. This is inclusive of financial goals, metrics, local product, cultural and guest insights, to service their regional market needs. They are an analytical thinker who, in collaboration with the Senior Merchant and Manager, can balance foresight, insight and hindsight to draw critical business conclusions. They work closely with Senior Merchants, Merch Managers and cross-functional partners throughout the product lifecycle for in-season execution and management of their product category through weekly business analysis, corresponding actions, open-to-buy and product exit. They are also responsible for accurate data entry and maintenance of the styles they manage. This person is on the career growth path to be developed into a Regional Merchant.
– Share Regional insights (guest, products, market trends) with Global Merchandising, informing product strategies and regional style needs to deliver against regional sales goals
• Deliver Regional merchandising strategies and omni channel approach for the season (department and class), for a small subset of styles or categories
• With guidance from their Manager and Senior Merchant, create product assortment that reflects brand consistency and regional relevance, maximizing profitability and sales across product class, key items and channels
• With guidance from their Manager and Senior Merchant, manage Class assortment and clustering, ensuring delivery against capacity targets and guest profiles
• Identify fast turn style needs to round out regional assortment needs and brief to global merchandising
• Collaborate with Planning to execute seasonal regional buys against global product and financial goals
• With guidance from their Manager and Senior Merchant, create Visual assortment view for region
• Support Merchants and Senior Merchants in preparing decks for Buy Reviews (incl. strategies, attributing, investments, flow, etc.)
• Validate buy accuracy, and with support from Manager and Senior Merchant resolve MOQ issues, partnering with Global teams to ensure Buy Ready issues are solved
• Complete sizing tasks, selecting comparable styles and sizing packages
• Throughout each buy cycle, partner with VM, Digital and Store Planning to inform and execute against initiatives and regional strategies.
• Prior to and in season, with guidance from Manager and Senior Merchant identify changes to targeted in-store date and recommend options to maximize seasonal product flow
• Support in OTB conversations and align with Planning on Class targets on key actions
• Review business each week/month/season, delivering recaps and actions based on insights and inventory composition
• Responsible for maintaining accurate data entry and integrity of the styles they manage
• *Qualifications**:
• BA, BSc, BBA, BComm (or equivalent), specialization in Retail or Merchandising Management an asset
• Minimum two years of Merchandising or Regional Buying experience preferred
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Program and mastery in excel, preferred experience in PO and Price Management software
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret multiple data points across numerous channels and market segments
• Strong understanding of retail mathematics and open to buy
• Ability to balance analytical and creative tasks
• Strong understanding of season-to-season business performance
• Preliminary understanding of business drivers based on key financial indicators, in order to make recommendations