The Position: Merchandise Analytics Manager
Location: Chicago, IL - OnsiteThe Position:You'll own analytics and planning strategy, proving that analytical thinking and smarter tools drive better decisions.
60% of your time: own merchandise financial planning for a couple of categories. You'll bring analytical rigor to decisions and partner with merchandising and buyers on assortment strategy, pricing, and inventory flow.
40% of your time: explore how Claude and AI tools can improve planning. Prototype new approaches, automate manual work, and build the case for analytics investment.
You'll also bridge our planning needs and IT-helping communicate what technical capabilities we need next.
What You'll OwnHands-On Planning & Strategic Partnership (60%)- Own merchandise financial planning for a couple of categories (forecasting, open-to-buy, in-season decisions, markdown strategy)
- Bring analytical rigor to planning decisions-question assumptions, identify patterns, use data to inform decisions
- Drive category performance: hit sales, margin, and inventory targets
- Serve as strategic partner to DMM/Directors and Buyers to align financial targets with assortment vision
- Partner with merchandising to influence assortment strategy, pricing, and inventory flow
- Collaborate with Finance on budgeting, cash flow forecasting, and inventory investment planning
- Present performance insights and strategic recommendations to senior leadership
AI & Process Exploration (40%)- Explore how Claude and AI tools can improve planning-automation, efficiency, better decisions
- Identify manual work that could be automated or streamlined
- Prototype new approaches; test, learn, iterate quickly
- Build business cases for analytics investments and tools
- Communicate technical needs to IT/dev (data access, integrations, infrastructure)
- Create dashboards and reports that make planning data accessible to the team
Who You Are- 5-8 years in roles involving analytical thinking and problem-solving (planning, operations, consulting, product, finance, etc.)
- Deep understanding of retail/e-commerce planning or merchandising (or ability to learn it quickly)
- Naturally analytical-you question assumptions, look for patterns, think in systems
- Comfortable with ambiguity-you're building something new and proving its value as you go
- Curious about tools and technology-you want to explore Claude, AI, and automation to solve problems
- Can communicate with both business (merchandising, finance, buyers) and technical (IT/dev) stakeholders
- Strong executive presence; comfortable presenting insights and recommendations to senior leadership
- Bias toward action-you prefer shipping a working approach and improving it over endless planning
- Want to be hands-on-you see the impact of your work directly in category performance
Benefits and Perks:AKIRA offers competitive benefits for full-time employees, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Pet Insurance, Life, LTD, FSA/HSA/Dependent Care FSA, Flex Transit (CTA), 401(k), and a generous employee discount. We're committed to internal growth, providing meaningful development and career advancement opportunities.
Job Type: Full-Time
We are committed to fair and transparent compensation practices. Compensation for this position will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors. Additional compensation and benefits may also apply and will be discussed during the hiring process.
Department Planning Role Merchandise Analytics Manager Locations Chicago Headquarters Yearly salary $130,000 - $160,000 Employment type Full-time
