The Senior Assortment Analyst owns the analytical framework behind assortment planning, productivity measurement, and new item performance. This role sets the SKU-level methodology the business plans against and delivers the recommendations that shape what we carry, how deep we buy, and when we exit.
Working within the Merchandise Planning & Analytics organization, the Senior Analyst designs and owns assortment productivity reporting, leads rationalization analysis end to end, and owns the analytical model behind new product introduction forecasting and post-launch scorecarding. The role also sets analytical standards for the team and provides technical guidance to less experienced analysts.
This is a senior individual contributor role with direct influence over assortment decisions, regular exposure to Merchant and Planning leadership, and a clear path toward Manager-level roles in merchandise planning or analytics.
Key ResponsibilitiesAssortment Analytics- Own assortment productivity reporting: design, own, and continuously improve SKU and category-level reporting covering velocity, sell-through, margin contribution, and inventory productivity; establish the definitions and data lineage the organization plans against
- Lead rationalization analysis: own the analytical case for tail SKU exit, consolidation, and transition; quantify the sales, margin, and productivity impact and present recommendations directly to Merchant and Planning leadership
- Own depth and breadth methodology: build and maintain the models that determine how deeply the business invests in individual items and programs, including price point coverage and good-better-best architecture
- Size the whitespace opportunity: lead market, consumer, and competitive analysis that identifies assortment gaps, quantifies the opportunity, and informs line review strategy
- Set analytical standards: define the methodology, assumptions, and QA standards used across assortment analytics, and review the work of junior analysts for accuracy and rigor
New Item & Program Performance- Own launch scorecards: build and own pre- and post-launch performance scorecards; diagnose forecast variance and translate the findings into forward-looking assumptions
- Own transition analytics: lead item transition and end-of-life analysis to ensure clean exits, protected margin, and minimal residual inventory exposure
- Improve forecast accuracy: partner with Demand Planning to refine new item forecast methodology using post-launch performance and read-and-react learning
Reporting & Partnership- Deliver executive-ready analytics: produce assortment reporting on an established cadence and translate it into a clear point of view for senior leadership, not just a set of numbers
- Advise Merchants and Planners: act as the analytical partner of record for assigned categories, shaping the question as often as answering it and challenging assumptions where the data warrants
- Lead complex ad hoc analysis: scope, structure, and deliver the ambiguous, high-stakes analysis behind in-season decisions and line review preparation
- Build scalable tooling: automate recurring analysis and move the team toward self-service reporting so analytical capacity shifts from production to interpretation
Success MetricsIn the first 12 months, the Senior Analyst, Assortment Planning will be evaluated on:
- Analytical Ownership: Assortment productivity reporting owned end to end, delivered accurately and on cadence, and adopted as the standing input to line reviews
- Rationalization Impact: Rationalization analysis led through at least one full cycle, with quantified and realized productivity improvement
- Influence: Recognized by Merchant and Planning leadership as a trusted advisor whose analysis changes decisions
- Capability Building: Demonstrable improvement in the automation and consistency of assortment reporting, and evidence of developing junior analysts
Qualifications:Required:- Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Analytics, Statistics, or a related field
- 4-7 years of analytical experience, with demonstrated depth in retail merchandising, planning, or analytics
- Advanced Excel skills, including multi-variable modeling, large dataset handling, and building tools other people rely on
- Proficiency in SQL, including the ability to independently source, join, and validate data across systems
- Demonstrated ability to work independently in ambiguous situations and structure analysis without direction
- Strong communication and storytelling skills, with experience presenting analysis and recommendations to senior leadership
- Experience mentoring analysts or reviewing analytical work for quality
Preferred:- Proficiency in Power BI, Tableau, or comparable visualization tools, including dashboard design
- Furniture, home, or big-ticket retail experience
- Hands-on experience with assortment planning or demand planning systems (e.g., Logility, o9, Blue Yonder)
- Exposure to Python, R, or comparable tooling for advanced analysis
Expected Base Pay Not Including Potential Commissions, Incentive, Bonus, etc. Opportunities:$80,000 - $100,000
