ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc

Sr Manager Merchandising Strategy

Retail & Consumer Goods
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred
  • 7+ years of relevant experience in strategy consulting or strategic roles within retail, beauty, or consumer industries
  • Exceptional strategic thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills
  • Strong financial acumen to evaluate drivers of profitable growth
  • Proven ability to distill complex data into clear, actionable insights
  • Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint with strong data fluency
  • Strong collaboration and influencing skills, comfortable engaging with senior leaders
  • Proactive and adaptable in a fast-paced environment
  • Deep passion for the beauty industry with a comprehensive understanding of the retail and consumer landscape

Responsibilities

  • Serve as strategic thought partner to Merchandising leadership
  • Diagnose performance drivers and competitive dynamics
  • Translate consumer, market, and macro trends into category-level implications
  • Identify whitespace across assortment, innovation, and brand mix
  • Lead deep-dive analyses to answer critical business questions
  • Leverage internal data and market measurement tools to inform decisions
  • Standardize insights and frameworks for category reviews
  • Conduct post-mortems and recommend performance optimization actions
  • Provide strategic support for brand conversations
  • Develop executive-ready narratives for key planning milestones
  • Translate strategy into actionable recommendations and measurable KPIs
  • Improve efficiency in reporting and recurring analyses
  • Mentor Analysts and elevate analytical rigor across the team

Benefits

  • Paid time off
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance
  • Life and disability benefits
  • Opportunities for additional compensation through the company's bonus plan
  • Career development assistance
Full Job Description
THE IMPACT YOU CAN HAVE:

The Senior Manager, Category Strategy & Insights serves as a strategic partner to Merchant leadership-owning category-level diagnostics, insight generation, and strategic storytelling that drive growth and performance.

Embedded within assigned categories, this leader translates market dynamics, competitive shifts, consumer trends, and internal performance data into actionable strategies that shape assortment, brand decisions, innovation priorities, and in-market execution.

This role bridges analytics and strategy-moving beyond reporting to identify "who's winning and why," uncover whitespace opportunities, and enable merchants to make informed, forward-looking decisions. The Senior Manager will play a critical role in category reviews, brand conversations, and enterprise planning moments by delivering clear insights and strong strategic implications. This is a senior individual contributor role with significant cross-functional leadership responsibility.

YOU'LL ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS BY:

Category Strategy Leadership
  • Serve as strategic thought partner to Merchandising leadership, shaping category growth plans
  • Diagnose performance drivers and competitive dynamics to identify risks and opportunities
  • Translate consumer, market, and macro trends into clear category-level implications
  • Identify whitespace across assortment, innovation, and brand mix

Performance & Competitive Analytics
  • Lead deep-dive analyses to answer critical business questions ("who's winning and why")
  • Leverage internal data and market measurement tools (NIQ/Circana, panel, etc.) to inform decisions
  • Standardize insights and frameworks to elevate recurring category reviews
  • Conduct post-mortems and recommend performance optimization actions

Brand & Assortment Strategy
  • Provide strategic and analytical support for priority brand conversations
  • Inform assortment decisions through portfolio balance and incrementality assessment
  • Develop executive-ready narratives for ABP, T2T, and key planning milestones

Execution & Impact Tracking
  • Translate strategy into actionable recommendations and measurable KPIs
  • Partner cross-functionally to align execution and monitor impact
  • Refine recommendations based on performance outcomes

Operational Excellence
  • Improve efficiency and automation in reporting and recurring analyses
  • Mentor Analysts and elevate analytical rigor across the team

THE ESSENTIALS FOR SUCCESS:
  • Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred
  • 7+ years of relevant experience in strategy consulting or strategic roles within retail, beauty, or consumer industries
  • Exceptional strategic thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.
  • Strong financial acumen with the ability to evaluate drivers of profitable growth, including sales, margin, and productivity
  • Proven ability to distill complex data into clear, actionable insights and business narratives
  • Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; strong data fluency with the ability to independently translate complex data into clear strategic insights
  • Strong collaboration and influencing skills; comfortable engaging across functions and with senior leaders
  • Highly proactive, resourceful, and adaptable in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
  • Skilled at managing multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, and driving progress with a positive, solutions-oriented mindset
  • Passion for the beauty industry and deep understanding of the retail and consumer landscape

The pay range for this position is $119,300.00 - $175,000.00 / Year with the opportunity for eligible associates to earn additional compensation pursuant to the Company's bonus plan. Exact pay will be based on factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, level, shift, geographic location, and business and organizational needs. Full-time positions are eligible for paid time off, health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits. Part-time positions are eligible for dental, vision, life, and disability benefits. For additional information concerning our benefits, visit our Benefits and Career Development page: https://learn.bswift.com/ulta

About ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc

ULTA Beauty is the beauty retailer in the United States and the premier beauty destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skin, hair care products and salon services. Since opening its first store 25 years ago, ULTA Beauty has grown to become the top national retailer providing All Things Beauty, All in One Place™. The Company offers more than 20,000 products from over 500 well-established and emerging beauty brands across all categories and price points, including ULTA Beauty's own private label. ULTA Beauty also offers a full-service salon in every store featuring hair, skin and brow services. ULTA Beauty is recognized for its commitment to personalized service, fun and inviting stores and its industry-leading Ultamate Rewards loyalty program.

ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. Careers

Join the vibrant team at ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc., a leader in the beauty industry, where innovation meets diversity and professional growth. As a company renowned for its inclusive culture and commitment to employee development, there has never been a better time to explore job opportunities with us. Work You’ll Do At ULTA, we empower our team to bring beauty to life, providing unparalleled opportunities for career advancement and professional enrichment. Whether you are looking for a position in our retail stores, at our corporate headquarters, or within our distribution network, ULTA offers a dynamic work environment where your skills will be honed and your achievements recognized. Join our team and contribute to an industry-leading company known for its commitment to innovation, leadership, and diversity. ULTA is not just about beauty products; it's about elevating the beauty in everyone. Our team’s diversity is our strength, and we continuously strive to foster an inclusive environment through comprehensive diversity training programs. Internship and Employment Opportunities Start your career journey with an internship at ULTA, where you can gain hands-on experience in a thriving retail environment. Our internships provide a robust foundation in the beauty industry, offering insights into various aspects of business operations, from marketing to supply chain management. For those seeking full-time roles, ULTA is hiring across a range of departments. We look for passionate, creative, and solution-driven team players. Explore open positions that match your skills and interests on our Careers page. Benefits and Culture At ULTA, we believe in rewarding our employees for their hard work and commitment. Our benefits package is designed to support the well-being and financial security of our team members and their families. Benefits include health coverage, retirement plans, employee discounts, and more. Our company culture champions personal and professional growth, encouraging every team member to reach their full potential. Through leadership training and continuous learning opportunities, we prepare our employees to lead and innovate in the beauty industry. Networking and Professional Development Stay connected and advance your career through ULTA’s networking events, where you can meet industry leaders and like-minded professionals. Enhance your resume and interview skills through our career development workshops and receive personalized advice from our experienced hiring managers. Future-Proof Your Career With ULTA, the trajectory of your career is boundless. Embrace the opportunity to grow with a company that is as committed to your professional journey as it is to leadership in the beauty industry. Explore Discover how ULTA is transforming the beauty landscape and leading the way in retail innovation. Read more about our latest projects and the impact they have on our customers and industry. Join Our Team Search for job opportunities that align with your career aspirations. We are excited to see how your vision and expertise can contribute to our ongoing success. Stay Up to Date Keep ahead with career tips, insider perspectives, and industry-leading insights you can put to use today—all from the people who work here. Job Alert Emails Personalize your subscription to receive job alerts, latest news, and insider tips tailored to your preferences. See what exciting and rewarding opportunities await at ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. Join us and be part of a company where innovation, leadership, and beauty move forward together.
Learn more about ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc
Size
16,500 employees
Market Cap
$23.6 billion
Industry
Net Income
$175.8 million
Founded
1990
5 Year Trend
+12.2%
Revenue
$6.1 billion
NASDAQ

Similar Jobs

More Jobs at ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc

More Retail & Consumer Goods Jobs

Find similar Sr Manager Merchandising Strategy jobs: