NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP - SENIOR MANAGER, MERCHANDISE STRATEGY & INSIGHTS

Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) has been the premier destination for luxury fashion and goods, superior service, and an elevated retail experience for more than a century. Today, 9,000 associates contribute to the success of NMG's brands: Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Last Call, and Horchow. There are 38 full-line Neiman Marcus stores in cosmopolitan markets across the United States and a sophisticated digital platform that attracts shoppers worldwide. Bergdorf Goodman operates two stores in landmark locations on Fifth Avenue in New York City and BergdorfGoodman.com, catering to loyal luxury customers globally. NMG also owns five Last Call stores and Horchow.com, an e-commerce site that offers premium furniture and home decor.

As an organization, NMG is on a transformational journey to become the preeminent luxury customer platform. NMG continues to deliver the best integrated customer experience and has evolved the business to succeed in the ever-changing retail landscape. NMG is a relationship business. What differentiates the organization from other luxury retailers are its unique assets: a strong store footprint, the most knowledgeable associates, an engaging online experience, solid brand partnerships, innovative digital and in-store experiences, the most loyal luxury customer base, and a strong balance sheet.

Our customers will always be at the center of everything NMG does. The company continues to reinvest in new technologies that enhance the customer experience. NMG meets customers where they are. NMG's goal is to offer customers a seamless experience across its stores, online, and remote digital selling.

NMG's priority is to develop a highly engaged and high-performing team where everyone belongs. The business attracts and retains best-in-class talent through unique offerings provided to associates in addition to standard employer benefits. These include an innovative way of working, associate discounts on merchandise, tuition reimbursement, associate hardship fund, and paid time off to volunteer, to name a few.

As part of NMG's Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) work, the organization is focused on driving its core value of being "All Heart." NMG is also assessing its current environmental and social impact while developing a three-year plan to lead the luxury industry in its commitment and transparency to environmental and social sustainability. NMG strives to become an employer of choice, driven by a culture of Belonging. A dedicated team focuses on this journey, directly impacting how NMG conducts business throughout the workforce, workplace, and marketplace dimensions.

NMG has incredibly passionate and committed corporate and store associates. NMG offers associates an environment where everyone feels welcomed, nurtured, and empowered. Our associates are the heart of NMG. As an organization, NMG leads with love - love for customers, love for associates, and love for brand partners.

JOB SUMMARY

The Senior Manager, Merchandise Strategy & Insights will report into the Vice President of Merchandise Strategy & Insights and is responsible for program managing brand partner and customer portfolio strategy and spearheads initiatives driving sales growth and profitability through data-driven insights in partnership with Merchandising, Planning, and Marketing leadership.

JOB DUTIES

• Leads efforts to identify sales, cost, and profit opportunities across divisions, brands, and classifications through rigorous analysis and research, including: assessment of SKU/Brand/Promotional incrementality, competitive benchmarking (space, brands, SKUs), market insights, customer insights (e.g. surveys, customer analytics), brand partner insight (cost structures, motivations), and extensive SKU/brand/class-level analysis (relative productivity, profitability, brand loyalty, transferability, etc.)
• Oversee development of analytical materials to be shared internally during category and brand partner presentation reviews and assortment discussions with the Merchandising, Planning, and Marketing teams
• Manages cross-functional relationships across various organizations such as Merchandising, Marketing, and Analytics teams to ensure alignment when creating executive level presentations
• Partners with the business leads to drive initiatives forward, leading projects and escalating issues and risks
• Enforces documentation, archiving, and audit processes for agreements with brand partners
• Contributes to projects related to strategic growth opportunities in the business, including development and delivery of key milestones, analysis, presentations and the collaboration/management of cross-functional teams and external consultants
• Consults with cross-functional teams and coordinates with stakeholders to execute projects that impact the merchandising and planning teams
• Oversees tracking of profitability improvements to ensure that all necessary follow up actions are completed and that financial results are realized
• Contributes to the development of brand partner and customer strategies that align to long-range financials plans
• Able to execute special projects, ad hoc analysis, and initiatives related to assortment performance/optimization and cost reduction/management

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Excellence in developing and leading a team
• Ability to develop collaborative trust-based working relationships with executive team as well as merchandising and planning partners
• Strong presentation skills including development and delivery of various formats to executive audiences
• Ability to conduct complex quantitative analysis and build analytical models
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple assignments and meet tight deadlines
• Ability to work independently and adapt to changing work priorities
• Excellent communication and influencing skills
• The candidate selected for this position will be a creative, out-of-the-box thinker who is intellectually curious with a demonstrated interest in learning. This person will also need to be a self-motivated, entrepreneurial, high-energy individual who can easily function in a high demand, performance-driven environment.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS

• Merchandising expertise - strong understanding of retail merchandising basics (i.e. category management) and merchandising organizational structures and processes
• Mastery of Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• Four-year college degree or equivalent experience; MBA preferred; Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and/or other quantitative analytical degree a plus
• 8+ years of relevant experience part of experience must be in either management consulting or retail
• Experience in merchandising, planning, finance, eCommerce, startups, business development or omni channel retail - including but not limited to luxury department, specialty or monobrand store retail

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each job duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skills and/or ability required.