Director, DSW Assortment Analytics (Hybrid)

The Director, DSW Assortment Analytics is a key leader within the DBI Analytics Center of Excellence responsible for maintaining the financial & assortment reporting and analysis accuracy for the DSW US retail business.  This leader is a thought partner with the DSW EC on assortment opportunities and is an advocate of change in the business based on analytics and insights.

The Director will lead and manage the Sr. Manager, Advanced Analytics, as well as a team of Analysts that create innovative prescriptive, diagnostic, and predictive analytics for the DSW cross functional leaders and teams. The Director handles the complexity of multiple leaders, priorities, and systems, while driving strategic initiatives and ensuring consistency. Through collaboration and influence, the Director is accountable for ensuring business reporting accurately reflects merchandise strategies, enabling key stakeholders to deliver financial objectives.

Reports To: VP, Analytics Center of Excellence

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Analyzes topside business metrics and provides executive team recommendations to drive overall profitability and inventory management across all assortment categories at DSW
• Strategic responsibility for all product lifecycle analytics, including supporting the preseason plan alignment process, monthly in season plan reviews, and post season hind sighting
• Lead the DSW Analytics team. Responsibilities of the team include, but is not limited to:
  • Produce accurate and timely reporting and assortment architecture tools on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc. basis that provides insights to stakeholders throughout the DSW business.
  • Maintain risk assessment models to evaluate business results and maintain profitability to budgets.
  • Support monthly MPR financial meeting, including performance updates to key growth objectives.
  • Collaborate with marketing analytics teams to analyze marketing events and promotional offers, while also providing projections and MD impacts for potential future events.
• Lead the Advanced Analytics team, who are responsible for longer term analytics projects supporting the DSW business, including, but is not limited to Size Optimization, ECLC/WCLC Optimization, Order Routing, IPO, and Store Tiering.
• Formulates solution minded recommendations through risk and opportunity assessments for DSW
• Identifies, scopes and leads projects with key business partners across the Analytics Center of Excellence, Data Center of Excellence, Merchandising, Planning, Store Operations, Digital, and Finance teams
• Cultivate highly productive relationships with functional leaders across the enterprise, as both daily operations and major projects require a high degree of working knowledge and problem resolution in our business.
• Design and implement a talent model that creates a pipeline into the business and helps new associates onboard engage and add value quickly; effectively trains new associates; contains succession planning considerations; balances stability with talent development; addresses volume/complexity increases; and recruits excellent forward capability.
• Create and present information to executive teams.
• Other duties as assigned

Required Skills:

• Strong financial acumen, in conjunction with statistical and analytical skills 
• Excellent communication skills- written and verbal with emphasis on delivery of financial concepts, as well as ability to effectively communicate to all levels of the business.
• Curiosity for and ability to identify and resolve business and system issues.
• Highly motivated with excellent planning and follow-up skills, including the ability to meet aggressive deadlines.
• Detail oriented with strong organizational skills
• Experience successfully managing a team, balancing deliverables, team talent development and personal development for both individual contributors and leaders.
• Ability to thrive in a fast paced, ever-changing environment
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, MicroStrategy, Tableau, and JDA Enterprise Planning

Competencies:

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP – Deliberately communicates overall business strategy and connects it to the work of the functional team. Anticipates future trends and implications accurately. Leverages market knowledge to anticipate, capitalize on and drive change. Articulate credible pictures and visions of possibilities that will create sustainable value. Creates competitive and breakthrough strategies that show a clear connection between vision and action. Is willing to champion an idea or position despite dissent or political risk. Tackles tough issues, sharing sensitive messages or unpopular points of view effectively. Influences inside and outside of functional area for positive impact on business performance. Owns the development of successors and individuals who have potential for further development.

LEADING & MOTIVATING – Serves as a champion and driver of DSW Values and culture. Attracts and selects the best talent to meet current and future business needs. Motivates and inspires others through rewards, authentic connections and meaningful recognition. Fosters diversity and an inclusive workplace where individual differences are valued and leveraged. Seeks new ways to evolve and challenge self. Develops team through delegation, challenges outside of the comfort zone and effective coaching and feedback. Shares ideas in a compelling manor that gains commitment. Champions change for positive impact on business results.

MANAGING FOR RESULTS – Establishes models and enforces accountability. Gets the most out of available resources and secures rare resources others cannot get. Anticipates and balances the needs of multiple stakeholders. Persists in accomplishing objectives. Pushes the team to elevate goals as results are achieved. Transforms functional area to achieve maximum results. Seizes opportunities and connects business insights to increase profit and revenue.

Qualifications:

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in a corporate retail environment; 5 years in financial analytics role
• Previous management/leadership experience
• 10+ years’ experience in Microsoft Office, Excel required

Education:

• B.S. degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, or related field

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