Ref#: W179123
Department: Merchandising & Planning
City: Nutley
State/Province: New Jersey
Location: United States
Pay Range: $85,000 - $125,000 annually; actual pay is dependent on experience and geographic location
Company Description
Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren's reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company's brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps, among others, constitute one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands.
At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.
Position Overview
The Sr. Manager of Location Planning will play a vital role in driving financial planning initiatives across Ralph Lauren's retail outlet division. This strategic position reports directly to the Business Planning Lead and serves as an integral leader in our channel. The Sr. Manager is responsible for driving store level financial performance by analyzing and optimizing key retail KPIs, including traffic, conversion, average unit retail (AUR), average value transaction (AVT), units per transaction (UPT), discount rate and 4 wall profitability. This role partners with Stores, Operations, Buying, Planning, & Allocations, and Finance to identify performance gaps, build improvement plans, and ensure each store delivers financial targets. This dynamic position offers an opportunity to shape the planning organization's strategic direction while implementing innovative processes that support our growth trajectory and profitability goals.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Budgeting & Forecasting:
- Own store level KPI planning across sales, gross margin, traffic, conversion, AUR, AVT, UPT, discount rate and 4 wall profitability
- Lead market and trend analysis to reconcile store performance with topline outlet channel results
- Partner closely with District Directors to assess store-level opportunities and risks, incorporating calendar shifts and in-market activities
- Drive scenario planning and analytics to evaluate revenue impact from store initiatives, promotions, and key events
- Develop and deliver monthly performance forecasts and insights for executive leadership and finance partners
- Partner with senior leadership to embed strategic growth initiatives into financial planning frameworks and KPI targets
- Analyze and forecast foreign tourism and domestic demand by store, including sales by country, to inform monthly outlooks
- Guide workforce management and staffing targets by door ensuring alignment with financial forecasts
Analytics & Testing:
- Create and deliver executive-ready monthly forecast packages, trade analysis, and store visit insights for senior leadership and
finance partners
- Lead analytical assessments of channel initiatives and their impact on business performance, proactively identifying risks and
growth opportunities
- Partner with Information Technology teams to enhance financial reporting systems, resolve data issues, and implement scalable system improvements
- Develop and manage financial frameworks for channel initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and measuring program effectiveness
- Manage and maintain foundational reporting structures, including rolling comp status, location hierarchy, and store attributes
- Lead segmentation and tier analysis to differentiate performance and inform targeted strategies
- Own analytical design, execution, and executive readouts for testing of strategic initiatives, translating results into clear next step recommendations
Analytics & Testing:
- Create and deliver executive-ready monthly forecast packages, trade analysis, and store visit insights for senior leadership and finance partners
- Lead analytical assessments of channel initiatives and their impact on business performance, proactively identifying risks and growth opportunities
- Partner with Information Technology teams to enhance financial reporting systems, resolve data issues, and implement scalable system improvements
- Develop and manage financial frameworks for channel initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and
measuring program effectiveness
- Manage and maintain foundational reporting structures, including rolling comp status, location hierarchy, and store attributes
- Lead segmentation and tier analysis to differentiate performance and inform targeted strategies
- Own analytical design, execution, and executive readouts for testing of strategic initiatives, translating results into clear next step recommendations
Inventory Movement:
- Lead the strategy, management, and execution of excess inventory initiatives to optimize sell through and financial performance
- Own tier segmentation transfer strategy and execution, driving alignment, communication, and coordination across cross functional
partners
Experience, Skills, and Knowledge
Core Experience & Expertise
- Proven experience in merchandise planning, store planning, business planning, or financial planning within retail
- Strong expertise in store level financial forecasting, budgeting, and performance management
- Demonstrated ability to analyze and optimize key retail KPIs, including traffic, conversion, AUR, AVT, UPT, discount rate, and four wall contribution
- Experience leading scenario planning, test and learn analysis, and initiative performance assessment to inform business decisions
- Working knowledge of promotional effectiveness analysis, trade analysis, and event impact measurement
Experience incorporating market trends, tourism, and geographic demand drivers into forecasts and performance insights
- Familiarity with inventory movement, excess inventory management, and store tier/segmentation strategies
Analytical & Technical Skills
- Advanced analytical and problem solving skills with the ability to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable insights
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel; strong skills across MS Office (PowerPoint, Outlook)
- Comfort working with large, multi source datasets and conducting ad hoc analysis
- Experience with retail planning, reporting, or financial systems (e.g., 09, Enterprise Planning, Island Pacific, or similar platforms) preferred
- Experience partnering with IT / BI teams to enhance reporting tools, improve data integrity, and implement system enhancements
- Create and implement analytical tools that enable efficient scenario planning and decision-making
- Demonstrate initiative in identifying and addressing business challenges
- Comfortable leaning into AI to improve efficiencies
Leadership & Communication
- Strong cross functional leadership skills with the ability to influence without direct authority
- Ability to partner effectively with field leadership, operations, merchandising, finance, marketing, and technology teams
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting insights to senior and executive stakeholders
- Ability to translate analysis into clear recommendations and next steps for decision making
- Highly organized self starter with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast paced retail environment
- Build and maintain strong partnerships across departments to drive business objectives
- Contribute to improved interdepartmental collaboration and operational efficiency
- Serve as a key liaison between various business functions to facilitate strategic initiatives
- Adapts easily to changing situations and demonstrates flexibility in juggling priorities
Education & Experience Requirements
- 3-5 years of experience in retail planning, financial analysis, or related discipline
- Retail experience required; outlet or multi store environment experience strongly preferred
