Bring your
passion to a place

About us

Ann Taylor embodies and celebrates the spirit, heritage, and confidence of American women leading the lives they love. Since its beginnings, Ann Taylor has been committed to providing women with everything they need to feel inspired and motivated as they navigate their multifaceted lives. Our effortlessly polished styles are thoughtfully designed to go anywhere—from the office to special occasions (and everywhere in between).

Discover a culture centered on empowering employees, with access to industry leaders and tools you need to expand your skills and stretch your abilities. We'll meet you at every milestone with opportunities and benefits to make life better in and outside of work (not to mention your closet). Ready to join us?

Vice President, Merchandise Planning & Allocation  (Ann Taylor)

About the role
The VP, Planning & Allocation is responsible for planning and directing all aspects of the organization's merchandise planning and allocation policies, objectives, and initiatives. He/she develops the merchandise planning and allocation plan to fulfill the growth and revenue goals of our brands.

The impact you can have

• Develop, execute, and communicate strategic merchandise financial plans that support the company’s financial, product, and marketing objectives; Drive top line financial plans from a divisional level to a department/category level
• Strategically manage the business in order to maximize sales and margin, and optimize inventory
• Develop and contribute to the development of Brand initiatives, and ensure that all planning activities support annual goals
• Create strategic financial plans that support the company’s objectives and brand goals from a top-down perspective
• At a division/department level, develop sales, gross margin, and inventory plans that support the company’s profit objectives; Collaborate with direct reports in planning and the merchandising team to ensure that financial objectives align with product opportunities
• Partner on and drive decisions regarding planning and allocation process, organizational structure, and system opportunities including reporting
• Develop, retain, and lead planning and allocation teams
• Manage in-season profitability in order to achieve or exceed seasonal performance at a divisional level
• Review planners’ 90-day forecasts; Challenge the team to incorporate marketing strategies, markdown decisions, and inventory management to achieve the forecast
• Pre-meet with divisional leadership to gain consensus prior to monthly strategic meeting
• Lead and direct the monthly forecast meeting providing guidance to business leaders and finance
• Pre-season, create divisional and departmental plans to support the development of the line
• Set sales, margin, flow, IMU, and CC goals prior to the planning of each delivery; Reconcile top down and bottom-up forecasts prior to the passing of receipts to the merchant organization
• Participate in buy review with merchants and planning teams to ensure appropriate breadth and depth, and flawless execution; Collaborate with lead merchants to ensure that plans support product goals
• Lead and facilitate buy finalization meeting with merchants; Review pre-season plans that support new assortment; Identify risks and opportunities relative to product, flow, sizing, depth, and presentation
• Present business strategies, projections on a weekly, quarterly basis to Executive leadership team
• Coordinate with Marketing leads to ensure product and promotional plans are executed in support of Brand strategies
• Coordinate with DOS on store events, tests, quarterly meetings, and store visits
• People Management:
  • Responsible for the selection, development and retention of team members
  • Mentor, coach and counsel direct reports on performance expectations

You’ll bring to the role

• 10-15 years of related work experience; minimum 7+ years of merchandise planning experience
• 4-year degree; advanced degree a plus
• Present and recommend strategies; build business case
• Drive business to exceed company plans
• Lead and develop a team
• Strategic forecasting for a multidimensional business
• Influence and negotiate at a variety of levels

Benefits

• Merchandise discount at our brands: 50% off regular-priced merchandise at Ann Taylor, LOFT, Talbots, Haven Well Within & Lane Bryant (in store and online) 
• Support for your individual development plus career mobility within our family of brands   
• A culture of giving back – local volunteer opportunities, annual donation and volunteer match to eligible nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic activities to support our communities*  
• Medical, dental, vision insurance & 401(K)* 
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Time off – paid time off & holidays*
• The target salary range for this role is: $250,000-275,000*

*Any job offer will consider factors such your qualifications, relevant experience, and skills. Eligibility of certain benefits and associate programs are subject to employment type and role.

Applicants to this position must be authorized to work for any employer in the US without sponsorship. We are not providing sponsorship for this position.

This position works in a hybrid model, with three days per week worked in our Times Square Tower (NYC) office location and two days per week worked remotely. 

#LI-MJ1

Location:

Times Square Tower-ANN-New York, NY 10036

Position Type:

Regular/Full time

Equal Employment Opportunity
The Company is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from diverse candidates. Hiring decisions are based upon a candidate's qualifications as they relate to the requirements of the position under consideration and are made without regard to sex (including pregnancy), race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, genetic information, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other category protected by applicable law. The Company is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for job applicants with disabilities. If you require an accommodation to perform the essential duties of the position you are seeking or to participate in the application process, please contact myHRSupport@knitwellgroup.com. The Company will make reasonable accommodations for otherwise qualified applicants or employees, unless such accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the operations of the Company’s business. The Company will not revoke or alter a job offer based on an applicant’s request for reasonable accommodation.