Account Planning Manager - Lauren RTW

Ref #

W181540

State/Region

New York

Department

Merchandising & Planning

Location

United States

City

New York

Pay Range: The pay range for this job is $65000 - $129225 annually; actual pay is dependent on experience and geographic location.

Benefits: Base pay is only one part of our employee value proposition, which includes a robust benefits package, above-market time off, hybrid working arrangements, incentive compensation, where applicable, and varied learning opportunities.

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

To work and partner with Merchandise Planning and Sales teams in the development, forecasting, and delivery of well-balanced, lifestyle appropriate assortments which provide both volume and margin growth for assigned retail partner(s) and reflect the seasonal RL merchandising vision for the growing Lauren RTW business.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Key focus to include:

• Work collaboratively (internally and externally) with Merchandise Planning and Sales teams to identify and define product strategies and opportunities to implement assortment plans for all product divisions and categories to support the brand financial strategy that will drive mutually beneficial and profitable results.
• Strong partnership with Account Executive(s) to ensure seasonal assortment plans meet the business objectives and needs for each account in collaboration with Buyer(s).
• Analyze historical and in-season selling to guide and action future seasons plans.
• Support Account Planning process to develop and deliver strategic detailed plans.

Accountabilities/Action Steps:

Strategic Financial & Assortment Planning

• Collaborate with Sales and the accounts to prepare the financial class plans, flow, and door targets.
• Validate all finalized class plans with Account Planning Lead prior to building assortments.
• Build out assortments and validate with sound financial metrics that product placements are meeting financial goals, provide extensive recaps of plans.

Analysis and Forecasting

• Weekly account performance analysis (Fashion, Core Flow, and Core Replenishment Product)

o Analyze best and worst performers

o Provide key insight to Account Executive, Buying, and Merchandising teams

o Highlight and action current and future opportunities in all product lines

• Report on key deliverables; sell-through, product margin, bookings, class penetrations in season, and pre and post market
• Partner with Account Executive weekly to review account sales performance.
• Various ad-hoc projects that will require a full understanding of product life cycle.
• Create and maintain various tools for market prep and sales meetings.
• Validate and monitor account size scale and make any necessary callouts to ensure assortment sizes are optimal to drive sales.

Reporting & Operations

• Prepare account recaps and review with Account Planning Lead prior to management meetings that detail key insights and metrics that will assist with account communication to drive business.
• Reconciliation and sizing review as part of extensive post-market process

Account Management and Communication

• Develop a strong working relationship with Account Executive(s) and their account(s) management team.
• Ensure high level of collaboration and proactive communication with all levels of account management structure to drive business towards meeting and/or beating plan achievement

EXPERIENCE, SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

• 3+ years of related experience in assortment planning, merchandise planning, and/or account planning with key focus on retail analysis and a keen eye for product.
• Self-starter and highly motivated, strong communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to multi-task and manage multiple deliverables at any given time.
• Strong computer and analytical skills with attention to detail and accuracy critical; advanced Excel (pivot tables, v-lookups) required; along with working knowledge of other Microsoft Suite products: Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, and Copilot.
• Knowledge of Planning tools/software such as Anaplan a plus.
• Possess the mindset to look for, develop, and implement new tools/processes to improve efficiencies.
• Proficiency in retail math.

Ralph Lauren will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records in a manner consistent with the requirements of the law, including any applicable fair chance laws. Please note background checks will be evaluated individually.