Multifaceted role focused on transformation within DSW Merchandising, Planning, and Allocation including: • Strategic Planning: Collaboration with leadership in DSW Merchandising, Planning, and Allocation to develop future state vision, create supporting long-term roadmap, and prioritize portfolio of cross-functional projects.• Project Leadership: Ensuring success of projects by serving in varying capacities including Subject Matter Expert, Business Analyst, Business Sponsor, and Project Manager.• Business Analysis: Leading team to transform complex Assortment data into actionable key business insights.Key Contributions:• Designed, facilitated, and provided insights in leadership vision & strategy sessions.• Created current and future state diagrams to visualize and support shaping future-state business processes and systems.• Developed long-term roadmap and monitor progress to support transformation of business processes and systems.• Proposed projects and created business cases focused on efficiency and flexibility in an ever-changing retail environment.• Created and maintained resource and impact analysis to identify pressure points and drive prioritization decisions.• Built and managed project timelines, recommended staging of work across the portfolio, and prepared and delivered project updates in leadership alignment meetings.• Applied business expertise to projects including key decision making, identification of risks and opportunities, data and testing support, development of Pilot programs, and communications to support change management and adoption.

Led and developed team of associates with diverse skillsets, joining business knowledge and data science expertise. Provided thought leadership, system analytics, data driven insights and solutions to enable DSW Merchandising, Planning, Allocation and Supply Chain to evolve in an ever-changing business landscape.Key Contributions:• Leveraged data visualization and storytelling to deliver business insights and recommendations to executives• Guided data driven decision making based on statistical modeling (clustering and time series analysis)• Collaborated with IT, Transportation, Finance, Merchandising and Planning partners to design and prototype Order Fulfillment algorithm and maintain and enhance underlying analytics• Conceptualized, developed and delivered space brokering process and resulting system analytics to support Assortment Localization that considers customer preference, demand (in store and digital) and space constraints• Designed and delivered analytical data for DSW Order Fulfillment, Merchandising, Planning and Allocation systems• Provided future vision for DSW by identifying material business trends, sizing the opportunities, developing project business cases and serving as a change agent for solutions

Responsible for leading business process development, improvement and training in support of supply chain projects.Defined, developed and documented business process in support of Planning system implementations. Lead project meetings and ensure process team meets deliverable deadlines to hit project milestones. Coordinated resources for testing and define use cases and supporting test scenarios and scripts. Managed process and training team associates.

Selected by Supply Chain SVP as Business Process Lead for JDA Assortment Planning implementation.Defined, developed and documented Assortment Planning business process. Delivered communication to leadership on project progress and to educate and prepare teams for change. Developed, delivered and facilitated Assortment Planning Pilot program. Defined reporting requirements to support new process and system roll out. Supported development of the Assortment Planning training program. Led facilitation of Assortment Planning training program for approximately 80 associates over six weeks. Provided training and user support for project Go Live and beyond.

Served as a leader on planning and cross functional teams, developing, training and implementing best practices.Mentored and supported development of Merchandise Planning staff. Responsible for projects and participation in various company projects and initiatives. Managed company markdown process (timelines and communications with Finance).

Responsible for planning and execution of sales, inventory, markdowns and profit across various footwear categories.Developed and maintained merchandise plans that supported financial objectives and assortment strategy. Analyzed business and made recommendations to maximize sales opportunity and profitability and managed risk through contingency planning. Maintained strong relationships with partners (merchants, planning, allocation) to ensure objectives were met. Led monthly category plan review meetings. Developed and maintained vendor and attribute plans in support of merchandise strategies. Mentored item planners in core/key item plan development and revision and communication to merchant partners. Created, maintained and delivered reporting that supported strategies and objectives.

Responsible for leading month-end close process and for delivering internal financial reporting. Assisted with the administration and coordination of financial closing processes. Prepared internal general purpose financial statements, including balance sheets and income statements. Ensured that reconciliations and related analyses were completed on a monthly basis. Evaluated internal controls and SOX compliance. Supervised fixed asset accounting. Responsible for monthly international franchise communication and accounting. Performed preparatory work for statutory audits. Managed and developed financial analysts and lead applicable projects.

Responsible for planning and execution of sales, inventory, markdowns and profit in the Intimate Apparel division.

Discovered and communicated material business trends to advance awareness and value of the organization. Delivered value by understanding information needs of the business and working with others to objectively and thoughtfully investigate, assess and communicate relevant information to corporate leadership. Projected sales through review and analysis of current trends and historical results. Responsible for analysis and recommendations to leadership on marketing programs as well as ad hoc analysis to support all areas of the business.Prepared weekly leadership briefing of business results and relevant industry and economic news. Prepared month end summary for leadership of internal results and external competitive insights. Responsible for quarter end commentary and schedules to support leadership during quarterly conference calls. Performed annual review of internal and external operating environment to support the strategic planning process.

Supervised accounts payable department, including a staff of six auditors. Interviewed, hired and trained department personnel. Prepared and developed monthly schedules, account analyses and other reporting tools.

Supervised staff and all day-to-day aspects of client engagements. Worked with clients in manufacturing, construction and real estate industries.Coordinated staffing and workload on multi-location engagements. Responsible for cost budget development and monitoring of client accounts. Supervised staff and completed performance evaluations. Communicated effectively from staff to leadership level. Performed various research projects for clients.

Performed and supervised all day-to-day aspects of annual financial statement audits and reviews, benefit plan audits, an audit in preparation for an IPO, and a contract services engagement. Worked with clients in regulated, manufacturing and service industries.