Manager, Merchandising Growth

OVERVIEW

Discover greater levels of performance. With over 1,300 stores throughout the U.S. and an innovative omni-channel ecosystem, Ulta Beauty is revolutionizing the beauty retail experience. Ulta Beauty is expanding its digital capabilities, opening new stores on a continual basis and re-designing existing locations with the latest design and technological advancements for heightened guest experiences. We’re not just growing, we’re thriving through consistent innovation and a bold commitment to re-imagination. If you want the opportunity to build something strategic, to take ownership of your career trajectory, to apply your passion to operational excellence, Ulta Beauty provides the kind of stability and support few organizations can match. So be curious. Be flexible. Be more than you thought possible. The future is yours at Ulta Beauty.

THE IMPACT YOU CAN HAVE:As a growth company that delivers beauty for all, we seek elevated delivery in the Merchandising organization that drives cross-functional collaboration, delivers results, and augments growth. The Manager of Merchandising Growth, reporting to the VP Merchandising Strategy & Growth, will be responsible for working with the Merchandising Leadership Team to develop, prioritize, scope, and execute targeted efforts aimed at driving growth for the organization. These efforts will include supporting problem solving and opportunity evaluation, performing strategic and financial analysis, visioning and creating business cases and executing efforts to develop high potential strategic opportunities with excellence. Because the work involves close partnership with cross-functional leaders, this individual will also support facilitation and alignment to key strategic decisions, and serve as a thought partner to leadership. Further, the individual in this role should have strong ability to structure problems and be comfortable developing approaches to frame ambiguous business issues. This individual will also support key enterprise processes and executive-level presentations, including Merchandising annual planning, regular executive meeting cadences, and other presentations. The Manager should be comfortable learning and deepening the organizational understanding of the beauty market, and may expect to monitor and learn about the competitive landscape, track the beauty market and its categories, and assess dynamics and shifts in competitors’ strategies, connecting it back to the enterprise strategic imperatives. This individual will blend strong analytical and communication capabilities with a strategic mindset and the drive to deliver impact with excellence. CORE JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: Work with Merchandising and cross-functional teams to assess, prioritize, scope and execute strategic Merchandising opportunities, leveraging strategic, analytical, and financial frameworksSupport Merchandising category and competitive analysis – bring an analytical mindset to strengthen our understanding of the competitive landscape through data-driven and forward-looking insightsDefine and bring forward creative, out-of-the-box thinking to identify white space opportunities – assess and articulate the strategic rational, grounded in data-driven insights, in support of the Merchandising and enterprise strategic plansConnect the dots across the organization to drive execution of key Merchandising priorities in alignment with enterprise initiatives and other effortsExcel in all areas of strategy development at the Manager level, including problem structuring and solving, business analysis, project management, and verbal and written communication Independently develop executive-level-ready content supporting critical internal and external meetings, with leadership from the VP Merchandising Strategy & GrowthSupport the long-term and annual Merchandising strategic planning processes, with the Sr. Director, Merchandising Strategy & Insights ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES: Facilitate and support discussions with Ulta’s Merchandising Leadership Team, demonstrating subject matter expertise and ability to move work forward effectivelyConnect the dots across the organization to ensure effectiveness of work throughout the enterprise, and understand when to seek guidanceUnderstand Ulta Beauty’s business and possess a deep understanding of the market in which we operate, as well as key competitors

THE ESSENTIALS FOR SUCCESS:5-7 years of professional experience in Strategy, Finance or MerchandisingAt least 2 years of consulting experience at a top-tier management consulting firm strongly preferredBA/BS required; MBA from top-tier program strongly preferredExperience in beauty, retail, retail-like categories or consumer product goods preferred Strategic mindset with the capability to think broadly, support and facilitate the development and implementation of winning strategies Highly analytical with demonstrated ability to translate data into key insights to drive decisionsStrong written and verbal communication skills, with strong executive presenceHighly collaborative and team-oriented with a coachable, positive attitudeInnate inquisitiveness and ability to challenge the status-quo Desire to see personal and organizational effort lead to measurable resultsComfortable working independently and in collaborative manner in a cross-functional environment