This job contributes to REI’s success by representing the Digital Commerce channel leading a team of digital merchants and site operators to meet digital order and membership conversion, demand, margin objectives for a designated area of the business using digital analytics to inform plans. This role requires strategic thinking and solution development in support of REI’s digital priorities and is a critical partner to the Corporate Merchandising, Planning and Marketing organizations.  The ability to lead with and utilize data through various sources such as Adobe Analytics, Tableau or Sigma is critical; this role leads a team to deliver a comprehensive digital category plan utilizing customer behavior insights and product merchandising strategies to deliver on order and membership conversion, margin, and demand goals.  Experience with merchandising tools, content tools, and planning tools such as Workfront is essential. 

This role leads a team of various skillsets including site operations, Digital Merchants and Sr Digital Merchants and is responsible for developing intra-team operations to improve efficiencies and drive scalability.  Operational excellence, team leadership, people and change management, coaching and development are integral parts of the role. 

Models and acts in accordance with REI’s guiding values and mission.

Leading the Way (team leadership, coaching and development responsibilities for this “manager of staff”)

• Identifies and communicates key responsibilities and practices to ensure the organization promotes a successful attitude, confidence in leadership, and teamwork to achieve business results.
• Supports the implementation of company programs, procedures, methods and practices to promote REI key messages.
• Challenges and inspires employees to achieve business results. Fosters a high level of accountability and sense of urgency among the team.
• Oversees training and development of employees directly managed and makes effective staffing decisions.
• Conducts and ensures the completion of performance reviews and quarterly goal reviews.
• Provides coaching, direction and leadership support to employees to achieve department, company and customer results.
• Establishes and maintains visibility within the division and across key partner divisions (Merchandising and Marketing)
• Monitors operational statistics, reports trends, variances and issues, and takes appropriate action.
• Facilitates empowerment and growth of direct reports. Owns performance management and progress review. Owns coaching, development and regular feedback to team members.
• Possesses strong leadership skills including the ability to foster teamwork.

Your Planning & Navigating Requirements (the plans the job is responsible for creating and executing, and how the job ensures they are implemented)

• Leads the team to ensure timely creation and communication of seasonal and annual activity/category plans including digital order and membership conversion and product margin targets based on Corporate Merchandising and Planning priorities and buys.  This role acts as the digital General Manager of owned area of the business.
• Demonstrated advanced business and analytical acumen. Can effectively evaluate, identify and communicate risks, liabilities and opportunities through data driven insights and delivers specific actions required to achieve objectives.
• Utilizes data-driven analysis of demand, UPT, basket analysis, traffic sources, price type mix, inventory turn, returns, CSAT, etc. to inform plans and execution.
• Develop and execute test plans to optimize shop/category conversion and product margin targets.
• Operationalize existing and new capabilities developed by the Product Management team to deliver results.
• Plan, analyze and respond to changing business needs, building actionable and impactful contingency plans to achieve targets.
• Lead team on extended online assortment optimizations establishing clear measures of success in partnership with merchant, planning, and analytics teams.
• Leads the team’s content plans for activity hubs, navigation updates and integrated search content plans aligning with business and seasonal priorities.
• Sets and demonstrates high standard for the team on business/category/shop management for the product lifecycle.  Understands business drivers and develops consistent reporting framework for the team based on best practices.
• Represents Digital Merchandising in weekly business meetings providing results, insights and future optimization opportunities.
• Maintains close, collaborative relationships with Merchandising, Planning, Marketing, and in- store visual merchandising.
• Partner with Digital Project Manager and key stakeholders/support groups to review team plans and strategies and prioritize Merchandising projects.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years strategic planning experience as part of an eCommerce team.
• 5+ years in driving digital business insights and actions through analytical methodologies including A/B tests and optimization strategies.
• Experience in various merchandising tools to execute within search, browse, product page and landing pages.
• Demonstrated success establishing and implementing digital merchandising strategies and tactics on a web site for a multi-channel retailer.
• Demonstrated experience in balancing the creative aspects of building effective on-line customer experiences while achieving the quantitative demands of cross-channel sales.
• Knowledge of key merchandising, marketing best practices specific to web-based merchandising and the ability to apply them to achieve planned goals.
• Experience in managing external vendors and partner relationships within E-commerce.
• Experience in process and change management.
• Excellent cross functional project management skills.
• Proven experience building and maintaining strong, collaborative, cross divisional business relationships.
• Flexible in one’s viewpoints to support the direction taken by others at REI.
• Builds capacity of individuals and teams through effective employee development, involvement, communication, and supervision efforts.
• Creates a strong, mutually supportive work spirit and culture where people can do their best.
• Establishes trust and inspires others.
• Makes effective organization and people decisions in a manner consistent with REI's values and ethics.
• Delivers on commitments and holds others to same.
• Champions the organization and advocates solutions in the overall Company's best interest.
• Uses business knowledge, innovative thinking, and sound judgment in the solution of problems or the pursuit of business opportunities.
• Consolidates information from various sources including feedback from others to reach sound decisions.
• Considers the ultimate impact of decisions and actions on internal and external customers.
• Fosters change in company direction.
• Effectively plans and executes changes.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• 3+ years direct supervisory experience of eCommerce team.
• Experience working with content management systems to author and update website pages.