Michelle Alameda
Lincolnwood
Summary
Experienced in merchandise planning, inventory management, pricing, and promotional optimization. Skilled analytical expert with a proven track record in developing growth strategies. Equipped with strong problem-solving abilities, willingness to learn and excellent communication skills. Backed by robust financial and merchandise plans. Expertise in P&L management, financial analysis, forecasting, budgeting, assortment optimization, and pricing strategies to fuel EBIT and boost ROI.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Merchandise Planning
WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE
08.2021 - 08.2023
- Directed companywide financial roadmap and execution strategies for Beauty and Personal Care, Electronics, Grocery, and Seasonal, generating $15B in revenue, achieving 500+ bps sell-thru improvement, and 10%+ EBIT growth
- Managed a team of 16 and established a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open communication channels and empowering employees to voice their ideas.
- Led teams to develop and execute a retail strategy launching new brands such as No 7 (Beauty) and Apple Accessories (Electronics) resulting in increased sales and improved consumer engagement by leveraging consumer insights and targeted marketing campaigns
- Utilized advanced data analytics to identify sales trends, customer insights, and potential risks, informing proactive adjustments to merchandise plans
- Successfully implemented sales and inventory optimization reporting and strategies, resulting in reduced excess inventory and improved sell-through rates leading to 300+ bps margin improvement in 24 months
- Provided strategic guidance to the buying team on product selection, sourcing, and allocation to optimize inventory levels and minimize stockouts
- Collaborated with finance to develop accurate sales forecasts and budgets, monitoring performance against targets to identify areas for improvement
Director of Analytics
WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE
08.2021 - 05.2022
- Managed and developed data warehouse and analytics platforms to support business intelligence, predictive modelling, and advanced reporting capabilities
- Collaborated with senior leadership to drive data driven decisions by delivering strategic vision and operational oversight of enterprise-wide reporting and analytic functions
- Supervised the design, development and maintenance of data models, data automation systems, dashboards, and performance metrics that support critical business decisions
- Partnered with a 3rd party consulting firm to build, deploy and refine a new promotional planning tool to facilitate visibility to revenue for the enterprise
- Translated complex data findings into concise visualizations for easy comprehension among non-technical stakeholders.
- Improved data-driven decision-making by implementing advanced analytics tools and techniques.
Sr. Manager, Merchandise Planning (Personal Care)
WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE
06.2017 - 07.2021
- Spearheaded merchandise financial planning for a $3B business, overseeing all aspects from monthly reviews to promotional strategies and drove an impressive revenue increase of $81M through consumer insights and collaboration across departments
- Managed a team of 5 merchandise planners while actively developing, coaching and mentoring each team member’s career progress and development
- Improved forecast accuracy by implementing advanced statistical modeling techniques and demand planning tools.
- Achieved cost reduction through rigorous analysis of supplier performance and negotiation of contracts.
- Cultivated strong relationships with suppliers by maintaining open lines of communication, resolving issues promptly, and conducting regular business reviews focused on continuous improvement opportunities.
- Established strong interpersonal skills and interacted with different levels throughout the organization
Merchandise Planner, Skincare (Beauty)
WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE
01.2016 - 06.2017
- Managed and developed annual merchandise financial plans for an $800M business down to category level
- Closely partnered with Category Manager, Supply Chain, Finance and Marketing to deliver end to end P&L results
- Executed reports, identified and analyzed trends, and recommended actions necessary to drive performance through effective communication
- Led training sessions for new hires on systems, processes, and best practices related to merchandise planning function.
- Contributed to cross-functional teams for successful product launches and promotions.
- Supported company objectives by aligning merchandise strategies with overall business goals and financial targets.
- Received the 'Champion of Champions' nomination for 'Outstanding Business Performance' within the first year with the company
Inventory Planning Manager – Kmart Infant, Toddler & Newborn Apparel
SEARS HOLDING CORP.
06.2013 - 12.2015
- Managed and maintained annual merchandise financial plans for a $100M business down to line/category group level
- Developed item plans by generating SKU affordability buying guidelines of breadth and depth by volume groups
- Responsible for incorporating relevant LY correctable, trend, marketing, and events into profitable plans
- Collaborated on category group and item levels through qualitative analysis and provided recommendations on best strategies to address liabilities & liquidate in a timely manner
- Updated and maintained sales forecast, margin, markdowns, receipts, and inventories at line/category groups on weekly, monthly and quarterly basis
- Prepared and analyzed reports to track inventory and purchasing trends
- Interacted with vendors, store managers and other stakeholders to maintain on-time deliveries.
- Mentored junior team members in best practices for merchandise planning, enhancing overall departmental performance.
Merchandise Planning Manager
BCBG MAX AZRIA GROUP
06.2012 - 06.2013
- Managed a team of merchandise planners and allocators
- Partnered with DMM in strategizing and aligning financial and product opportunities across multiple departments
- Developed and executed pre-season and in-season planning process including category, location and assortment planning
- Managed open-to-buy budgets effectively, balancing risks and opportunities to achieve financial targets consistently.
- Consistently achieved sales and inventory plans with double digit comp store growth
- Monitored inventory levels and avoided shortages with timely replenishment of stock.
- Analyzed SKU-level performance data to identify underperforming items, taking corrective action to improve results.
- Reduced inventory costs through efficient management of markdowns, promotional events, and clearance sales.
- Influenced category-level strategies through effective communication of key insights derived from data analysis to senior management.
- Launched the Final Cut Division and created the OTB and all reporting tools needed to grow sales to $30M in its first year
- Developed successful pricing strategies for various product categories, boosting profitability and customer satisfaction.
- Coordinated with visual merchandising team to create compelling in-store presentations that drove foot traffic and increased sales conversions.
Merchandise Planner – Accessories Division
LUCKY BRAND JEANS
01.2011 - 06.2012
- Developed Merchandise Plans for Pre-season Investments and In Season for the Retail Accessories Division
- Identified risks and opportunities to strategize on action plans along with the Merchandising team
- Managed ladder plans for core business and continuously monitor sales and inventory levels
- Maintained the OTB with weekly and monthly updates and re-forecasting and participated in open-to-buy meetings, presenting data-driven recommendations for assortment planning decisions.
- Streamlined processes for increased efficiency in merchandise allocation and replenishment.
- Analyzed historical data to identify opportunities for growth and margin improvement.
- Partnered with the allocation team to ensure inventory levels by store and classification are sufficient based on trend and seasonality
- Re-launched Footwear and created the OTB, Key Item Planning tools and implemented a suite of merchandise reports
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Humanities
University of Asia & the Pacific
Skills
- Annual Budgeting
- Forecasting
- Financial Analysis
- Assortment Planning
- Trend Analysis
- Inventory Management
- Relationship building
- Verbal and written communication
- Decision-making
Timeline
Director of Merchandise Planning
WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE
08.2021 - 08.2023
Director of Analytics
WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE
08.2021 - 05.2022
Sr. Manager, Merchandise Planning (Personal Care)
WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE
06.2017 - 07.2021
Merchandise Planner, Skincare (Beauty)
WALGREENS BOOTS ALLIANCE
01.2016 - 06.2017
Inventory Planning Manager – Kmart Infant, Toddler & Newborn Apparel
SEARS HOLDING CORP.
06.2013 - 12.2015
Merchandise Planning Manager
BCBG MAX AZRIA GROUP
06.2012 - 06.2013
Merchandise Planner – Accessories Division
LUCKY BRAND JEANS
01.2011 - 06.2012
Bachelor of Arts - Humanities
University of Asia & the Pacific
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