Vice President - Women's Merchandising

About Athleta

We believe that being fit and active makes life richer and bigger than it could possibly be otherwise. And we're always looking for people who share our passion for leading an active lifestyle, growing personally as well as professionally, and creating game-changing products and experiences.

Collaboration is a real thing here - because we know that individually we're strong, but together we're unstoppable. Athleta is a certified B Corporation, which means that we put people and planet right up there with profit, and we're committed to using business as a force for good.

About the role

The Athleta Vice President Merchandising for the Women's business is based in San Francisco and reports directly to the SVP and CMO of Athleta. The VP Merchandising leads the Athleta Women's business. The Merchandising team reports directly to the VP.

The VP has full P&L responsibility for the Women's business and will directly influence the strategic development of the business. The VP develops, communicates and drives long-range strategies that meet or exceed financial goals and customer expectations. To be successful, the VP will be a champion for the Athleta customer and business. This person will be skilled at building and maintaining strong and effective relationships with the Athleta leadership team, as well as with the leaders of key functions such as Inventory Management, Design, Production, Design, Visual Merchandising, Marketing, Strategy, and Finance. The VP will inspire and motivate the team and others by presenting a compelling vision and direction for the holistic business. This person will be a role model and mentor within the company.

What you'll do

• Develop and lead the overall vision & strategy for Athleta Women's business.
• Empower direct reports to lead the functional strategies within Merchandising to deliver on the broader business objectives.
• Set the operational strategy (short and long-term) to deliver the Athleta long range plan.
• Provide perspective on market opportunities & alignment with goals and/or internal strengths.
• Lead Merchandising team in creating strong product assortments that deliver on Athleta's goals.
• Ensure product assortments between all departments are aligned and not duplicative.
• Ensure Department seasonal strategies provide an exciting customer store experience/ digital experience and support long-term Brand and Division goals.
• Actively listen to all members of the cross-functional team to ensure that innovative ideas are surfaced and acted upon, and that the team is empowered to own the business.
• Partner w/the Athleta Leadership team to manage and react to business in the moment to ensure we are achieving sales and profit plans and meeting customer demand.
• Lead and guide the team throughout pre-season process and milestone meetings, including Strategic Alignment Meeting and SVP Investment Reviews.
• Provide clear leadership and direction regarding seasonal investments to ensure that smart risks are being taken in the appropriate categories and that financial targets are met.
• Motivate, coach and inspire the Women's team to drive for results. Act as a positive and solution-oriented leader and role model. Create and maintain a learning environment where the development of employees is a priority.
• Build strong and effective working relationships with key cross-functional partners.
• Align resources appropriately within own team and cross-functionally to build an organization that is set up for success.
• Think strategically, conceptually and creatively -must have, and be able to articulate, a vision that is sharable by all key stakeholders.
• Strong Business Acumen; expert knowledge of financial measurements and how to impact them. Identify areas of the business that need attention and have the ability to analyze the details when appropriate.
• Demonstrate agility in leadership style and flexibility of approach; has the ability to think strategically (high-level) and tactically (to drive execution).
• Must be the market-facing expert for the business (competitive and customer). Must be consumer centric and lead the teams to make decisions based on our customers wants eeds.
• Strong gut instinct and passion for product; take smart risks and be innovative.
• Highly skilled collaborator who consistently finds the balance between shared purpose and healthy conflict; open-minded to and interested in others' opinions.

Who you are

• Experience in an apparel product brand as a business leader with major business driving functions i.e., IM, Merchandising, Stores, etc.
• 10-15+ years of retail experience, varies depending on type of experience.
• 10+ years of management experience
• Bachelor's degree preferred.

Benefits at Athleta

• Merchandise discount for our brands: 50% off regular-priced merchandise at Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Athleta, and 30% off at Outlet.
• One of the most competitive Paid Time Off plans in the industry.*
• Employees can take up to five "on the clock" hours each month to volunteer at a charity of their choice.*
• Extensive 401(k) plan with company matching for contributions up to four percent of an employee's base pay.*
• Employee stock purchase plan.*
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance.*
• See more of the benefits we offer.

*For eligible employees