Sr Manager Inventory Planning

OVERVIEW

Discover greater levels of performance. With over 1,400 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:

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The Senior Manager, Merchandise Transformation is a strategic leadership role responsible for shaping, leading, and scaling enterprise merchandising transformation capabilities as part of Project Brilliance, Ulta Beauty’s multi‑year transformation journey.  Through Project Brilliance, we unite modern tools and bright thinking to move faster and smarter, modernizing processes, enabling future‑ready capabilities, and empowering teams to deliver smarter decisions that delight guests across every channel, every touchpoint, every product.

 

This role owns a portfolio of transformation initiatives, setting direction, sequencing delivery, and ensuring sustainable adoption across Merchandising, MP&I, Supply Chain, Finance, and Technology. The Senior Manager serves as a trusted thought partner, translating enterprise strategy into prioritized roadmaps while ensuring transformation efforts deliver measurable business value, operational agility, and an improved guest experience.

 

 

YOU'LL ACCOMPLISH THESE GOALS BY:

 

Enterprise Transformation Leadership

• Connect project initiatives directly to the organization’s high-level mission. Focus on design and project delivery aligned to the key strategic benefits. Help stakeholders and project participants understand how project success contributes to the "big picture".
• Adopt a Facilitative Role: Rather than just managing tasks, use facilitation and guide discussions, resolve conflicts, and help teams reach decisions efficiently and proactively. Engage leaders when difficult topics impact timelines. Protect scope expansion and designing for endless variations, assist in focusing the teams on key priorities and business impact.
• Leverage emotional intelligence to identify and address underlying concerns before they stall progress. This includes active listening to understand the true barriers in a partnership. 
• Challenge the status quo and develop innovative solutions. This creates an environment where creativity thrives and team members take ownership of complex problem-solving. 
• Foster communication with cross-functional leaders to insure all business categories are considered.

Strategy-to-Execution Accountability

• Translate transformation vision into multi‑phase execution plans, balancing speed, adoption, and operational stability
• Ensure consistent delivery standards across workstreams, including process design, system implementation, rollout, and stabilization
• Anticipate enterprise‑level risks, dependencies, and change impacts, proactively driving mitigation strategies

 

Change, Adoption & Enablement at Scale

• Set the change management and enablement strategy for assigned transformation domains, ensuring readiness across impacted functions
• Oversee role‑based training and adoption approaches to support sustained behavior change and new ways of working
• Use adoption metrics, performance indicators, and feedback to assess effectiveness and drive continuous improvement

 

Value Realization & Continuous Improvement

• Define and track value realization metrics tied to transformation outcomes (speed, agility, decision quality, inventory health, guest impact)
• Identify opportunities to optimize processes, tools, and governance post‑launch
• Ensure lessons learned from each phase inform future releases and enterprise standards

 

People Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead, develop, and inspire managers and associates through clear direction, coaching, and performance management
• Build transformation capability and bench strength through talent development and knowledge sharing
• Foster a culture that embraces change, accountability, and continuous learning

 

Enterprise Representation & Influence

• Represent Merchandise Transformation in enterprise governance forums, executive working sessions, and cross‑functional initiatives
• Influence decision‑making through data‑driven recommendations and enterprise perspective
• Act as a visible champion of Project Brilliance and modern ways of working

THE ESSENTIALS FOR SUCCESS:

 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

• 8+ years of progressive experience in merchandising, planning, supply chain, business operations, technology, or transformation roles
• 3+ years of people leadership experience, including managing managers preferred
• Deep understanding of end‑to‑end merchandising and planning processes (assortment, inventory, replenishment, forecasting)
• Proven experience leading complex, cross‑functional initiatives with enterprise impact
• Demonstrated ability to lead ambiguity and orchestrate change at scale
• Excellent communication, including the ability to share complex ideas and information across diverse audiences in a clear and succinct manner
• Able to influence, advise, and lead a large number of cross-functional players across levels
• Highly organized, solution-oriented, and able to prioritize in a dynamic environment.
• Forward-thinking, results driven, and inclusive, encouraging innovation and diverse ideas.

• Experience leading large-scale system or planning transformations
• Familiarity with AI enabled planning, analytics, or modern merchandising platforms
• Exposure to formal change-management methodologies

 

The pay range for this position is $119,300.00 - $162,000.00 / Year with the opportunity for eligible associates to earn additional compensation pursuant to the Company’s bonus plan. Exact pay will be based on factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, level, shift, geographic location, and business and organizational needs. Full-time positions are eligible for paid time off, health, dental, vision, life and disability benefits. Part-time positions are eligible for dental, vision, life, and disability benefits. For additional information concerning our benefits, visit our Benefits and Career Development page: https://learn.bswift.com/ulta

ABOUT

At Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA), the possibilities are beautiful. Ulta Beauty is the largest North American beauty retailer and the premier beauty destination for cosmetics, fragrance, skin care products, hair care products and salon services. We bring possibilities to life through the power of beauty each and every day in our stores and online with more than 25,000 products from approximately 500 well-established and emerging beauty brands across all categories and price points, including Ulta Beauty’s own private label. Ulta Beauty also offers a full-service salon in every store featuring—hair, skin, brow, and make-up services.

 

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of any applicable state and local laws, including the City of Los Angeles’ Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act.