Manager, Athleta Merch Ops and DPC

About the Role

Results-driven Merchandising Operations professional and transformational leader serving as the strategic bridge between merchandising strategy and execution. Expert in seasonal calendar governance, process optimization, and digital product creation, ensuring operational excellence, alignment, and accountability across cross-functional teams. Skilled in leading transformational initiatives, implementing new systems and tools, and driving efficiencies in product-to-market workflows. Trusted partner to merchandising leadership with a proven ability to manage complex projects, streamline processes, and champion digital innovation (3D, AI, and DPC systems). Recognized for strong organizational rigor, change leadership, and the ability to influence and collaborate across all levels of the organization.

What You'll Do

Objective:
Merch Ops & DPC serves as the critical link between merchandising strategy and execution, ensuring alignment, accountability, and operational excellence across the business.

Seasonal Calendar & Milestone Governance

• Build and maintain the merchandising seasonal product development calendar, capturing all deliverables (not just milestones).

• Drive a proactive problem-solving mindset before issues reach broader teams.

• Manage follow-ups, recaps, shifts, and communications.

• Ensure milestone clarity, accountability, and support with prep as needed.

• Track and report milestone progress, highlighting risks and dependencies.

Process Enablement, Optimization, & Transformation

• Drive implementation of new transformational processes & ways of working inclusive of new systems and tools that enable merchants to operate effectively (e.g. Indigo X Speed, Visual Assorting Tool)

• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and align changes with senior leadership.

• Manage cross-functional process dependencies, particularly with Merch Planning, Design, and Marketing.

• Reduce cycle times in assortment creation through efficiency gains and new tools.

Assortment & Line Plan Governance

• Create templates, tools, and timelines for line planning and assortment creation.

• Manage cross-functional inputs into the assortment process.

• Support merchant teams with “line plan readiness” checkpoints, inclusive of cc targeting work

• Validate that line plans align with financial targets and strategic goals.

Digital Product Creation

• Support development and integration of digital ways of working with the Merchandising teams and into the P2M calendar

• Develop training materials & lead training sessions for Merchandising teams and identify areas of further upskilling

• Help develop a strong DPC onboarding experience that allows for high user system adoption & skill levels across Merch

• Champion 3D & AI usage in CST and support Merchants in execution

• Lead integration of DPC related systems to enable Merch capabilities, e.g. Product DAM solution

• Identify & track DPC asset KPI’s, progress, and deliverables

Product Data & Systems Stewardship

• Own configuration setup (attributes, hierarchy, ISD/Markdown dates).

• Partner with IT/PDM teams to drive merchandising system enhancements.

• Troubleshoot data/system issues affecting go-to-market.

• Define and enforce data governance rules.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Act as liaison between Merchandising and Planning, Sourcing, Tech, and Supply Chain.

• Facilitate alignment meetings and decision-making forums.

• Lead handoff meetings to ensure readiness at each stage.

• Represent Merchandising in strategic initiatives (e.g., ABBF, Speed, Localization, Data Governance).

• Ensure preparedness for key seasonal handoffs.

Project & Change Management

• Lead new system implementations and process transformation initiatives.

• Drive effective change management across all levels of the organization.

Leadership Support & Thought Partnership

• Serve as a trusted partner to merchandising leadership.

• Act as a functional expert to resolve roadblocks, optimize processes, and enable cross-functional alignment.

Who You Are

• 4+ years of Merchandising experience – understands critical role of the merchant, workload drivers, cross-functional dependencies

• Knowledge of product to market development cycles, timelines, and dependencies to create, develop and deliver product to customer, specifically related to Merch deliverables and accountabilities

• Exposure to digital tools (e.g. Clo & AI) and impacts to Merchandising.  High learning agility to embrace digital ways of working and upskill on tools to proficient levels

• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to drive operational rigor

• Proven track record in leading others to execute on an aligned business strategy driving results for Brand

• Thrives in agile environment with a strong ability to manage and navigate competing priorities

• Superior interpersonal skills - works well as part of a cross-functional team and able to influence and interact at all levels of the organization including interfacing regularly with senior/executive leadership team