Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Jillian Yannette

Mahwah,NJ

Summary

Strategic Vice President of Inventory Planning & Business Analytics with over 15 years in driving inventory strategy for multi-billion-dollar omnichannel retailers. Expertise in optimizing inventory investments, enhancing product availability, and maximizing gross margin through data-driven planning. Skilled in leading cross-functional teams and collaborating with Executive Leadership to align inventory strategy with financial goals.

Overview

15
15
years of professional experience

Work History

Vice President, Inventory Planning & Merchandise Business Analytics

The Children’s Place
Secaucus, NJ
03.2026 - Current
  • Reduced company inventory investment by -30% over last year while improving full-price sell-through and maintaining 90%+ in-stock performance, strengthening inventory productivity
  • Direct inventory strategies supporting 500+ stores, E-Commerce, and marketplace channels, balancing sales growth, margin, and inventory productivity
  • Spearheaded the modernization of inventory planning systems, implementing advanced capabilities for size curve optimization, lost sales analytics, and store segmentation that enhanced forecasting accuracy, allocation precision, and executive decision-making
  • Lead 15 inventory planning professionals to enhance team effectiveness and drive strategic initiatives
  • Developed executive reporting and business analytics for C-suite leadership, facilitating data-driven decision-making
  • Created executive dashboards that increased visibility into sales, inventory, margin, and forecast performance, supporting strategic planning
  • Direct inventory strategy supporting $500M+ in annual inventory investment
  • Lead organizational transformation, redesigning the planning structure and implementing offshore planning resources

Senior Director, Inventory Planning

The Children’s Place
Secaucus, NJ
02.2024 - 03.2026
  • Lead strategic initiatives within Inventory Planning, supporting all team members with clear communication and appropriate timelines
  • Optimized inventory across e-commerce and store channels, maintaining over 95% in-stock rate.
  • Drove top line financial targets by implementing inventory strategies aligning team efforts
  • Implemented liquidation strategies, achieving inventory reduction and cost savings over two years
  • Partnered with finance and logistics teams to develop accurate inventory plans, reducing expenses
  • Participate in weekly reporting and discussion with executive leadership team, presenting state of the business as well as risks and opportunities for inventory-related strategies
  • Oversaw evolving Gymboree business, leading the inventory and tiering strategy for all new stores
  • Built store segmentation strategies to help fuel our stores business

Director, Inventory Planning

The Children’s Place
Secaucus, NJ
04.2022 - 02.2024
  • Lead and build inventory allocation strategies for 650 US and Canada stores across all divisions, identifying and communicating potential risks and opportunities to the cross-functional teams and senior leadership
  • Managed team of seven, including two managers and five planners, ensuring clarity of weekly priorities and execution of strategies aligned with topline objectives
  • Developed a rolling 12-month inventory model for the distribution center and brick-and-mortar stores, projected inventory ownership in each location by planning weekly allocations, distribution center shipments, and accounting for labor capacity and inbounding inventory.
  • Oversaw closing store strategies from liquidation start to last business day; led weekly cross-functional meetings, provided projected sell-through plans, managed inventory transfers, and dictated pricing actions to maximize profit margin
  • Cultivated cross-functional partnerships with visual, merchandising, merchandise planning, logistics, and store operations teams to enhance collaboration and strategy execution

Manager, Inventory Planning

The Children’s Place
Secaucus, NJ
05.2018 - 04.2022
  • Manage a team of four planners overseeing the Girls divisions, responsible for all initial and flow replenishment to both US and Canada stores as well as supporting the E-Commerce business
  • Balance sales to inventory levels in season utilizing historical sales data to project future store need
  • Facilitated weekly meetings with cross-functional teams to discuss business updates, inventory levels, and store-specific insights
  • Partner with DC team to create omni-channel inventory process to allow for increased flexibility in inventory movement between Ecom and Stores
  • Lead all inventory transfer projects across channels for both fashion and basics
  • Hold weekly touch bases with direct reports to drive open communication about personal development, goals, and business priorities
  • Built in-season tools to identify opportunities for optimizing store inventory levels and enhancing accuracy in replenishment allocations
  • Executed store-level hindsight analysis for key programs to identify wins and opportunities, influencing future buys and sharing insights with cross-functional teams

Manager, Merchandise Planning

Gap, Inc.
New York, NY
04.2017 - 05.2018
  • Managed the financial success of divisions by meeting sales, gross margin, and inventory turn goals
  • Oversaw in-season allocation, replenishment, promotions, and markdowns to optimize inventory performance
  • Executed monthly open to buy forecast to guide inventory decisions
  • Influenced product strategies pre-season to maximize top line sales, gross margin, and customer loyalty by providing divisional feedback and business recaps to the global team per season, per flow
  • Supervised and approved initial inventory releases; ensured consistent and profitable in-season replenishment
  • Maintained the pricing architecture that is in line with the global strategy as well as the local market positioning
  • Facilitated analysis and cross-functional partnerships to identify size selling and geographic opportunities, ensuring execution of strategies
  • Analyzed and recapped actual sales results down to the division/category level
  • Coached and trained planners to identify key learnings and develop future strategies

Merchandise Planning and Allocation Manager

Party City Corporation
Rockaway, NJ
05.2016 - 04.2017
  • Managed end to end merchandise planning and allocation for US and Canada stores as well as E-Commerce
  • Delivered comprehensive sales analysis of seasonal buy plans to senior leadership and executive team, informing strategic decisions
  • Analyzed in-season business to identify sales opportunities and optimize inventory levels, ensuring healthy margins
  • Created excel-based seasonal buy sheets and produced top-down sales plans for multiple division/categories
  • Presented in open to buy meetings and financial reviews for Seasonal divisions with cross functional team
  • Partnered with merchandising team to offer APS recommendations on new items, enhancing product assortment
  • Supervised new store process to ensure accurate inventory levels based on volume projections
  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to implement a new-hire training program

Senior Merchandise Planner

Party City Corporation
Rockaway, NJ
03.2015 - 05.2016

Merchandise Planner

Party City Corporation
Rockaway, NJ
08.2013 - 03.2015

Allocation Analyst

Party City Corporation
Rockaway, NJ
04.2011 - 08.2013

Education

M.B.A. - Business Administration

William Paterson University
Wayne, NJ
05-2011

B.S. - Business Administration, Marketing and Management

William Paterson University
Wayne, NJ
05-2009

Skills

  • Inventory management
  • Inventory optimization
  • Forecasting techniques
  • JDA allocation
  • Business intelligence and dashboards
  • IBM Cognos Analytics
  • Data analysis
  • Advanced Microsoft Excel

Timeline

Vice President, Inventory Planning & Merchandise Business Analytics

The Children’s Place
03.2026 - Current

Senior Director, Inventory Planning

The Children’s Place
02.2024 - 03.2026

Director, Inventory Planning

The Children’s Place
04.2022 - 02.2024

Manager, Inventory Planning

The Children’s Place
05.2018 - 04.2022

Manager, Merchandise Planning

Gap, Inc.
04.2017 - 05.2018

Merchandise Planning and Allocation Manager

Party City Corporation
05.2016 - 04.2017

Senior Merchandise Planner

Party City Corporation
03.2015 - 05.2016

Merchandise Planner

Party City Corporation
08.2013 - 03.2015

Allocation Analyst

Party City Corporation
04.2011 - 08.2013

M.B.A. - Business Administration

William Paterson University

B.S. - Business Administration, Marketing and Management

William Paterson University
Jillian Yannette