Josef Plecha
Cleveland,Ohio
Summary
Experienced merchandising professional with over 9 years industry experience managing multimillion-dollar budgets and leading teams. Proven track record in launching eCommerce platforms and expanding market presence. Skilled in integrating customer preferences and enhancing regional sales.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Director of Merchandising
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
07.2021 - 06.2024
- Managed and created an $83M budget and a 400K unit inventory strategy by leveraging consumer insights and competitor data to identify market opportunities
- Contributed to the corporate playbook laddering up to CEO given directives
- Led a team of six merchants, driving the development and execution of product strategies for the A&F brand in Asia, resulting in +22% comparable sales and improved market penetration in China, Hong Kong and Japan
- Presented the state of the business to the CEO and CFO on a weekly basis
- Presented quarterly product and investment pitch to Managing Director as well as monthly plan reconciliation strategies
- Led a cross-functional team of planning, marketing, and Ecom to develop the monthly Go To Market strategy resulting in a cohesive and agile OMNI product and promotional calendar
- Expanded market presence by launching two new E-Commerce platforms, one new activewear brand, and opening 5 new stores in China and Hong Kong
- Directly communicated with District Managers of all stores in Asia to better understand our customers and to increase store productivity
Senior Merchant
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
11.2019 - 07.2021
- Managed and trained a team of four merchants responsible for men’s denim, pants, and shorts
- Responsible for a $52M budget reporting into the director of men’s bottoms
- Quarterly factory visits to approve fabrics, washes and colors
- Customer Interactions: Ran 20 customer intimacy events to identify and adjust to customer preferences through focus groups, try-on events, and customer intercepts in 8 cities across the United States
Merchant
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
04.2018 - 11.2019
- Department level strategy creation and daily collaboration with design team to move product forward
- Managed one assistant merchant and two interns
- Patterning and trend shopping lead for total A&F Men’s Team
- Coordinated shopping trips for 35 merchants in the continental United States as well as Europe and Asia
Associate Merchant
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
09.2016 - 04.2018
- Daily correspondence with factories and mills to create products
Assistant Merchant
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
06.2015 - 09.2016
- Daily correspondence with factories and mills to create products
Education
Bachelor of Science - International Business
Miami University
Oxford, OH05-2015
Skills
- Product lifecycle management
- Omnichannel merchandising
- Sales Goal Setting
- Inventory Management
- Customer Insights Analysis
- Marketing Calendar Coordination
- Trend Shopping
- Competitive analysis
- Pricing strategies
- Data-driven decision making
- P&L Review
Timeline
Director of Merchandising
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
07.2021 - 06.2024
Senior Merchant
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
11.2019 - 07.2021
Merchant
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
04.2018 - 11.2019
Associate Merchant
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
09.2016 - 04.2018
Assistant Merchant
Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
06.2015 - 09.2016
Bachelor of Science - International Business
Miami University
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