Katie Ritzman
Kenosha,WI
Summary
Results-driven merchandising manager with expertise in strategic planning, cross-functional teamwork, and decision-making. Proven track record in driving business growth and fostering collaboration to achieve departmental goals.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Manager - Merchandising Women's Intimates
Jockey International, Inc
06.2019 - Current
- Analyze market trends to inform product development and marketing strategies effectively.
- Leverage data and analytics to make informed decisions and drive business goals.
- Manage product development costs to keep within budget and hit margin goals.
- Achieve departmental goals by developing and executing strategic plans and performance metrics.
- Identify and communicate customer needs to supply chain leaders and quality teams.
- Lead cross-functional teams to achieve project goals, fostering collaboration and innovation.
- Developed a strong company culture focused on employee engagement, collaboration, and continuous learning opportunities.
- Mentored junior team members, fostering a pipeline of future leaders within the organization.
- Established team priorities, maintained schedules and monitored performance.
- Cultivated positive rapport with fellow employees to boost company morale and promote employee retention.
Merchandiser 2
Jockey International, Inc
11.2015 - 06.2019
- Drove growth, productivity, and profitability of the Target and Walmart product lines across genders and categories.
- Performed in depth competitive and business trend analysis and presented the findings to cross-functional teams.
- Provided market intelligence with supporting data to identify new seasonal line opportunities through product brief construction.
- Managed development, planning, and initial forecasting of product assortments.
- Ensured all products and components were aligned with global brand strategy standards.
Merchandiser 1
Jockey International, Inc.
12.2013 - 11.2015
- Collaborated with cross-functional team to devise product strategy for Target and Walmart, ensuring alignment across gender and category segments.
- Accountable for PLM System data accuracy and timeliness on a daily basis.
- Maintained merchandising calendars and attended weekly Critical Path Planning meetings with follow through on actionable outcomes.
- Worked collaboratively with Marketing, Product Development, and Design Teams to support development of product strategies.
- Responsible for style-color-size sales analysis and providing line performance recommendations.
- Developed planograms to optimize product line performance within designated space.
Portfolio Brands Coordinator
Jockey International, Inc.
11.2012 - 12.2013
- Provided administrative support to a cross-functional team of 10 sales and merchandising professionals.
- Coordinated cross-departmental communication and meetings to streamline project workflows and enhance collaboration.
- Managed preparation for sell-in of product launches, ensuring presentation materials were well organized and prepared.
- Maintained team filing system and developed materials to improve team performance and adherence to company policies.
- Implemented process improvements, increasing overall efficiency within the department.
Vendor Relations Coordinator
EImprovement.com
11.2009 - 10.2012
- Spearheaded the Vendor Relations role to create good will with key vendors in the home improvement market, including plumbing, lighting, and door hardware.
- Managed over 200 vendor relationships, ensuring compliance with company standards and policies.
- Conducted market research to identify new vendors and assess product offerings.
- Worked alongside senior management as a buyer at industry trade shows.
- Supervised the marketing team and oversaw site-wide promotions.
- Generated and analyzed sales data to monitor vendor performance.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Sociology
Edgewood College
Madison01-2009
Skills
- Team leadership
- Decision-making
- Verbal and written communication
- Complex Problem-solving
- Task delegation
- Relationship building
- Strategic planning
- Cross-functional teamwork
- Product management
- Coaching and mentoring
- Change management
Timeline
Manager - Merchandising Women's Intimates
Jockey International, Inc
06.2019 - Current
Merchandiser 2
Jockey International, Inc
11.2015 - 06.2019
Merchandiser 1
Jockey International, Inc.
12.2013 - 11.2015
Portfolio Brands Coordinator
Jockey International, Inc.
11.2012 - 12.2013
Vendor Relations Coordinator
EImprovement.com
11.2009 - 10.2012
Bachelor of Science - Sociology
Edgewood College