Summary
Overview
Work History
Skills
Timeline
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Kristen Kessler

Washougal,WA

Summary

Dynamic retail leader with 20 years of experience in analytics, inventory management, and strategic planning. Proficient in leveraging tools such as Power BI and Snowflake to generate actionable insights that enhance business performance. Expertise in managing KPIs, optimizing operational efficiency, and producing executive-level reports. Committed to fostering collaboration across teams and aligning strategies with organizational goals while advocating for sustainability initiatives.

Overview

28
28
years of professional experience

Work History

Sr. Manager, Inventory Management

Rejuvenation
Portland, OR
12.2023 - Current
  • Developed and implemented tools and processes to track business performance metrics, enabling data-driven planning and decision-making
  • Created top-down and bottom-up sales, margin, inventory turn, and SKU productivity plans to align with company objectives
  • Delivered comprehensive financial forecasts and inventory reports to senior management, ensuring alignment with strategic goals
  • Mentored and developed a high-performing inventory planning team, achieving key performance indicators across categories and channels

Merchandise Manager / Sr. Inventory Planner

Thrasio
Washougal, WA
10.2021 - 09.2023
  • Utilized Power BI to produce tailored performance reports, uncovering trends and providing actionable insights to the merchandising team
  • Monitored KPIs for 14 brands and 300+ unique items, improving forecast accuracy by 15% through demand planning optimizations
  • Led strategic assortment planning across multiple channels, achieving a 10% improvement in inventory turnover rates
  • Partnered cross-functionally with supply chain and marketing teams to align inventory plans with promotional campaigns

Director of Demand Planning and Purchasing

Filson
Seattle, WA
10.2014 - 03.2021
  • Spearheaded the 5-year strategic plan, including financial forecasting, growth projections, and category-level allocation strategies
  • Developed and presented executive-level sales and profitability reports to the Board of Directors
  • Led ERP system implementation (D365), enhancing process efficiency by 20% through strategic planning and cross-functional training
  • Oversaw Open-to-Buy (OTB) planning, optimizing budget allocations and achieving margin targets

National Buy Planner

Nordstrom
Seattle, WA
03.2010 - 04.2014
  • Analyzed inventory trends and created detailed reporting to drive strategic planning and profitability
  • Partnered closely with buyers to optimize stock levels, achieving a 95% fulfillment rate during high-demand periods
  • Managed markdown strategies and vendor relations, improving margin by 12% year-over-year

Various Roles

Nordstrom
Seattle, WA
02.1997 - 03.2010
  • Progressed through multiple roles in planning, purchasing, and operations, consistently exceeding sales and profitability goals

Skills

  • Power BI
  • Snowflake
  • Google Analytics
  • Strategic Executive Presentations
  • Data Analysis Reports
  • Sustainable Practices
  • Business decisions
  • Alignment with Organizational Values
  • Data-driven decision making
  • Talent development
  • Cross-functional team coordination
  • Strategic planning
  • Channel Performance Analytics

Timeline

Sr. Manager, Inventory Management

Rejuvenation
12.2023 - Current

Merchandise Manager / Sr. Inventory Planner

Thrasio
10.2021 - 09.2023

Director of Demand Planning and Purchasing

Filson
10.2014 - 03.2021

National Buy Planner

Nordstrom
03.2010 - 04.2014

Various Roles

Nordstrom
02.1997 - 03.2010

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Kristen Kessler