Megan Valentine
Plain City,OH
Summary
Dynamic merchandise planning leader with a track record of driving over $50M in product categories. Successfully increased inventory productivity by 20% and generated multimillion-dollar sales through strategic planning and data-driven insights. Collaborates effectively with cross-functional teams to enhance business performance.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Merchandise Planner
Frontgate
Cincinnati, USA
06.2021 - Current
- Lead merchandise planning and financial strategy for a $50M product category, balancing sales growth, inventory productivity, customer demand, and profitability.
- Develop annual and seasonal sales, inventory, receipt, and margin plans aligned with corporate financial objectives.
- Direct monthly Open-to-Buy (OTB) reviews, reforecasting sales and inventory at department, category, and SKU levels to optimize inventory investment.
- Increased store demand by 20% during Q1 through strategic assortment optimization and inventory planning.
- Analyzed historical performance and customer trends to identify opportunities for improved forecast accuracy and profitable growth.
- Developed promotional, pricing, and markdown strategies to maximize sales and protect gross margin.
- Partner with Marketing and Digital Commerce teams to improve product visibility, site navigation, and customer conversion using Google Analytics and merchandising performance metrics.
- Collaborated with domestic and international suppliers to manage tariff impacts and mitigate supply chain disruptions, ensuring inventory flow aligned with financial targets.
- Led enterprise planning during implementation of a new merchandise planning system, driving adoption, process improvements, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Lead and mentor planning team while partnering with Buying, Allocation, Marketing, Finance, and Supply Chain teams to execute strategic initiatives.
Buyer
DSW
Columbus, USA
08.2013 - 05.2021
- Managed merchandising and financial strategies supporting over $100M in annual sales across retail stores and e-commerce channels.
- Negotiated inventory commitments and product strategies with national athletic brands and private-label vendors, enhancing overall profitability.
- Developed omnichannel inventory strategies that boosted product availability and enriched customer experience.
- Expanded online assortments, generating more than $500,000 in incremental e-commerce revenue.
- Introduced sustainability-focused products and packaging initiatives that generated an additional $250,000 in fourth-quarter sales while strengthening customer loyalty.
- Identified process improvements that streamlined planning and supported profitable growth.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration - Marketing & Retail Merchandising
Ohio University, College of Business
Athens, OhioSkills
- Open-to-Buy (OTB) Management
- Inventory Planning & Analysis
- Financial Forecasting
- Gross Margin Optimization
- Promotional & Markdown Strategy
- Omnichannel Retail Strategy
- Supply Chain Management
- Process improvement
- Team Leadership & Development
Timeline
Senior Merchandise Planner
Frontgate
06.2021 - Current
Buyer
DSW
08.2013 - 05.2021
Bachelor of Business Administration - Marketing & Retail Merchandising
Ohio University, College of Business