PURPOSE:

The Assortment and Data Analyst provides strategic and tactical support to Corporate, Banner, Region Merchants, Market Centre, and Independent Retailers in the development of the merchandising strategy and support tools, specifically to optimize assortment decisions. Utilize both internal and external data analysis, custom Nielsen tools, and SPINS data to support efficient and accurate item acceptance and item discontinue decisions. Position requires open and proactive communication with Merchants located across UNFI business units. This communication may be in person, but majority of communication will be via phone calls and email. The Assortment and Data Analyst will work closely, and in coordination, with the Corporate Schematics Team to ensure assortment decisions are acted upon in schematics. In addition, position requires close working relationship with SPINS business partners and Nielsen On-Site Team to make informed and trend-right decisions. To be successful in the position, requires balancing assortment analytics with merchandising knowledge, data integration, technical skills, and the understanding of business units go-to-market strategies.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Analyze assortment using a fact base knowledge (consumer/category/competitive insights) to provide recommendations aligned to local market relevance and natural/organic/specialty trends for corporate, banner and region merchandising teams.
• Plans and executes data mining, data integration, trend analysis, report development, and custom analytics for Retailers with multiple disparate point of sale systems.
• Develop an understanding of each business unit's go-to-market strategies and tactics, along with understanding the assortment philosophies of merchants across the company.
• Determine space by schematic, by store working in concert with the schematic analysts.
• Provide analytical insight on space and assortment during the tactical new item acceptance and item discontinue processes, generating a ranked list of potential assortment changes for merchants.
• Develops tracking and reporting to assess sales and margin impacts of assortment choices pre and post assortment changes and becoming the "single source of truth" across the enterprise for assortment and space.
• Make recommendations on localized SKU assortments by helping to manage localized schematics and open communication with down-stream, local banner merchants.
• Provides analysis, insight and support to determine category trends and performance as well as identify strategies and tactics to improve category performance.
• Architecture and integration of data warehouse combining multiple data sources into one model for analyzing and presenting data based on business initiatives or project requests.
• Experience with data extraction, visualization, or analysis/interpretation and the art of data storytelling.
• Proven track record of intellectual curiosity and process improvement/automation and a hunger to develop leading edge reporting solutions.
• Ability to influence and persuade others without authority.
• Conducts consultative and collaborative conversations with merchants and partners who are seeking information or analytical support to help stand-up new analytical workstream for them.
• Capable of working beyond the data to understand the business functions and behaviors of our customers, merchants, and corporate partners.
• Is comfortable in autonomy and ambiguity, while also having the ability to collaborate and innovate with others to quickly bring solutions to life in our ever dynamic and changing environment. 
• Conduct detailed data analysis to support key business initiatives and to foster data driven decision making.
• Eye for detail, accuracy and creativity with the ability to connect disparate information to create a story around the data and solve for obstacles they may encounter along the way.
• Partners with Market Centre, Store Services teams, Technical Services and teammates to execute key projects and initiatives.
• Performs other relevant job duties as required.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Education/ Certifications/or Equivalent combination of education training and experience:

• Bachelor degree in related field required.
• 3+ years of analytical merchandising and/or assortment analysis experience.

Experience: 

• Specializes in data analysis, achieved from either experiential or academic routes.
• Ability to use common reporting and database technologies: Microstrategy, Tableau, Excel, Teradata, and SQL Server.
• Understanding of syndicated data sources preferred (i.e. Nielsen, IRI, SPINS).

Knowledge/ Skills/ Abilities:

• Strong relationship management and collaboration skills.
• Can work effectively as part of a team, including being remote from the team.
• Ability to handle multiple tasks concurrently in a high energy and optimistic manner.
• Comfort with extreme ambiguity.
• Ability to break down multiple data sources to draw conclusions and provide recommendations.
• Understands business drivers and is commercially aware.
• Ability to work across vast amounts of data from different data sources.
• Strong innovation and creative skills.
• Strong bias for action.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT/ DEMANDS: 

• Most work is performed in a temperature-controlled environment.
• Incumbent may sit for long periods of time at desk or computer terminal.
• Incumbent may use calculators, keyboards, telephone, and other office equipment in the course of normal workday.
• Stooping, bending, twisting, and reaching may be required in completion of job duties.
• Position may require some travel.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. UNFI is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive and respectful environment for all. - M/F/Veteran/Disability. VEVRAA Federal Contractor.