Senior Director, Assortment Planning & Modeling

Job Summary

The Senior Director, Assortment Planning & Modeling is responsible for defining and executing the enterprise assortment strategy across all channels, categories, and customer segments while leading the transformation from traditional planning methodologies to AI-powered decision-making.

The Senior Director, Assortment Planning & Modeling is responsible for defining and executing the enterprise assortment strategy across all channels, categories, and customer segments while leading the transformation from traditional planning methodologies to AI-powered decision-making. This leader owns the development of advanced assortment optimization capabilities, predictive modeling, machine learning applications, and AI-driven decision support tools that improve inventory productivity, customer satisfaction, sales growth, and profitability.

The role serves as the strategic bridge between Merchandising, Inventory Planning & Replenishment, Data Science, Supply Chain, Finance, and Technology to ensure product assortments are continuously optimized through intelligent automation, predictive analytics and scalable governance frameworks. The Senior Director will lead and develop a high-performing team focused on building next-generation capabilities that enable the organization to place the right products in the right locations at the right time with minimal manual intervention.

• Enterprise Assortment Strategy
• Develop and execute the long-term enterprise assortment strategy.
• Define category-specific assortment frameworks across all product lines.
• Establish localized assortment strategies based on customer, vehicle, demographic, and market demand characteristics.
• Lead SKU rationalization initiatives to improve inventory productivity and profitability.
• Develop lifecycle management processes for new item introductions, product substitutions, supersessions, and obsolescence.
• Partner with Merchandising leadership to align assortment decisions with enterprise growth objectives.
• Advanced Analytics & Optimization
• Leverage predictive modeling, machine learning, and optimization techniques to improve assortment decisions and inventory placement.
• Develop analytical models that identify assortment gaps, duplication, cannibalization, and expansion opportunities.
• Implement data-driven frameworks that anticipate customer demand shifts and emerging market trends.
• Enable intelligent recommendation engines that support planners with scalable, explainable decision support.
• Drive autonomous assortment recommendations through advanced optimization engines.
• Establish AI governance processes that ensure explainability, transparency, and trust in automated recommendations.
• Continuously improve algorithm accuracy through feedback loops and performance monitoring.
• Advanced Modeling & Data Science
• Lead development of predictive models supporting assortment, demand forecasting, inventory placement, and network optimization.
• Develop customer segmentation models that improve assortment localization.
• Establish digital twins and simulation capabilities to evaluate assortment scenarios before implementation.
• Utilize machine learning techniques to optimize SKU productivity and category performance.
• Build analytical frameworks that quantify the financial impact of assortment decisions.
• Partner with technology teams to operationalize advanced models into business workflows.
• Intelligent Systems Transformation Leadership
• Develop and execute a multi-year roadmap of assortment planning through analytics and intelligent automation.
• Drive organizational change management and adoption of AI-driven decision-making.
• Transition planning teams from transactional analysis to strategic exception management.
• Establish governance processes that balance automation with human oversight.
• Build organizational capability around AI literacy and advanced analytics.
• Create a culture that embraces experimentation, continuous learning, and innovation.
• Network & Market Optimization
• Define assortment strategies by distribution center, market, store cluster, customer segment, and channel.
• Optimize inventory placement across the supply chain network.
• Identify…