Director, Costing Excellence

Location: Bengaluru

Job Title:

Director, Costing Excellence, Fashion Sourcing

Location:

Flexible – India/Vietnam

At Walmart, our fashion business thrives on delivering on-trend, high-quality apparel at everyday low prices. The key to our success is ensuring every product meets rigorous cost standards while reflecting our commitment to value, quality, and innovation. We are looking for a strategic, collaborative leader to join our team as Director, Costing Excellence for Fashion Sourcing.

About Costing
Are you ready to join a dynamic team where your expertise in cost management makes an impact every day? We are embarking on an exciting journey—driving innovation, transparency, and best-in-class practices to deliver exceptional apparel value for our customers. We’re focused on empowering associates, fostering a collaborative environment, and elevating Walmart Fashion through strategic cost leadership. If you’re passionate about fashion and operational excellence, we would love for you to join us!

Position Summary
As the  Director, Costing Excellence  for Walmart’s Fashion Sourcing, you will lead the overall costing strategy, vision, and execution for all apparel categories. You will be responsible for driving margin improvement, cost transparency, and value delivery across Walmart’s expansive fashion assortment. This role is responsible for partnering with leaders across Merchandising, Sourcing, Product Development, and other cross-functioned partners to ensure world-class cost management and support Walmart’s mission of providing quality fashion at unbeatable prices.

Key responsibilities:

Set and lead the costing strategy :
Develop, communicate, and execute the overarching costing strategy for the Fashion Department, ensuring alignment with business and financial objectives.
Champion innovation and analytics :
Establish robust & transparent costing & capacity frameworks, tools, and processes to drive end to end Value unlock
Drive supplier negotiations  Oversee & drive complex cost negotiations with key suppliers and manufacturers, leveraging market intelligence and industry benchmarks.
Monitor industry trends :
Analyze industry trends, raw material markets, and global sourcing environments to anticipate risks and identify cost-saving opportunities.
Present insights and strategies :
Present cost strategies, insights, and recommendations to senior leadership and key stakeholders.
Champion innovation:  Drive advancements in costing practices, data analytics, and supplier partnerships to maintain Walmart’s competitive edge in fashion.
Partner across functions :
Partner with Merchandising, Product Development, Sourcing, and cross-functional leaders to optimize cost structures, drive margin improvements, and support strategic initiatives.
Build and mentor a high-performing team :
Lead, mentor, and develop the costing team fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.
You’ll sweep us off our feet if:
You are passionate about fashion, retail, and cost optimization.
You have a talent for building strong relationships across all levels—internal teams and external partners.
You blend creativity with analytical rigor, using data and insight to drive business decisions.
You’re confident in communicating priorities and influencing stakeholders in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
You thrive on ownership, autonomy, and the challenge of achieving ambitious goals.
You’ll make an impact if you have:
Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Business, Industrial Engineering, Finance, Supply Chain, Fashion Merchandising, or related field (MBA or advanced degree preferred).
10+ years of progressive experience in costing, sourcing, supply chain, or financial management within apparel/fashion retail with additional experience of manufacturing operations.
Demonstrated leadership managing teams and complex projects in fast-paced, matrixed environments
Proven leadership in managing large, cross-functional teams and strategic initiatives
Experience developing enterprise-wide costing strategies and frameworks
Deep expertise in cost modeling, supplier negotiation, and strategic sourcing.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with proficiency in AI-driven costing, costing tools, and enterprise systems.
Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder management abilities.
Comprehensive knowledge of global sourcing markets, supplier management, and fashion industry trends.
Strategic orientation and ability to craft compelling narratives for business partners.
Strong AI and technology orientation, with advanced digital analytical skills.
Proven negotiation and communication skills across diverse stakeholders.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Suite.
Project management and planning expertise.