Katarzyna Nowak

+48 12 555 4782 | katarzyna.nowak@email.com | ul. Słoneczna 47, 31-994 Kraków | linkedin.com/in/katarzyna-nowak-retail

SENIOR EXECUTIVE PROFILE

Strategic retail operations executive with 20+ years of progressive leadership experience driving merchandise operations, profitability optimization, and organizational transformation across multi-billion dollar retail enterprises. Proven expertise in developing and executing comprehensive merchandising strategies, space planning initiatives, and pricing optimization programs that deliver sustainable revenue growth and margin expansion. Distinguished track record of building high-performing teams, implementing advanced inventory management systems, and leading large-scale change management initiatives across complex retail environments.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Vice President, Merchandise Operations
RetailCore Solutions | Warsaw, Poland | January 2021 – Present

Lead end-to-end merchandise operations for a $3.2B retail organization with 450+ locations, overseeing category management, space planning, inventory optimization, pricing strategy, and allocation functions across all channels. Direct a team of 85+ professionals including directors of planning, merchandising, and operations.

• Spearheaded comprehensive pricing optimization initiative that improved gross margin by 340 basis points while maintaining competitive positioning, generating $47M in incremental annual profit
• Redesigned space management and planogram processes, implementing advanced space planning tools that increased sales per square foot by 18% and reduced out-of-stock incidents by 32%
• Led digital transformation of merchandise operations, integrating e-commerce and brick-and-mortar inventory management systems to enable omnichannel fulfillment capabilities
• Developed and executed private label brand strategy that expanded house brand penetration from 12% to 28% of total sales, delivering higher margin mix
• Implemented demand forecasting and planning system leveraging predictive analytics, reducing excess inventory by $62M while improving in-stock rates to 96.5%
• Orchestrated organizational redesign initiative, restructuring merchandise operations team to enhance cross-functional collaboration and accelerate decision-making

Vice President, Merchandising and Planning
EuroRetail Group | Wrocław, Poland | March 2017 – December 2020

Directed merchandising, allocation, and demand planning functions for specialty retail division generating $1.8B in annual revenue. Managed category management, assortment planning, and inventory optimization across 8 product categories and 280 stores.

• Drove category management transformation that optimized product assortment mix, resulting in 22% increase in inventory turns and $38M reduction in working capital requirements
• Implemented advanced allocation and stock replenishment system, improving product flow efficiency and reducing markdowns by 15%
• Led cross-functional team in developing and launching new pricing strategy framework, establishing price architecture and promotional calendar that increased promotional effectiveness by 27%
• Built strategic business partnering model between merchandising and supply chain organizations, reducing lead times by 19 days and improving speed-to-market
• Championed leadership development program for high-potential merchandising talent, reducing voluntary turnover among key positions by 41%

Director, Space Planning and Merchandising Operations
Merkury Distribution | Gdańsk, Poland | June 2013 – February 2017

Managed space planning, visual merchandising, and product presentation standards for consumer goods retailer with 320 locations. Oversaw team of 22 space planners and merchandising specialists supporting multiple product categories.

• Redesigned space management methodology and planogram development process, reducing planogram creation time by 35% while improving execution compliance to 94%
• Led implementation of space planning technology platform, enabling data-driven space allocation decisions and improving category productivity by 16%
• Developed comprehensive product presentation standards and visual merchandising guidelines adopted across entire store portfolio
• Partnered with store operations leadership to enhance merchandising execution capabilities, implementing training programs that improved planogram compliance scores by 28 points

Senior Manager, Inventory Planning and Optimization
PolskaTrade Retail | Poznań, Poland | August 2009 – May 2013

Led inventory management and demand planning for sportswear and athletic categories representing $450M in annual sales. Managed team of 8 planners responsible for forecasting, allocation, and replenishment across 180 stores.

• Implemented inventory optimization model that reduced inventory investment by 18% while maintaining 95%+ in-stock performance on key items
• Developed demand forecasting processes incorporating promotional planning, seasonal trends, and regional preferences, improving forecast accuracy by 23%
• Created allocation strategies for new store openings and remodels, ensuring optimal initial inventory investment and faster ramp to productivity

Manager, Category Management
Handlowa Polska | Łódź, Poland | January 2006 – July 2009

Managed category planning and assortment development for sports equipment and accessories categories. Conducted profitability analysis, competitive assessments, and market research to inform merchandising strategies.

• Executed category reviews and strategic planning processes that identified $12M in margin expansion opportunities
• Collaborated with marketing operations team to align promotional strategies with inventory positioning and category objectives
• Developed vendor scorecards and performance metrics to drive supplier accountability and optimize vendor mix

EDUCATION

Master of Business Administration, Concentration in Retail Management and Marketing
Warsaw School of Economics | Warsaw, Poland

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Major in Supply Chain Management
Jagiellonian University | Kraków, Poland

CORE COMPETENCIES

Merchandise Operations | Category Management | Space Planning & Optimization | Pricing Strategy & Optimization | Inventory Management | Demand Forecasting & Planning | Allocation & Replenishment | Private Label Development | E-commerce Operations | Supply Chain Integration | Profitability Analysis | Strategic Planning | Change Management | Organizational Design | Leadership Development | Technical Leadership | Brand Strategy | Store Management | Sales Management | Business Partnering

TECHNICAL PROFICIENCIES

Kronos Workforce Management | Advanced Space Planning Software | Planogram Development Tools | Demand Planning Systems | Inventory Optimization Platforms | Pricing Analytics Tools | Retail Merchandise Management Systems