Merchandise Planning Transformation - Sr Business Process Analyst

Overview REI Co-op is united in finding better ways to work. The goal is to help people discover and enjoy the outdoors. Working for the co-op means doing your best work with support to live well. Employees help shape the future of the outdoors for people and the planet. This role helps REI succeed by supporting the design, validation, and delivery of new business processes and capabilities. These tasks are part of a multi-year Merchandising transformation program. The Senior Business Process Analyst works closely with Business Process Managers, Product Managers, Technology teams, and Change partners. This partnership helps translate future-state designs into clear requirements, testable solutions, and outcomes ready for adoption. The Senior Business Process Analyst plays a key role in future-state solution design, interim-state execution, and business readiness for new capabilities. This role brings exceptional critical skills, process documentation, and business context to ensure transformation efforts support business outcomes and enable REI’s future strategies. The Sr BPA works across multiple workstreams. The Sr BPA helps define processes, develop requirements, test solutions, and support rollouts. The Sr BPA also identifies risks, dependencies, and gaps that could affect delivery or adoption. The Sr BPA will help move work from discussion to decision by clearly framing problems, identifying decision points, and presenting options with recommended paths forward. This role will focus on assortment planning and will ensure alignment with related merchandise planning functions, such as demand planning, allocation and replenishment, merchandise financial planning, supply planning, and space planning. Models and acts in accordance with REI’s guiding values, competencies and mission. Responsibilities and Qualifications Your Planning & Navigating Requirements (the plans the job is responsible for creating and executing, and how the job ensures they are implemented) Guide and join business process design workshops. Advocate for business users. Help translate industry-leading practices in merchandising into practical solutions. Support future‑state and interim‑state process design by translating stakeholder input into workflow documentation with judgment points, inputs/outputs, and role responsibilities. Translate workshop outputs and design recommendations into lasting artifacts. These include process flows, requirements, user stories, assumptions, and open questions. Maintain documentation as designs change during iterative delivery. Partner with Business Process Managers, Product Managers, and Technology & Solution partners. Translate business needs into requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria. Take ownership in ambiguous situations by creating structure, defining next steps, and moving work forward; proactively identify gaps, risks, and dependencies and take action to address them. Support backlog refinement and prioritization by clarifying scope, dependencies, and readiness. Review functional and non‑functional requirements to ensure alignment to agreed business design. Identify design risks, tradeoffs and dependencies and formulate a recommendation to bring to Business Process Managers for escalation or decision making. Create and maintain clear, decision-ready content to support leadership decision making. Include process summaries, options, trade-offs, risks, and assumptions. Provide concise status updates to enable timely alignment and informed recommendations. Develop and execute test cases; coordinate and support User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and business simulations in partnership with Program team. Partner with Change and Training leads to support documentation, job aids, and training content needed for rollout. Help identify adoption risks and gaps in readiness related to process, data, or role clarity. Partner closely with Technology teams, external vendors, and cross‑functional stakeholders to support delivery of transformation milestones. Participate in Agile ceremonies and program governance forums as a business contributor. This includes daily stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives, sprint demonstrations, and other required delivery meetings. Ensure accurate representation of business process needs and judgments. Assist in meeting project deadlines, milestones, release dates, and schedules. Proactively manage assigned deliverables and surface risks or dependencies. Support issue resolution as designs and plans evolve. Required Skills & Experience Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Product Design, Retail, Supply Chain, Operations or related field. 3+ years professional experience in assortment planning, Merchandising, product design & development, process improvement or similar for related business units. Advanced computer skills, to include Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Visio, Word, PowerPoint, Project, SharePoint), Jira, Confluence. Experience with SAP ECC, enterprise Merchandising solutions such as Oracle, JDA, SAP or similar. Excellence in applying critical rigor & technical proficiency to the business environment. Demonstrated experience with facilitating end-user sessions. Demonstrated ability to self-educate and learn while doing in a highly complex and rapidly changing environment. Proficient presentation materials development and delivery including sr. management presentations. Effective and articulate communication in all modes and all levels in an organization. Knowledge of standard merchandising practices, capabilities and processes. Knowledge of project and portfolio management best practices and methodologies. Purposefully participates and collaborates with others on one's own team and across REI for the achievement of business goals. Flexible in one's viewpoints and positions in order to support the direction taken by others at REI. Uses business knowledge, innovative thinking, and sound judgment in the solution of problems or the pursuit of business opportunities. Consolidates information from various sources including feedback from others to reach sound conclusions. Considers the ultimate impact of conclusions and actions on internal and external customers. Works smart by setting effective work goals, establishing priorities, and planning well in order to produce quality work. Executes effectively by using resources efficiently, meeting deadlines, and keeping others informed of work plans and progress toward goals. Clearly conveys and accurately receives information by a variety of methods and in various situations. Builds rapport with all kinds of people inside and outside the organization. Acts upon opportunities and involves and influences others in the accomplishment of worthwhile organizational goals. Challenges the status quo, champions change and influences others to change. Preferred Qualifications 3+ years of project-oriented experience in Merchandising, Supply Chain, or Retail Operations. Experience working with and leveraging business data to support examination and process validation. Experience or deep knowledge of PMP, Scrum, Agile and SAFe project frameworks. Experience with business process improvement methods (Six Sigma, Lean, Kaizen). Project management skills include creating project plans and timelines. Manage multiple programs at the same time. Drive completion of action items on time. Experience with large, software implementation programs where complex business transformation was involved. Experience with o9 software implementation or transformation programs. Closing At REI, we believe the outdoors is for all . We are committed to becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization . We know that there's strength in our diversity – that each employee brings unique skills, experiences, and perspectives. Every day you are driving change, fostering a culture of respect, and knowing you're backed by benefits that support your whole life. To work towards this commitment and fulfill our brand promise of inspiring and enabling a life outside for everyone, we seek employees who demonstrate different ways of working, create a sense of belonging, and actively listen and learn. Pay Transparency We are committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. As required by applicable Pay Transparency laws, REI provides a range of compensation for roles that may be hired in locations under these requirements. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include a wide array of factors, including: your specific skills and experience, geographic location or other relevant factors. REI offers all regular employees a generous employee discount, access to health benefits, a retirement savings plan and accrued time off. Click here for a detailed overview of benefits plans by employee profile. Pay Range $98,300.00 - $157,400.00 per year Your Planning & Navigating Requirements (the plans the job is responsible for creating and executing, and how the job ensures they are implemented) Guide and join business process design workshops. Advocate for business users. Help translate industry-leading practices in merchandising into practical solutions. Support future‑state and interim‑state process design by translating stakeholder input into workflow documentation with judgment points, inputs/outputs, and role responsibilities. Translate workshop outputs and design recommendations into lasting artifacts. These include process flows, requirements, user stories, assumptions, and open questions. Maintain documentation as designs change during iterative delivery. Partner with Business Process Managers, Product Managers, and Technology & Solution partners. Translate business needs into requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria. Take ownership in ambiguous situations by creating structure, defining next steps, and moving work forward; proactively identify gaps, risks, and dependencies and take action to address them. Support backlog refinement and prioritization by clarifying scope, dependencies, and readiness. Review functional and non‑functional requirements to ensure alignment to agreed business design. Identify design risks, tradeoffs and dependencies and formulate a recommendation to bring to Business Process Managers for escalation or decision making. Create and maintain clear, decision-ready content to support leadership decision making. Include process summaries, options, trade-offs, risks, and assumptions. Provide concise status updates to enable timely alignment and informed recommendations. Develop and execute test cases; coordinate and support User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and business simulations in partnership with Program team. Partner with Change and Training leads to support documentation, job aids, and training content needed for rollout. Help identify adoption risks and gaps in readiness related to process, data, or role clarity. Partner closely with Technology teams, external vendors, and cross‑functional stakeholders to support delivery of transformation milestones. Participate in Agile ceremonies and program governance forums as a business contributor. This includes daily stand-ups, sprint planning, retrospectives, sprint demonstrations, and other required delivery meetings. Ensure accurate representation of business process needs and judgments. Assist in meeting project deadlines, milestones, release dates, and schedules. Proactively manage assigned deliverables and surface risks or dependencies. Support issue resolution as designs and plans evolve. Required Skills & Experience Bachelor's degree in Business, Merchandising, Product Design, Retail, Supply Chain, Operations or related field. 3+ years professional experience in assortment planning, Merchandising, product design & development, process improvement or similar for related business units. Advanced computer skills, to include Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Visio, Word, PowerPoint, Project, SharePoint), Jira, Confluence. Experience with SAP ECC, enterprise Merchandising solutions such as Oracle, JDA, SAP or similar. Excellence in applying critical rigor & technical proficiency to the business environment. Demonstrated experience with facilitating end-user sessions. Demonstrated ability to self-educate and learn while doing in a highly complex and rapidly changing environment. Proficient presentation materials development and delivery including sr. management presentations. Effective and articulate communication in all modes and all levels in an organization. Knowledge of standard merchandising practices, capabilities and processes. Knowledge of project and portfolio management best practices and methodologies. Purposefully participates and collaborates with others on one's own team and across REI for the achievement of business goals. Flexible in one's viewpoints and positions in order to support the direction taken by others at REI. Uses business knowledge, innovative thinking, and sound judgment in the solution of problems or the pursuit of business opportunities. Consolidates information from various sources including feedback from others to reach sound conclusions. Considers the ultimate impact of conclusions and actions on internal and external customers. Works smart by setting effective work goals, establishing priorities, and planning well in order to produce quality work. Executes effectively by using resources efficiently, meeting deadlines, and keeping others informed of work plans and progress toward goals. Clearly conveys and accurately receives information by a variety of methods and in various situations. Builds rapport with all kinds of people inside and outside the organization. Acts upon opportunities and involves and influences others in the accomplishment of worthwhile organizational goals. Challenges the status quo, champions change and influences others to change. Preferred Qualifications 3+ years of project-oriented experience in Merchandising, Supply Chain, or Retail Operations. Experience working with and leveraging business data to support examination and process validation. Experience or deep knowledge of PMP, Scrum, Agile and SAFe project frameworks. Experience with business process improvement methods (Six Sigma, Lean, Kaizen). Project management skills include creating project plans and timelines. Manage multiple programs at the same time. Drive completion of action items on time. Experience with large, software implementation programs where complex business transformation was involved. Experience with o9 software implementation or transformation programs. At REI, we believe the outdoors is for all . We are committed to becoming a fully inclusive, anti-racist, multicultural organization . We know that there's strength in our diversity - that each employee brings unique skills, experiences, and perspectives. Every day you are driving change, fostering a culture of respect, and knowing you're backed by benefits that support your whole life. To work towards this commitment and fulfill our brand promise of inspiring and enabling a life outside for everyone, we seek employees who demonstrate different ways of working, create a sense of belonging, and actively listen and learn. Pay Transparency We are committed to practices that promote pay equity and transparency. As required by applicable Pay Transparency laws, REI provides a range of compensation for roles that may be hired in locations under these requirements. Factors that may be used to determine your actual salary may include a wide array of factors, including: your specific skills and experience, geographic location or other relevant factors. REI offers all regular employees a generous employee discount, access to health benefits, a retirement savings plan and accrued time off. Click here for a detailed overview of benefits plans by employee profile.