Director, Global Merchandise Planning

Calling all originals: At Levi Strauss & Co., you can be yourself — and be part of something bigger. We're a company of people who like to forge our own path and leave the world better than we found it. Who believe that what makes us different makes us stronger. So add your voice. Make an impact. Find your fit — and your future. We're seeking a strategic Director, Global Merchandise Planning. This role is responsible for setting global planning strategy, leading leaders, and shaping the financial and inventory architecture that brings brand vision to life across DTC and Wholesale. Reporting to the VP, Center Demand and Operations role, this role plays a critical leadership role in translating long‑term brand and consumer strategy into scalable, profitable, and inventory‑efficient plans, enabling sustainable growth across regions, categories, and channels. About the Job Strategic Planning & Enterprise Ownership Set the global merchandise planning vision and operating model across multiple categories and product tiers, ensuring alignment with brand strategy, consumer insights, and market dynamics. Own and influence long‑range planning, seasonal frameworks, and investment guardrails, balancing growth, profitability, and inventory health. Provide enterprise‑level leadership on forecasting, financial rollups, and milestone governance, ensuring rigor, consistency, and transparency across the global planning organization. Lead multi‑season product lifecycle strategy, driving invest/divest decisions that maximize assortment productivity and respond to evolving consumer demand. Act as a thought partner to senior leadership on strategic tradeoffs (growth vs. margin, breadth vs. depth, speed vs. efficiency). People Leadership & Organization Building Lead, coach, and develop Managers and Senior Planners, building a strong succession pipeline. Establish clear expectations, performance standards, and development pathways that support both individual growth and organizational capability. Foster a high‑performance culture grounded in curiosity, accountability, collaboration, and results. Model enterprise leadership behaviors, including integrity, inclusivity, and constructive challenge. Cross‑Functional & Executive Partnership Serve as a senior strategic partner to Global Merchandising, Product Development, Regional/Cluster Planning, Supply Chain, and Finance. Influence product, assortment, and investment decisions through data‑driven insights, scenario planning, and executive storytelling. Lead alignment across global and regional teams to ensure integrated execution, clear decision rights, and tradeoff resolution. Represent Global Merchandise Planning in senior leadership forums, shaping outcomes and driving alignment. Planning Excellence & Transformation Set the standard for best‑in‑class global planning practices, integrating DTC and Wholesale planning models into cohesive ways of working. Champion continuous improvement in tools, processes, and systems, driving accuracy, speed, and scalability. Embed in‑season read‑and‑react and post‑season hindsight as core capabilities to inform future strategy and investment decisions. Lead change initiatives that evolve planning from executional support to strategic advantage. Executive Communication & Influence Translate complex financial and planning data into clear, compelling narratives that inform executive decision‑making. Present strategies, risks, and opportunities to VP and SVP‑level stakeholders, influencing direction and outcomes. Facilitate high‑impact discussions that drive alignment, accountability, and action across the enterprise. About You Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business, Retail Management, or related field (or equivalent experience). 10–15+ years of experience in merchandise planning, financial planning, or inventory management, with 5+ years leading leaders. Enterprise Leadership: Proven ability to operate at a global, enterprise lev…

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