Vice President of Planning and Allocation, Women's

lululemon’s purpose -  to elevate the world by realizing the full potential within every one of us - is as dynamic as the company’s history and current momentum.

Founded in Vancouver in 1998 with the intent to bring technical athletic fabrics to yoga, lululemon’s first office was a product design studio by day turned yoga studio at night. What was then a very practical solution to paying the rent has ultimately come to define what differentiates lululemon. What has made the company wildly successful has been its steadfast focus on empowering its stores to become community hubs for lululemon’s consumers (Guests) to live the Sweatlife—a combination of sweating, growing and connecting together—as well as participate in lululemon sweaty activities.

Today, lululemon is a publicly traded (LULU) $8.1B global business with more than 30,000+ employees and over 665+ stores across four continents and 17 countries. lululemon’s products include Performance Apparel for women and men (pants, shorts, tops, jackets) for healthy activities such as yoga, running, training, and most other sweaty pursuits, On the Move Apparel (OTM) for women and men (RTW tops, bottoms, outerwear, knits and wovens), Accessories (bags, socks, underwear, yoga mats/equipment, and water bottles), and most recently, footwear.

2022 was an exceptional year from a product newness and innovation standpoint, fueled by the Science of Feel with women’s revenue increasing 30%, men’s growing 22%, and accessories up 70%, versus 2021. Our results were driven by expansion within our core categories with the launch of our Senseknit fabric technology and cold weather run styles, and we grew our Play categories with our golf, tennis, and hike capsules. And while footwear remains a test and learn for us, we’re pleased with our results and are thrilled to bring head-to-toe solutions to our guests. 

The power of our brand translated to growth across regions in 2022—North America grew 29% and International increased 35% compared to last year. As the impacts of COVID-19 normalize, we expect our momentum to accelerate, and we are excited for the opportunity in China in 2023 and beyond. In Q4, revenue in China increased over 30% versus the same period last year. We opened 29 new stores this year, our largest annual number ever in China Mainland.

In the first quarter of 2023, net revenue increased 24% to $2.0 billion, gross profit increased 32% to $1.2 billion, and earnings per share increased 54% versus last year to $2.28. North American revenue increased by 17% and international by 60%, driven by a 79% increase in Greater China. We opened our 100 th  store in China Mainland and ended Q1 with 662 stores globally.

Inclusion & Diversity /  lululemon has made a series of commitments to ensure the company fully reflects the communities it serves and has established its IDEA team, which stands for Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Action. The company stands with employees, ambassadors and guests around the world who have been deeply impacted by the acts of violence, xenophobia and racism. Through commitment from the senior leadership team, dedicated resources, company-wide impact, sustainable HR programs, in-depth reviews and real accountability, the organization is focused on driving positive change in its communities every day.

Power of Three x2 /  Calvin McDonald (CEO), the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Board remain committed to growth. We recently announced our next five-year growth plan, which builds upon the success of the Power of Three. Our plan calls for doubling our Men’s business while delivering double-digit growth in Women’s, doubling our digital business while also achieving double-digit growth in stores, and quadrupling our International business. And we intend to double our total revenue – from $6.25B to $12.5B – by the end of 2026, with an annual EPS growth greater than sales growth.

Impact /  In 2021, lululemon also advanced an Impact Agenda and multi-year commitments to drive meaningful, positive change in the world. lululemon made inspiring progress across our three core pillars—Be Human, Be Well, and Be Planet—addressing pressing social and environmental issues that impact our people, communities, and the planet.

Planning as a Driver of lululemon’s Future

lululemon’s Planning team has an opportunity to  elevate the role of the Planner within lululemon , to enable a truly elevated experience as we grow exponentially. lululemon has always prided itself on creating beautifully crafted, high-quality products that both surprise and delight lululemon’s customers (guests), while often also offering innovative apparel solutions.  As Planners, we bring the Design & Merchant vision to life . We take this vision in all its dimensions, bringing the product plan together from a financial, sourcing, and supply chain perspective. As lululemon continues to expand, launching into new categories, products, geographies and on/offline experiences, the role of the Planning team is more important than ever. Through empowered teams, we will grow the business with Planning excellence. 

The Role

The  VP Planning & Allocation  will lead the North America Planning function for Women’s Apparel. You will be a key leader as we continue to elevate the Planning function with new ways of working. As VP Planning & Allocation, you will bring both an  Enhanced Understanding of Vertical Retail  - in a way that accelerates what is possible from a product, sourcing, supply chain standpoint. The VP Planning & Allocation will be a  Strategic Thought Partner  across Design, Merchandising, Sourcing, and Supply Chain, building a collaborative team within and outside of Product. Leading lululemon’s Women’s Planning function, you are a  Business Builder  responsible for the flawless execution of our product availability. You are both a  Leader & Collaborator  – who will help commercialize lululemon’s vision, enhance our Planning strategy and oversee its execution.

Location

You will be based in Vancouver.

Reporting Structure

Reporting + Direct Reports : The role is a direct report into the SVP, Global Planning & Allocation and will oversee a team of 30+ FTEs across Women’s Apparel.

Peer Relationships:  The  VP Planning & Allocation  will sit on the  Planning Leadership Team , work closely with all of its members. You will oversee all Planning for this function of the business across North America in addition to the Regional Planning teams in each global region. 

The VP, Planning & Allocation will  not  be responsible for, but will actively partner with those who oversee:  Product Design, Product Development, Merchandising, Supply Chain, and Store Design

Year One Deliverables / Desired achievements the first 12-months in the role.

Onboard Thoughtfully. Listen + Learn from lululemon’s culture. Build Relationships  with Product peers and Business Leaders.  No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care. Spend the first 90+ days Listening and Learning - investing time and energy understanding lululemon’s culture and business. Get to Know Your Team.

Build cross functional relationships within the Product Leadership team.  Listen & collaborate with Product leadership peers based on trust & personal responsibility. Enable the Planning group through collaborative working strategies. 

Build & Invest in a World Class & Growth Oriented Planning Team  for Women’s Apparel. Understand current team and opportunities for growth. Build & Empower a confident team around you that enables our team to grow beyond our expectations. 

Experience & Qualifications

A Gifted Planner and Business Builder Who Understands Vertical Retail. You know Planning in Vertical Retail through and through. A meaningful portion of your career has been Planning specific to Vertical Retail.  You have 15+ years of Planning experience.

High Growth.  You have meaningful experience in high-growth environments where you experienced business transformation at a high speed. You understand & have the ability to see where we’re going, pivot, and continue to enable an elevated Planning experience throughout growth. 

Omni, of course . You are an expert in planning for  both in-store and online . Deeply versed in DTC .

Deep Understanding of North America. You have meaningful experience supporting businesses across North America, with a specific benefit to experience within a Global Team & Business. Y ou deeply understand the North American marketplace and its consumers, and the nuances to supporting varied regions.

Creating Inclusive Environments.  You value the experience and opinion of everyone. You create space for those to be shared.

Who Wins With Others. You are a natural coach and mentor and are committed to the growth of your team. You naturally build successors within your team. You have high EQ, are approachable, authentic, willing to take the lead when necessary, but also want others in the limelight. You have successfully overseen a team of 20+ FTEs.