H&M District Controller (Los Angeles)

Function: District

Department: Controlling

Reports to: District Manager and dotted line to Regional Controller

Job Status: Exempt

Responsible for maximizing sales and minimizing variable costs of stores within a geographic district(s) by optimizing and monitoring the efficiencies of store operations, and ensuring that costs are controlled and profits are maximized

Job Responsibility including but not limited to:

Staff Planning

• Works with the store management teams and district managers to ensure that staff plans operate in accordance to H&M the business need and policy, based on sales peaks, customer demands, garment replenishment, and the general store functions necessary for efficient operation
• Works with stores to achieve or exceed Sales per Hour goals
• Sets and monitors the ideal staff levels and availabilities of store teams to ensure efficiency and compliance to ideal store plans
• Inputs, monitors, and updates the staff planning portion of the H&M Scheduling, Time, Attendance, and Registration system.

Allocations

• Responsible for flow of garments from warehouse to shops, ensuring the correct balance of stock levels to sales
• Communicates, trains, and develops store and district teams in pertinent allocation information
• Analyzes and takes action on over and under stock store, concept and department situations utilizing specific tools and programs
• Optimizes sales logistics; including the creation and pertinent updates to delivery schedules
• Communicates and partners with regional and support office team (i.e. Supply Chain Controller and Merchandisers) District team and Store teams to achieve Company and concept stock goals
• Ensures that stores within the district follow up on proper reduction and garment flow procedures

Sales and Cost Planning, Control, Forecasting, and Follow-Up

• Challenges and promotes cost consciousness and effectiveness within district(s)
• Creates and partners with store management teams and district managers as needed for annual sales, worked hour, salary and variable cost budgets; and quarterly sales and hours plans for all stores within district utilizing historical data, known events and benchmarking
• Monitors, analyzes, and benchmarks weekly and daily sales and hour plans and results from stores
• Creates mid-year and fourth quarter sales, worked hour, salary and variable cost forecasts
• Updates and controls all sales and worked hour figures in various H&M systems
• Conducts weekly and monthly concept performance analysis and benchmark and regularly communicates these findings and conclusions to district and store teams
• Performs monthly follow-up of all variable costs and takes action when costs exceed budget.
• Serves as liaison with Accounting Department regarding follow-up of costs in district and invoice flow
• Creates business proposals with appropriate district team members for district initiatives including concept changes and layout moves and conducts sales, cost and profit analysis

Staff Development

• Supports the recruitment and development of Operations Manager(s), if applicable, within the district
• Provides consistent feedback, evaluations, and performance reviews to the Operations Manager(s), if applicable
• Communicates controlling function-related feedback of store teams to District Manager
• Conducts controlling function-related workshops for store teams
• Trains and develops store teams in sales and hour planning

Financial Accountability: Works with 1-2 districts, each containing 10-15 stores and totaling 40-100+ million in annual sales

Minimum Candidate Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably with a finance, business or economics major
• 1-3 years of past retail experience, preferably in retail management
• 1-3 years in a business analyst or finance role

Skills, Abilities and Other Requirements:

• Sales driven and results-oriented
• Detail oriented, with strong organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong problem solving skills and decision-making abilities
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Store orientation and commitment to store management development
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office and ability to adapt to company specific systems
• Flexibility and willingness to adapt to change
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Platform training skills and ability to communicate complex technical information in a simple and easy way
• Budgeting and forecasting experience
• Strong analytical skills
• Willingness to relocate preferred
• Ability to travel to stores 20-60% of time

Posted by Kris Iringan