Kristen Kessler

Sr Manager, Inventory Management

2023 – 2025

A Portland-based home goods retailer specializing in high-quality lighting, hardware, and furniture, blending timeless design with American craftsmanship.

Margin Optimization: Reduced excess inventory by 15%, $100, while maintaining profitability through strategic markdown and pricing actions.

Forecast Accuracy: Directed by SKU forecasting and demand planning, improving accuracy, which increased profitability, reduced stockouts, drove faster turn, and aligned with financial KPIs.

Financial Strategy: Drove Open-to-Buy and category strategies across 3,000+SKUs / $115M in Furniture/Accessories, leveraging sell-through, margin %, and turn metrics to ensure inventory investments supported seasonal assortments and long-range profitability targets

Cross-Functional Alignment: Aligned Merchandising and Supply Chain strategies to optimize product flow, mitigate risks, and accelerate speed-to-market, delivering incremental sales and maximizing in-season opportunities.

Data Tools: Built a reporting framework that enhanced visibility into sales, inventory health, and retail KPIs, driving faster, more intelligent business decisions. Leadership & Development: Sole inventory leader managing a team of three, driving SIOP participation, and coaching planners to elevate analytical skills, performance, and cross-functional collaboration.

Merchandise Planning Manager

2023 – 2023

A leading consumer goods company that acquires, grows, and manages Amazon, Walmart, and boutique DTC brands through data-driven strategies and operational expertise.

Forecast Expansion: Expanded forecasting from Amazon into brick-and-mortar and DTC, implementing a new forecasting platform that supported 8,000+ SKUs and improved accuracy across channels.

Team Leadership: Managed a team of six Inventory Planning Analysts with enterprise responsibility for demand forecasting, guiding $60M+ in revenue planning and optimizing inventory across all categories and sales channels.

Forecast Integration: Aligned cross-functional inputs from launches, distribution, and promotions into demand forecasts, reducing stockouts and ensuring smoother in-market execution.

S&OP Leadership: Directed Demand Review sessions, driving cross-functional alignment on demand assumptions that informed financial forecasts, optimized inventory investments, and reduced risk exposure.

Model Optimization: Collaborated with an external vendor to refine statistical forecasting models, including time series and machine learning.

Inventory Planner

2021 – 2023

Forecast Accuracy: Increased forecast accuracy by 20% through advanced data analysis and collaboration with Merchandising and Operations.

Inventory Planning: Directed category-level inventory and financial planning for $20M 14 DTC and marketplace brands.

Open-to-Buy Management: Managed plans to align with seasonal strategies and promotional events; developed strategies for underperforming categories to tighten assortment appeal.

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Worked cross-functionally with Supply Chain and vendor teams to ensure product availability, improving speed-to-market and reducing out-of-stock risk.

Margin Improvement: Applied analytics to identify risks and opportunities, improving inventory turns by 10% and increasing profitability by $3M

Director of Demand Planning and Purchasing

2017 – 2021

An iconic American outfitter known for rugged, durable outdoor clothing, bags, and gear, trusted since 1897.

ERP Upgrade: Oversaw D365 implementation for 20+ users, improving planning accuracy and replenishment efficiency by 10% and enhancing visibility into retail KPIs.

Leadership & Talent Development: Directed a 12-person team managing an $85M business across men’s/women’s apparel, bags & luggage, accessories, and home, fostering a high-performance culture that strengthened analytical skills and retail math expertise.

Financial Planning: Managed omni-channel Open-to-Buy and long-range forecasting, including 5-year category-level planning, leveraging sell-through, margin %, and turn metrics to optimize investments.

Cross-Functional Alignment: Partnered with Merchandising, Finance, Product Development, Web, and Marketing to align assortments, promotions, and inventory strategies with profitability targets.

Executive Reporting: Delivered reporting on sales performance, inventory health, and retail KPIs, providing insights for strategic decision-making.

Manager skilled in meeting busniess objectives

2014 – 2021

Manager Planning, Demand & Allocation

2015 – 2017

Forecasting Accuracy: Improved demand forecasting accuracy by 10% across omni-channel business through 3–4 custom tools that elevated planning precision and allocation efficiency.

Team Management: Led a team of three overseeing planning, demand forecasting, and allocation across categories.

Cross-Functional Partnership: Worked with Merchandising, Product Development, Production, Vendors, Supply Chain, Web, and Marketing to align product flow and inventory strategies with sales goals.

Forecasting and Demand Planning Lead

2014 – 2015

Omni-Channel Forecasting: Managed men’s and women’s apparel forecasts across 500+ SKUs using bottom-up and top-down planning to meet budget targets.

Cross-Functional Alignment: Partnered with Merchandising, Product Development, Production, Supply Chain, Warehouse, and vendors to ensure accurate forecasting and smooth product flow.

Omni-Channel Buy Planner

2010 – 2014

A premier fashion retailer recognized for its curated assortment of luxury and contemporary brands, a multi-channel footprint across North America, and an industry-leading reputation for customer experience. Kristen was progressively promoted across six roles in merchandising, buying, and inventory management during a 17-year career with Nordstrom.

Team Recognition: Named Merchandising Team of the Year (2010) and awarded Multi-Channel Buy Planner of the Year for Accessories and Women’s Specialized Division.

Assortment Planning: Partnered with the Buyer to create product plans supporting seasonal strategies, aligning with customer expectations and fashion trends.

Buy Quantification: Directed breadth and depth of assortment, creating and managing seasonal buy plans.

Inventory Decisions: Led in-season inventory management for a $290M business, making strategic decisions on analysis, markdowns, claims, and reorders

Vendor Engagement: Traveled for market appointments and hosted vendor meetings to strengthen partnerships, complemented by monthly vendor calls.

Mentorship: Coached and developed 3 Assistant Buy Planners to improve performance and prepare them for future buy planning roles.

National Replenishment Buyer for Watches

2007 – 2010

Vendor Management: Built and maintained strong relationships across 15+ brands through monthly calls and market appointments.

Replenishment Strategy: Drove item performance through planning, ordering, and inventory management.

Product Vision: Partnered with Buyers to align replenishment buys with seasonal strategies.

Performance Analysis: Contributed to weekly business reviews, analyzing in-season replenishment sales and inventory results.

National Assistant Watch Buyer

2006 – 2007

Purchase Orders: Wrote and executed POs by analyzing sales trends to determine optimal product placement by store.

Inventory Control: Managed in-season location-level inventory across 100+ stores and eComm, executing stock balances to optimize current product performance.

Market Support: Partnered with Buyer during market appointments, contributing to product selection decisions.

Regional Merchandise Manager

2003 – 2006

Territory Growth: Oversaw nine stores across NJ, NY, CT, and PA, later expanding to 14 stores across TX, GA, and FL, delivering 20%+ sales growth YoY.

Collaboration & Manager Development: Aligned strategies with 4 Buyers,8 Merchandise and 8 Regional Managers, while mentoring 8-14 Department Managers through store visits to drive sales growth and strengthen leadership capability.

Sales Reporting: Reviewed weekly, monthly, and YTD reports to assess performance and inform adjustments.

Visual Standards: Partnered with the Regional Visual Merchandising Manager to uphold merchandising presentation standards.

Jewelry & Watch Manager

1999 – 2003

Recognition: Named Midwest Region Department Manager of the Year for exceptional performance.

Team Leadership: Managed 8–12 sales associates, building a pipeline for the Nordstrom Future Leaders Inspire program.

Sales Growth: Directed daily merchandising and product presentation to maximize new arrivals and best sellers.

Cosmetic Counter Manager

1987 – 1999

Brand Management: Oversaw Philosophy and Origins skincare brands, delivering tailored consultations.

Sales Results: Drove sales performance through strong product knowledge and personalized service.

Oregon State University