Professional Summary
Professional Overview
Laura Badavas is an experienced retail professional currently serving as the Director at J.Crew in New York, New York. With a strong background in merchandise planning and inventory management, she brings a valuable blend of strategic thinking and operational expertise to her role.
Experience Summary
Current Role
As the Director at J.Crew, Laura is responsible for overseeing the company's merchandise planning and inventory management strategies. She leads a team of planners and analysts, working collaboratively to optimize inventory levels, drive sell-through performance, and support broader business objectives. Under her leadership, the planning function has achieved significant improvements in inventory productivity and working capital efficiency.
Career Progression
Prior to her current role, Laura held progressive positions within the merchandise planning teams at J.Crew and Macy's. As the Senior Merchandise Planning Manager at J.Crew, she played a pivotal role in enhancing the company's planning processes and data-driven decision-making. Earlier in her career, she gained valuable experience as an Associate Planner and Assistant Inventory Planner at Macy's, contributing to the success of the organization's inventory management initiatives.
Academic Background
Laura holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Retail and Merchandising from the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she graduated with honors.
Areas of Expertise
- Merchandise planning and inventory management
- Demand forecasting and allocation strategies
- Retail operations and supply chain optimization
- Data analysis and performance reporting
- Cross-functional collaboration and project management
Professional Impact
Throughout her career, Laura has demonstrated the ability to drive tangible business impact through her strategic planning and analytical capabilities. At J.Crew, she has been instrumental in improving inventory productivity by 15% and reducing working capital requirements by 12% over the past two years. Her innovative approach to merchandise planning has also contributed to the company's improved sell-through and customer satisfaction metrics.
Conclusion
With a proven track record of success in the retail industry, Laura Badavas is a highly skilled and versatile professional. In her current role as Director at J.Crew, she continues to leverage her expertise in merchandise planning and inventory management to drive operational excellence and contribute to the overall success of the organization.