Job Specification | Jewelry Business Analyst

🎯 Role Definition

The Jewelry Business Analyst is a critical strategic partner within a jewelry organization, acting as the primary link between raw business data and actionable, profitable strategies. At the heart of this role is the ability to translate complex datasets related to sales, inventory, market trends, and consumer behavior into clear, compelling narratives that guide executive decision-making. This individual is not just a data cruncher; they are a storyteller, a strategist, and an industry expert who provides the analytical foundation for everything from product development and merchandising to marketing campaigns and supply chain optimization. They ensure that the timeless art of jewelry is supported by modern, data-driven science, enabling the brand to shine in a competitive marketplace.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Junior Data Analyst or Business Intelligence Analyst
Merchandising Assistant or Planner
E-commerce Coordinator with an analytical focus

Advancement To:

Senior Business Analyst or Lead Analyst
Business Intelligence (BI) Manager
Strategic Planning Manager or Director of Strategy

Lateral Moves:

Category Manager or Merchandising Planner
E-commerce or Digital Marketing Manager
Supply Chain or Operations Analyst

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Conduct in-depth analysis of sales performance across all channels, including e-commerce, retail stores, and wholesale, to identify key trends, top-performing SKUs, and underperforming categories.
Develop, monitor, and meticulously report on a comprehensive suite of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as conversion rates, average order value (AOV), customer lifetime value (CLV), and inventory turn.
Perform extensive market and competitor research to benchmark pricing strategies, product assortments, promotional activities, and market positioning within the fine jewelry and luxury goods sector.
Create and maintain sophisticated, automated dashboards and detailed reports for senior leadership, providing a clear and concise view of business health and strategic opportunities.
Collaborate directly with merchandising and planning teams to provide data-driven recommendations for product assortment optimization, depth of buy, and effective inventory allocation to maximize sell-through.
Develop robust sales and demand forecasts for both new and existing product lines, incorporating factors like seasonality, marketing initiatives, and macroeconomic trends affecting luxury consumer spending.
Analyze the effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) of marketing campaigns by dissecting data on customer acquisition cost (CAC), channel performance, and attribution modeling.
Partner with the product development team by providing quantitative insights into customer preferences, price sensitivity, and attribute analysis to inform the creation of new, commercially viable collections.
Translate ambiguous business questions and high-level requirements from various departments (e.g., Marketing, Sales, Operations) into precise, technical specifications for data engineering and IT teams.
Perform deep-dive analysis into customer segmentation, purchase funnels, and online behavior to uncover insights that inform personalized marketing strategies and CRM initiatives.
Evaluate the financial impact of raw material price fluctuations (e.g., gold, platinum, diamonds, gemstones) on product costing, gross margin, and retail pricing structures.
Prepare comprehensive pre-season strategic plans and post-season analysis reports, highlighting key successes, challenges, and actionable recommendations for future collections and buying cycles.
Manage and ensure the integrity, accuracy, and consistency of data across various business intelligence tools, ERP systems, and reporting platforms.
Support the financial planning and analysis (FP&A) department by providing detailed analytical models and data inputs for the annual budgeting and quarterly forecasting processes.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and perform exploratory data analysis to answer pressing, time-sensitive business questions from executives and cross-functional partners.
Contribute to the evolution of the organization's overarching data strategy and analytics roadmap by identifying new data sources, tools, and analytical methodologies.
Collaborate with business units to translate their evolving data and reporting needs into clear, actionable requirements for the data engineering and software development teams.
Participate in sprint planning sessions, daily stand-ups, and other agile ceremonies as an embedded member or key stakeholder of the data and analytics team.
Create compelling and easily digestible data visualizations and presentations to effectively communicate complex findings and strategic recommendations to non-technical stakeholders.
Act as a subject matter expert on business data, providing training and support to other team members to foster a more data-literate culture throughout the organization.
Assist in the design and interpretation of A/B and multivariate tests for the e-commerce platform to optimize user experience, navigation, and conversion pathways.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced SQL: The ability to write complex queries to extract, manipulate, and analyze large datasets from relational databases is non-negotiable.
Data Visualization Expertise: Mastery of at least one major BI tool (Tableau, Power BI, Looker) to build insightful and interactive dashboards.
Advanced Excel Proficiency: Deep knowledge of pivot tables, complex formulas, Power Query, and data modeling for ad-hoc analysis and reporting.
Retail & E-commerce Analytics: Strong, practical understanding of retail math and key e-commerce metrics (e.g., GMROI, Conversion Rate, Traffic, UPT, ATV).
Statistical Analysis: Familiarity with statistical methods for forecasting, regression analysis, and significance testing to validate findings.
Web Analytics Platforms: Hands-on experience with tools like Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics to analyze website traffic, user flow, and campaign performance.
ERP/CRM System Knowledge: Experience working with data from enterprise systems such as NetSuite, SAP, or Salesforce is highly beneficial.

Soft Skills

Analytical & Critical Thinking: An innate ability to look at complex data and identify patterns, anomalies, and the underlying "why" behind the numbers.
Exceptional Communication: The talent to distill complex quantitative findings into a clear, concise, and compelling story for diverse audiences, from creatives to C-level executives.
Meticulous Attention to Detail: A commitment to data accuracy and precision, understanding that small errors can lead to flawed strategic decisions.
Business Acumen: A strong curiosity and developing knowledge of the luxury retail and fine jewelry industry, including its unique challenges and dynamics.
Problem-Solving Orientation: A proactive and resourceful approach to tackling ambiguous problems and finding data-driven solutions.
Collaborative Spirit: The ability to build strong relationships and work effectively with cross-functional teams, including Merchandising, Marketing, and Operations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

A Bachelor's degree is required for this role.

Preferred Education:

A Bachelor's or Master's degree in a quantitative or business-related discipline is highly preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Statistics, Marketing, or a related quantitative field.
Data Science or Business Analytics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3-7 years of professional experience in a business analysis, data analysis, or a similar analytical role.

Preferred:

Direct experience within the retail, e-commerce, consumer goods, or luxury sector is strongly preferred. A demonstrated passion for or prior experience in the jewelry industry is a significant plus.