Analytics Jobs: REEDS Jewelers seeks an Ecommerce Analyst (Wilmington, NC 28401)

Let me start out by saying that we have an absolutely INSANE amount of information on this position. Our market research includes a 2015 diamond industry report from DeBeers (US sales up 7% last year), plus we have reports from First Research and IBIS World as well. On top of that, the notes from my hour long kickoff call with this role’s hiring manager exceed 10 pages! Applying for this role without this information will be like bringing a knife to a gunfight.

Now then: REEDS Jewelers is the largest family-owned retail jewelry chain in North America. The firm sells diamonds, watches, and a large selection of fine jewelry from top designers in over 65 retail stores across 18 states as well as online at Reeds.com. Headquartered in the coastal city of Wilmington, NC, REEDS is a 70-year old company that started selling on the web in 1996, and today accepts accepts freaking Bitcoin (!!) online and in-store.

While the world is shifting under the feet of luxury marketers, diamond jewelry still represents an $80 billion global market annually. In fact, online jewelry growth in the US is twice that of retail stores. Roughly 10% of all US diamond jewelry (by value) is sold online and 40% of all US jewelry purchases are researched online.

Established brands like REEDS can do very well online because diamonds are nature-made and therefore extremely difficult to standardize. Diamond consumers don’t really know who’s certifying their diamonds: It could be a legitimate high-standard laboratory -OR- a lab with lax standards.

The fact is, all labs use the same terminology for color, cut, and clarity — so it’s critical that consumers rely on trusted brands to help them buy the stones that will commemorate the most important decisions of their lives.

As the Ecommerce Analyst for REEDS Jewelers, you’ll lead analytics and reporting for REEDS.com and its other digital businesses. You’ll create the processes and analyses for this newly created role, which is why you’ll need to rely on a “test and learn” mentality.

REEDS has a number of transformational projects underway, and this is a fantastic time to join the team.

Senior management will be relying on you to give meaning to the company’s data, identifying what’s important and creating insights that can be turned into action. The idea is that you will look at anything and everything impacting REEDS digital assets and put forth meaningful recommendations that build the business in a future oriented way.

Not too long ago I watched a YouTube presentation by Jake Peterson, one of Facebook’s top data scientists, about what it means to be a world class data scientist. At Facebook, data scientists are appraised by the number of recommendations that actually make it onto Facebook’s site.

Meaning, at Facebook there’s no point in testing, analyzing, or reporting on anything that won’t change the site. Dashboards for the sake of dashboards are considered a waste of time, and up-and-coming analysts who pursue such things go nowhere.

As a Facebook data scientist, your job is to change the site. Period. Could any role be more meaningful? Imagine the number of Facebook executives whose careers depend on protecting that site. Meanwhile, your job is to change it based on your insightful collection and interpretation of the data.

At REEDS you’ll be tasked with using data to support and challenge the product roadmap, merchandising, operations, as well as traditional marketing initiatives. You will partner with Product Management to help build a strategy for REEDS.com, and you will identify high-growth improvements as you turn data into action.

This job will require you to have a passion for both data and ecommerce — plus a demonstrated history of structured strategic thinking. Exceptional communication and collaboration skills are a must.

REEDS offers an entrepreneurial environment, which is why this role represents a great opportunity for a bright, inquisitive, highly motivated self-starter.

As usual, we have a mountain of proprietary intel to share with qualified candidates. My industry research for this assignment exceeds 50 pages! Be sure to TEXT Kelley Newsome for this info at (423) 748-0660.