How I Became a Senior Manager at Target HQ

After graduation, I relocated to the west coast, worked in private high schools in the Bay Area for two years as an admissions associate and a coach.

I married an amazing man (also a Hamilton grad!) and wound up in Minneapolis, Minn. We have two INCREDIBLE little kids and two mischievous, sweet pups. We love Minneapolis for the wonderful community, lakes, parks, restaurants, and commitment to well-being.

My career at Target HQ began as an analyst in 2012 within Merchandising. Now, as a Senior Manager, I am fortunate to lead an awesome team within Merchandising, specifically focused on inventory management.

As a Senior Manager, I lead a team of 7 inventory analysts, and as a group they bring a diverse portfolio of strengths. Together, we are all responsible for managing inventory strategies that will drive $520M in sales this year. We support 1800 stores and a rapidly growing digital channel, and strategize across businesses that are highly seasonal, strongly impacted by weather, mixed between owned and national brands, and sourced both import and domestically. There is a lot going on and I like it that way. Retail is evolving quickly and it keeps us on our feet! Why Target?

People. For me, it is the people that make Target really stand out. I am so grateful to be a part of the Target community, and a workplace where people genuinely care about one another. The culture at Target provides space for people to celebrate who they are. It’s awesome, and it definitely makes time spent in the office more fun and meaningful. The lunch hour is often spent around a team table and the conversation is skewed towards each other. When you are new, the team takes time to genuinely get to know you. Each Friday, morning teams gather together for breakfast to catch up before the weekend. These moments add up, and they matter.

Balance. This is the game changer for me. I feel fortunate that my weeks are consistently balanced across all areas of my life – and that my career at Target enables me to do so. The culture at Target has evolved to allow increased flexibility around how and where you work. They also make life easier by offering a lot of services and amenities right on site. This means that I never worry about having to compromise my well-being or my time with my family. I have two small kids, and time spent with them is EVERYTHING. I would not trade it for the world – and the great part is that I never feel like I have to.

Growth. I distinctly recall being 6 months into my first job after Hamilton and realizing that while I liked the work I was doing at the time, it was not much different from the work of a colleague who had been in her position for 4 years. Furthermore, as I was working in a small office, leadership opportunities were limited. This made me antsy, and eventually I came to the conclusion that I needed to seek an experience that came with more opportunities for growth. When I moved to Minneapolis, I recognized Target as a place to find this.

Working in Merchandising, I have taken on multi-million dollar projects, created my own, and driven some really cool business results. I have also had room to take (calculated) risks, and the support to do so. My leaders are committed to helping me develop. They listen, coach, and challenge me. I am surrounded by mentors, partners, and teammates. We work together and help each other. We are invested in one another. Remember how I mentioned I was missing leadership opportunities in my first job? I made sure I continued to work towards and share that goal with my leaders at Target. A while back, I achieved it, and I love leading and learning from my team. The work that we do, the way that we do it, and the results that we drive are really energizing.

Hannah Dormanen ’10 was a psychology major and education studies minor. She played on the women’s basketball team, made amazing friends, and had a whole heck of a lotta fun.