Merchandise Planner

Job Description

The Merchandise Planner builds financial sales, gross margin, and inventory plans for assigned segment(s)on an item level basis. Reporting to the Director, Merchandise Planning and Sourcing, you will be the financial partner with the Merchant in driving sales, optimizing inventory, and generating profit. This role is also responsible for demand forecast by using multiple analytics to ensure adequate product flow based on business trends and company initiatives.

Qualifications

• Perform pre-season planning and in-season forecasting at the segment level. Provide analysis and forecasting that support seasonal buying strategies and decisions. Review actual sales performance and re-project in-season sales and inventories based on trend.
• Analyze sales by SKU, segment, and brand to project merchandise order needs. Utilize flow sheets to project future merchandise demand for the Merchant at the SKU level. Translate analysis into specific targeted action to drive sales.
• Collaborate with purchasing team to ensure adequate inventory position, at the warehouses and in the pipeline. Tracks weekly inventory performance and works with purchasing team to quickly address issues.
• Responsible for SKU optimization to determine if a particular product should be kept or discontinued. Determine when an inventory situation requires a corrective measure such as stock balancing, RTV, price change, liquidation, or other steps. Propose and implement correction measures and follow through to ensure accurate completion.
• Allocate DC Inventory to maintain corporate store in-stock level goals.
• Continuously monitor store levels and recommend model adjustments, as necessary. Maintain store models during peak selling periods to ensure sales and turnover are maximized. Perform stock balancing after peak selling periods to maximize inventory productivity.
• Analyze store activity and leverage historic product data and input from field to identify store-specific trends, variances and opportunities, and upcoming events that would influence allocations.
• Identify and provide recommendations for system enhancements and solutions that drive improvements and support the merchandising roadmap.

• Minimum of 3-5 years of merchandise or retail experience preferred.
• Excellent analytical and mathematical proficiency with strong business and financial acumen.
• Proficiency in Retail Math and Microsoft Excel(VLOOKUP, Pivot Tables etc.) with the ability to quickly learn other software.
• Strong interpersonal and presentation skills.
• A high level ofattention to detail, you will beorganizedand able to work both independently and within a team, remotely and face to face.
• A solutions oriented mindset, you are a proactive problem solver who understands the need for both urgency and accuracy.

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.