Associate Planning Manager

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Strategic Priorities
• Develop annual sales, stock and profit plans in collaboration with Merchandising, Cruise Line Retail and Finance
• Create monthly purchasing budget, in line with cash objectives, by program/brand for the year
• Measure/course correct for progress & performance
• Collaborate with Merchant on developing profitable assortment strategies
• Focus on the most productive programs for the specific cruise line/itinerary market and planning the appropriate mix of fashion vs core/replenish-able product based on product/vendor, expected volume, cadence of product cycle, inventory/WOS targets, gross margin objectives
• Ensure strategies minimize markdown exposure/protects profit in fashion, itinerary-specific product and/or new initiatives/tests
• Identify strategic opportunities to drive top-line growth and/or to optimize profit
• Financial Management
• Maintain and forecast sales, receipts, margin during the monthly Open to Buy process
• Present business results and forecast during formal review with management
• Enlist support and alignment from Cruise Line Retail team on in-season sales forecasts & stock plan targets to capitalize on opportunities and minimize risk
• Partner with Merchant in assortment development by providing guidance on breadth of assortment by cluster, timing and cadence of deliveries, pricing and markup, and mix of core vs fashion
• Collaborate with Merchant on currency of inventory analysis, markdowns/clearance of aged stocks and financial validation and execution of merchandising initiatives
• Identify opportunities and make recommendations to further expand/fund programs or initiatives performing well and propose solutions for those that are under-performing
• Global Supply Chain Management
• Review with Distribution team: operational sales and inventory targets, which drive replenishment and ordering, to ensure alignment with the top-line ship, itinerary, and program/brand targets
• Analyze sales trends to optimize inventory investments and drive sales transition plans into a new assortment and/or new itinerary
• Exception-based reporting to identify projected low on-board stock levels, potential lost sales, low DC stock levels, overstocks, variance to fixture-fill, etc.
• Manage purchasing budget days to appropriately fund the most profitable items and issue purchases with lead-times varying from 1 week to 6 months
• Ensure that top items are in-stock across all locations, including the DC; communicate anticipated stock challenges to Merchandising and Cruise Line Retail
• Support new ships and new initiatives with proper stock investment and communicate status/timing to appropriate stakeholders
• Identify opportunities for process improvement and/or efficiencies: Work with vendor partners to improve/maximize fill-rates, timely shipping, and vendor compliance
• Collaborate with Logistics on inbound and outbound product flow for enhanced speed-to-market initiatives
• Identify and leverage cost efficiencies and support the company’s profit-driving supply chain initiatives

Talent Management

• Hire, train, develop, motivate and retain a highly talented team
• Lead and manage a team of Distributors
• Complete annual performance evaluations, provide feedback to grow and develop teams
• Provide regular performance feedback to MP&D leadership team

Interpersonal/People Management

• Develop strong relationship with Merchant partner through teamwork and communication
• Consistently act as a positive contributing force within Starboard in all interrelations and communication
• Develop regular and actionable communication with Cruise Line Retail leadership, Directors, District Manager, Ship Managers, Logistics and all sales support functions