Merchandise Planner

About the role

The Merchandise Planner drives category financial performance relating to sales, inventory turn, and margin. This position requires strong analytical and financial skills, sound business acumen, and a proven ability to leverage cross-functional communication and influence to deliver results.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement comprehensive annual, preseason, and assortment plans that align with the category vision and financial strategies—driving sales, landed margin growth, inventory productivity, and service levels.
• Manage Open-to-Buy (OTB) by identifying risks and opportunities while overseeing in-season monitoring, promotional planning, and reforecasting receipt flows utilizing multi-source data.
• Align bottom-up category forecasts with top-down financial plans.
• Formulate assortment plans and drive SKU optimization utilizing data-driven insights, advanced analytics, and emerging technologies (such as RPA and AI tools).
• Participate in category performance reviews, providing data-backed recommendations for promotions, pricing, sell-through, markdowns, and exit strategies.
• Partner dynamically with cross-functional teams—including Merchandising, Inventory Management, Sales, Supply Chain, and Operations—to proactively recommend strategic adjustments that maximize profitability and reduce liability.

Requirements

• 3–5 years of experience (preferably in merchandise planning, inventory management, or demand forecasting).
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Merchandising, Retail, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.

Skills

• Strong strategic thinking, quantitative planning, and analytical skills with experience managing OTB and building bottom-up forecasts.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build relationships and influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Proficiency in merchandise, procurement, assortment, and space planning software/systems preferred. Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel and data management tools, alongside an ability to leverage modern analytical tools to drive efficiencies.
• Strong organizational skills, with a demonstrated capacity to handle multiple competing priorities and deliver clean, accurate results in a fast-paced environment.