Merchandise Planner (Factory Outlet)

About the Role

The Manager, Merchandise Planning is responsible for key projects and processes that inform product and category plans, inventory levels, pre-season and in-season planning, and trading to deliver against business KPIs and channel strategies to drive profitability for the Factory Outlet Business.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Open To Buy (inventory forecasting) process for the assigned Division and Business Segments to ensure healthy inventory levels.
• Manage planning for pre-season demand, in-season trading, and post-season hindsight to drive category sales, making recommendations at the channel and category level.
• Produce buy plans by season to meet top-line sales, margin, and inventory turn targets.
• Partner with buying teams to provide feedback on assortment strategies and buy depth as part of buy review and GTM milestones.
• Create and maintain new business processes and tools that drive efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
• Deliver accurate and timely management reporting tools (historical results, forecasts, budgets) on an ad-hoc, monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.
• Manage space planning analysis for current and new stores to establish and communicate recommendations to merchandising, store development, and VM on strategies that maximize sales and profit through space and option planning guidance by store.
• Provide Capacity and Sales Mixes for New Store Openings, Refits, and Expansion projects.

Key Relationships

• Channel Buying and Allocation teams
• Channel and Market Financial Planning teams
• Channel Visual Excellence & Visual Direction Teams
• Market Business Units
• Market Demand Planning team
• Market Supply Chain & Omni Team

Skills & Qualifications

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including a strong and flexible personality, to build relationships.
• Strong understanding of Retail KPIs and retail math, with the ability to analyze and comprehend reports to make business decisions.
• Proficiency with MS Office Suite, Power BI, and familiarity with merchandising systems/applications.
• Advanced Excel skills, including macros, pivot tables, lookup formulas, and formatting.
• Ability to synthesize large amounts of data and create reporting tools.
• Ability to successfully multi-task and problem-solve while managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to travel by air domestically and internationally as needed.
• Proven financial acumen and inventory management.

Requirements

• University degree in business, finance, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 3 years of relevant work experience.
• Ability to alternate between sitting and standing for extended periods of time.

Schedule

Hybrid work policy requiring in-office attendance Monday through Thursday, with the flexibility to work remotely on Friday each week. For work requiring a high degree of collaboration or an in-person presentation, in-office attendance is required even on Friday.