Merchandise Planner

Boston Heights, OH

Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods

About the position

The Merchandise Planner is responsible for creating and maintaining monthly department and item financial plans for their assigned categories and effectively partnering with the Product Developers and Merchants on identifying and implementing strategies to achieve the approved plans. This role is located onsite at our Corporate Office in Boston Heights, OH. The ideal Merchandise Planner candidate is curious, innovative, results-oriented, and focused on delivering a best in class customer experience through their work in executing strategy and exceeding financial targets.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute quarterly/seasonal Hindsight process inclusive of fiscal view and seasonal view as well as other product attributes.
• Develop the annual, seasonal, and merchandise plans for assigned product categories plans in accordance with company goals, historical performance, and trend analysis.
• Create pre-season item level plans for sales, inventory, markdowns/sell out plans, style counts, productivity and margin in partnership with the Planning Manager and Merchants.
• On weekly basis, initiates and oversees analysis of business trends, including but not limited to, category performance, channel selling, margin drivers, and seasonality.
• Owns Markdown and Promotional strategy setting and execution to hit sales, margin, and inventory targets for new and carryover products.
• Ability to collaborate with peers and share best-practice to ensure consistency in tools, reporting and communications.
• Routinely presents recommendations and other analysis to senior leadership and executive management related to driving short and long-term business goals including hind-sights, color/pattern selling, etc.
• Provide strategic guidance to Merchant team.
• Manage in-season reforecast of category unit plans/dollar plans, focusing on future opportunities as well as minimizing sales/inventory risks.
• Partner with Merchants to develop and propose business tactics in response to current business trends, advising them on open-to-buy, optimum unit purchasing, etc.
• Evaluate stock and sales by location for replenishment of product and make recommendations to balance inventory and optimize margins.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Business or related field required.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in inventory analysis, planning, allocation or buying.
• Technological proficiency, including the ability or aptitude to learn new technical applications; high proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Strong attention to detail and a solutions-oriented mindset, using both analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Self-motivated and able to work in an ever-changing environment with efficiency and accuracy.
• Demonstrate strong listening, written and oral communication skills.
• Able to present problem analysis and recommended solutions in a creative and logical manner to variety of different departments that motivates them to action.
• Capable of achieving business results through highly collaborative and cross-functional team-work.