Planning - Associate Merchandise Planner

The Associate Merchandise Planner role requires excellent analytical skills, retail or ecommerce business experience, and the ability to work well alone and with a team.  The Associate Merchandise Planner works with the Planning and Buying team and is responsible for managing a category financial plan including pre-season and in-season forecasting, assortment planning, item planning, margin analysis and inventory control for our business.  This role is challenging – above and beyond the day-to-day responsibilities, you’ll have a big role within a fast-paced team.  

This position will report into the Director of Planning.

What you get to do every day:

• Develop and oversee category financial plans, ensuring success by achieving key metrics such as sales, margins, inventory turnover, and receipts.
• Analyze business performance by comparing actual results to plans, identifying variances, and assessing deviations from current trends.
• Provide weekly, monthly, and seasonal forecasts for sales and inventory at the department, class, brand, style, and color levels.
• Collaborate with the Buying team to shape assortment strategies, including brand and key item projections, style count, depth, and sizing for preseason purchasing.
• Monitor Open-to-Buy on a weekly basis with planning and buying teams, making timely and accurate re-projections to optimize inventory management.
• Work with buyers on weekly reorders and cuts to ensure effective inventory management and maximize sales potential.
• Generate and deliver regular reports, including Weekly Snapshot, Best/Worst Sellers, Receipt Flow, and Brand Recaps.
• Perform additional duties as required.

What you bring to the role:  

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field with 1-3 years of retail experience and strong understanding of retail math.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships with peers and cross-functional teams.
• Adaptable and flexible in a fast-paced environment, with the ability to prioritize and manage workload under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, with a demonstrated ability to quickly learn new technical applications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience in retail allocation, buying, planning, or related analytical fields is highly preferred.
• Self-driven and motivated, with a proactive approach to taking initiative.