Merchandise Planner

Description

The Merchandise Planner supports Merchandise Planning through the analysis of in-season business and the development of future season merchandise plans for the business.  Through their analysis of the business, the Merchandise Planner collaborates with cross-functional partners in Merchandise Planning, Allocation, Merchandising, Production and Finance.  The Merchandise Planner reports to the Merchandise Planning VP.

Principle Responsibilities:

• Executes key Monday morning reporting utilized by cross-functional teams to analyze the business.
• Provides analysis on key pricing/promotional tests and the resulting sales and margin impact on the Bra category.
• Develops point of view on in-season trend of the business and provides input to the Central Planning MPC Trend.
• Supports the Merchandise Planning team throughout the monthly Business Review process through plan analysis and preparation of the Business Review presentation.
• Provides ad hoc business analysis through the direction from Merchandise Planning VP and Merchandising VP.
• Executes the strategic view of the line by developing forward-looking operating models and frameworks (process and analysis) to achieve financial and merchandise objectives:
  • Assortment Cycle Planning - Develop and maintain six season view of sales, margin and inventory, including quantification of floorset drops, viability of line extensions, and the evaluation of exits.  Evaluate distortions and impact of trade-offs relative to assortment changes.
  • Inventory Management - Works with Planning Leads to manage quarterly receipts to approved levels and ensures the MPC process reflects an accurate view of projected inventory.
  • Assortment Architecture - Works with Planning Leads to ensure the assortment architecture framework for each business incorporates the translation of Merchant vision to meeting the financial objectives.
• Drives and owns the Pre-Season Planning activities by coordinating statistical analysis, planning newness projections, and merchant direction into an activity-based pre-season view of a merchandise plan.
  • Seasonal Planning - Develop seasonal architecture 12-18 months pre-season and aligned with Brand strategies and calendars; incorporate distortions, targets and relationship of regular to promotion sales sensitivities and demand.
  • Inventory Management - Develop point of view on timing of receipt flow to facilitate floorset set-up and improved inventory turn, taking into consideration the varying seasonal sales curves of the different businesses.
• Manage the critical assessment and hindsight of merchandise strategy to inform future planning and execution activities.
  • Development of models for predicting sales and analyzing variance to actual results
  • Application of statistical techniques to highlight business drivers and provide clarification of item trends/patterns
• Perform pricing, promotion and event analysis to drive business and financial objectives
  • Create topside forecasts at total category level based upon analysis and coordination with Brand Growth Plan
  • Validate and quantify activities/tactics (marketing/promos/feature plans) for each category to establish and hit targets.  
  • Develop systematic construct of pricing architecture with a focus on sensitivities and demand
• Partner with Finance and Merchants to ensure merchandise strategy meets financial and merchandise objectives. 
• Responsible for working closely with Production and Logistics and calculating duty, taxes and freight into FOB costs for full loads into the system

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in finance, operations, economics, business or statistics.  
• 3-5 years of retail merchandise and/or demand forecasting experience, inventory management, allocation or replenishment experience, financial planning or financial analysis experience.  
• Assortment/attribute planning experience
• Proficient with forecasting methodologies and statistical modeling
• Strong financial acumen with the ability to direct execution and operational activities.
• Must have strong analytical and problem solving skills; strong aptitude with numbers; retail math skills; ability to analyze business context and situation.
• Identifies/influences critical stakeholders - proactively problem solves and recommends solutions.
• Builds collaborative partnerships cross-functionally and resolves conflict productively
• Business intelligence: understands and executes against business strategy.
• Ability to advance to high levels of computer literacy with strong Excel skills; exposure to relevant planning, finance, analytical, data management systems  Systems used:  JDA Enterprise Planning; Manugistics, Microstrategy
• Strong communication and presentation skills:  concisely presents complex information/recommendations in terms meaningful to various audiences
• Ability to work independently but knows when to request a partner in key decision making situations.
• Ability to synthesize large quantities of data, and develop a recommendation to drive business decisions.