The Merchandise Planner plays a key role in developing, executing, and communicating strategic merchandise financial plans. This individual will partner with Merchants in driving and maximizing sales and margin.

Duties:

• Develop the six-month Seasonal Merchandise Plans for their area of responsibility and with respect to the company's goals and targets.
• Partner with the Merchant on managing the Monthly Business Review (MBR) process through the development of sales, margins, receipt and inventory forecasts, supporting these forecasts with unit projections, and reporting unit performance and forecasts and receipt issues during the MBR meeting. Present forecasts at monthly business review meetings (MBR) and provide analysis to support recommendations.
• Manage the receipts and inventory against targeted weeks of supply objectives and partner with merchandising to recommend actions that drive sales and maximize gross margin by ensuring best receipt flow.
• Partner with their respective Merchant to develop ideal assortment to maximize sales and margin for each buy period, ensuring the appropriate costs, retails, and number of customer choices to achieve each period's targets.
  • Evaluate and determine APS targets for Retail and Demand targets for Direct Channel for assortment plan development.
  • Determine unit quantities to buy and to reorder (to the color and size levels), which will effectively maximize the ability of both channels to maximize sales and margin for each buy period.
• Develop and manage markdown, promotional and exit strategies for seasonal programs with Merchant partner to effectively manage inventory.
• Maintain open and continual communication with Merchandising, Sourcing, and Marketing teams.
• Develop unit sales and demand and inventory plans for major programs and key items to ensure adequate inventory coverage to meet store and Direct fulfillment needs. Effectively monitor sales and inventory levels to project future inventory needs or to recommend liquidation strategies.
• Partner cross channel with Allocation to ensure optimal inventories to best serve the customer needs.
• Monitor demand needs by style/color to effectively manage back orders.
• Partner with the Web and Catalog teams to exploit Web and Print opportunities and presentations to drive sale s ad margin.
• Adhere to the PLC Calendar in preparation and ownership of meetings, due dates, delivery dates, etc.
• Other duties, as assigned.

Competencies:

• Find risk and the challenge of new problems stimulating and respond with action.
• Make quick, action-oriented decisions in response to changing conditions.
• Solve problems through innovative, futuristic thinking.
• Ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and projects.
• Focus individual and team efforts on achieving results.
• Identify what needs to be done and does it before being asked or required by the situation.
• Commit to positive results and maintains commitment regardless of obstacles and frustrations.
• Build rapport and relationships focused on achieving results.
• Own the process, plan and the results.