Manager, Merchandise Planning

• Lead a team responsible for the development of Merchandise Category Plans including short-term weekly forecast, long-term monthly forecasts, and annual operating plans
• Drive the business with accountability to revenue and cost of goods
• Manage pre & in season planning, including forecasting and inventory open-to-buy management to drive growth and profitability
• Build high team morale and group commitment
• Provide leadership, guidance, and motivation to a high-performing team
• Manage multiple tasks, prioritize activities, and establish deadlines and work plans to achieve end goals
• Translate business performance drivers and metrics into insightful analysis and recommendations to influence merchandise direction
• Understand and evaluate white space opportunities for the business
• Identify pricing and liquidation opportunities for your division to manage inventory liability
• Ensure teams understand and utilize the tools available to purchase, analyze, and react to business trends
• Actively coach & develop team members’ skill sets to continually build bench strength and broaden career path opportunities

• 5+ years’ experience in merchandise planning or financial analysis
• Accessories and apparel experience preferred
• Demonstrated experience leading teams, developing talent, building morale, and inspiring and aligning the team around clear, achievable objectives
• Demonstrated strong responsibility, ownership, and pride in delivering quality results and understanding business impacts
• Demonstrated strong analytical skills in forecasting and open-to-buy management
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative relationships across merchandising teams
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Proven ability to synthesize data into a concise story, then develop and present fact-based insights and recommendations to various levels of leadership
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to meet deadlines, handle multiple priorities, and perform job responsibilities accurately while working in a fast-paced, changing environment
• Self-starter with natural curiosity and the ability to deal with ambiguity
• Ability to work within a complex, matrix organization and find creative solutions
• Familiarity with retail planning software or systems, computer skills in MS Office, high proficiency in Excel and understanding of BI tools
• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, mathematics, or other quantitative fields or equivalent experience

Accessories and apparel experience preferred

• health and savings benefits
• educational opportunities
• special extras that only Disney can provide