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The Merchandise Planner plays a key role in the pro-active management of the business to maximize sales, margin and inventory through strategic end-to-end optimization across all customer channels (direct consumer business), accountable for, by channel, pre-season and in-season. The Planner builds financial sales, gross margin and inventory plans for multiple departments in a given area.
Job Responsibility:
Accountable for departmental success
Responsible for OTB re-forecasting at a weekly level
Through analysis, strategic thinking, and collaboration develop the financial classification plans/key items plans for sales, margin and inventory
Proactively identify issues and opportunities within product mix and use analytics and creative problem solving to drive profitable solutions
Actively recommend markdown and liquidation strategies to maximize store profitability
Collaborate with the merchant team to develop and communicate a comprehensive pre-season strategy
Participate in all aspects of line building process with Merchandising Lead or participate in department projects to improve systems or efficiencies
Ensure alignment of top/down and bottoms/up style/color plans with merchandising strategies and financial targets
Partner with the Inventory Planning team to maximize profitability
Drive profitability through leading and executing promotional and markdown strategies
Analyze business weekly as it relates to last forecast and last year, identify trends and highlight selling
Collaborate with other planners to drive consistency and best practices throughout the organization
Requirements:
Minimum 3-4 years of experience in planning which includes knowledge of buying and allocation
Undergraduate degree in finance, economics, accounting, business or related field
Excellent technical skills – MS Office (specifically Excel, Word)
Stores and/or direct experience required
Customer-centric focus with understanding of customer needs and ability to understand market trends
Ability to build strong relationships with a diverse group of cross functional partners
Possesses a clear understanding of financial measurements
sales, weeks of supply, inventory turn, sales thru and how to impact them
Proven ability to interpret and synthesize data into intelligent business decisions
Strong organizational and time management skills
able to handle multiple priorities
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work in fast-paced, often-changing environment
Nice to have:
Retail experience preferred
MBA a plus
What we offer:
Merchandise discount at select KnitWell Group brands
Support for individual development plus opportunities for career mobility
A culture of giving back – local volunteer opportunities, annual donation and volunteer match to eligible nonprofit organizations, and philanthropic activities