Job Purpose: The Merchandise Planner develops, maintains, analyzes, and executes category-level item plans for one or more departments. The Planner is also responsible for store allocations and works directly with the Buyer and Merchandise & Planning Manager to achieve strategic goals. The position works directly with suppliers to exchange orders, sales data, and item availability information. Manage, train, and monitor the Orders Clerks.
Key Skills Needed:
Strong analytical and financial skill
High attention to detail
Inventory management
Sales planning
Forecasting
Expert-level skills in retail merchandising tools and Microsoft tools/applications such as Excel and Outlook
Must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and be able to work with all levels within the organization
Replenishment system
Taking responsibility for development and have a hunger for autonomy and accountability
Passionate about retail with a desire to progress through to Buyer and beyond
Job Description:
Chain Item Planning
Develop and maintain item sales and inventory plans
Recommend changes to assortment, markdowns, markups, and to promote items based on current rate of sales and go forward plans
Track weekly sales performance and make adjustments to sales, forecast receipts, and markdowns as needed
Review item plans (forecasted sales and inventory) with Buyers and suppliers to ensure product availability
Replenishment / Allocation
Order and manage inventory investments according to OTB and ensure the right product arrives in the right location in the right quantity at the right time
Analyze and determine allocation methods for items (Supplier to DC or Direct to Store), based on range profile, store profile, and ranking
Utilizing the ordering, replenishment, and inventory procurement plans, review, maintain, and execute vendor orders to ensure proper flow of product from supplier to all stores/DC, within given Open To Buy, Weeks Of Supply, and in stock goals
Works directly with suppliers sharing orders, information on sales plans, performance metrics, and gathering data on item availability
Collaborates with Logistics, Sales, and Operation Team to address supply chain and system issues
Assortment Planning
Maintain and partner with Buyers in understanding of store profiles for each category
Work directly with Buyers to ensure that assortment plans and item eligibility directly coincide with replenishment plans
Financial Analysis, Pricing / OTB Planning
Responsible for maintaining financials including Open-to-Buy planning based on the inventory procurement plans
Engage with Buyers to manage current and future OTB status, identify issues and opportunities and develop strategies to optimize OTB planning
Develop financial plans with Buyers to achieve the department's annual sales and net margin goals
SKU/Product/System Management
Review outliers, focus on items that are doing well as well as those that are less successful to guide buying
Liaise with Buying team on system maintenance updates and changes, which include - delistings (product and/or suppliers), price changes (sell and cost), product loading, promotions, conditional pricing, product hierarchy, supplier details etc.
Marketing/ Advertising & Promotions
Partner with the Buyers and Marketing team to review promotions and proof all advertising before release
Process catalogues and insert submissions on the system
Track shipping and local orders on all advertised items and prioritize orders for warehouse and locals
Track sales on advertised material and report to respective teams
Manage the marketing ROI template by entering deals, prior and actual projections
Communicate all promotions-related activity to store teams
Leadership/Talent Enhancement & Training
Continuously update knowledge and skills in both technical and non-technical merchandising competencies to handle new challenges
Develop and train Orders Clerks
Cross Functional Partnership
Communication across company departments/cross-functional teams
Manage tasks and responsibilities within cross-functional teams and cultivate networks across divisions and functions to improve business processes; ensure honesty, directness, and ethics in dealing with others (Shipping, Finance, Marketing, Warehouse, Ops, HR, Store Design, Property etc.)
Desired Experience & Qualification: 3 - 5 years solid merchandise planning experience in retail. Relevant completed National Diploma or Degree.
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