Associate Manager, Merchandise Planning

Position Summary...

Reporting to the Merchandise Planning Manager, the Associate Manager, Merchandise Planning is responsible for achieving OMNI sales and profit targets for multiple merchandise categories supporting multiple Merchants, working in conjunction with other cross functional partners (Replenishment, Merchandise Operations). Key accountabilities include building the OMNI category financial plans across all financial metrics (Sales, MD, Inventory, IMU, GP), pre-season planning and in-season management and decision; OMNI category monthly forecasts, planning exit strategies and conducting relevant business analysis.

What you'll do...

• Demonstrates up-to-date expertise in merchandise planning and applies this to the development, execution, and improvement of action plans by providing expert advice and guidance to others in the application of information and best practices; supporting and aligning efforts to meet customer and business needs; and building commitment for perspectives and rationales.
• Ownership for maintaining Store and eCommerce markdown budgets; preparing and reporting recommended markdown actions to Planning and Merchant leaders; maintaining markdown action item list; planning and executing markdowns using expert knowledge of new technology; and partnering with Merchants to present short and long-term planning activities and financial forecasts.
• Supports the category team OMNI profit and loss (P&L) providing financial forecasts by calculating and adjusting annual, monthly, weekly and daily financial projections against actual results; preparing financial analyses and reports (e.g. historical sales trends, seasonality charts) to understand and explain business trends and performance; preparing and analyzing new item and merchandise line financial reviews (e.g. forecasted category assortment, modular financial performance); and providing insight on how key inputs are used in inventory and margin forecasts, decision-making, and month-end recaps.
• Supports the continuous development of financial strategies and key event plans for category team by attending meetings with suppliers; modeling, analyzing, and evaluating the impact of key variables (for example, seasonal events, assortment mix, market dynamics) on category performance and risk exposure; preparing and reporting category strategy templates to inform strategic decision-making; reviewing, analyzing, and reconciling financial results of modular/seasonal changes identifying discrepancies in financial results; executing actions to correct discrepancies; and ensuring the modular/seasonal assortment mix aligns with financial goals of the category.
• Leads OMNI weekly/monthly 30:60:90 meetings with collaboration from functional partners to execute and maintain financial plans by ensuring sales, markdown and inventory forecasts are current and accurate.
• Responsible for building OMNI financial plans for merchandise categories by leveraging partnerships with cross-functional teams (e.g., Merchandising, Replenishment); preparing, revising, and executing category budgets (e.g., sales, markdowns, receipts), seasonal buy plans, and line review financials; determining item/program quantities; conducting analyses to identify business drivers and levers; and developing and presenting financial recommendations to Merchants, Senior Merchants, and Directors of Merchandising.

Qualifications...

• Minimum Years of Experience required: 3 – 5 years
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Retail Management, Economics or related field OR 2 years’ experience in retail, financial planning, category management, buying, replenishment, operations, or related field.
• Additional skills/knowledge: Retail experience, Commodity knowledge, Analytical skills. Customer centered, Judgement, Execution & results, Planning & Improvement, Influence & Strong Communication
• Minimum Education required: College Certificate or Diploma