Category Planner - Retail Merchandising

Category Planner Retail Merchandising

Position Overview: 

Seeking a Category Planner. In this role, the ideal candidate will manage the creation, validation, analyzing and execution of all category merchandise strategies to achieve maximum business results in full collaboration with all internal and external partners.

Simultaneously, the Retail Category Planner must contribute to a guest-centric, performance driven retail culture by clearly articulating top-side and merchandise specific objectives and expectations and coaching all to create win-win/mutually beneficial scenarios for all internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities: 

Departmental Merchandise Category Planning:

• Own Open-to-Buy (OTB)  to manage the assets of our retail business (receipts, markdowns, markup, and inventory to plan) with Product Development and Operations.
• Develop, with Product Development and Buying, 5-Year and Annual Pre-Season Merchandise Plans by department/class.
• Manage creation and communication of monthly In-Season Forecast by department/class
• Monitor performance and adjust plans accordingly.
• Manage inventory and flow of product (open-to-buy)
• Develop location allocation/assortment strategy by department/class/SKU
• Establish and monitor in-stock goals for key items
• Develop assortment plans and SKU count to optimize productivity
• Analyze performance on business goals and recommend action plans to maximize results
• Develop aged inventory, markdown and liquidation strategies
• Develop appropriate enter/exit strategies and monitor and adjust plans as necessary
• Accountable for overall financial deliverables for departments.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to develop merchandise initiatives for departments
• Drive positive results through improved business analysis and reporting.
• Coach, train and develop all stakeholder to deliver financial goals and optimize engagement
• Effectively communicate category plans and objectives to all stakeholders
• Drive category financial growth
• Develop with IT improved planning processes and systems
• Develop business processes to improve productivity

Functional Skills:

• Clear understanding of the retail financial planning process
• Successful experience leading internal and external stakeholders.
• Experience collaborating with internal and external resources in developing and/or contributing to strategic initiatives that meet department goals within budget and established timelines
• Financial project management experience
• Experience evaluating information and data to determine ROI and prioritization of programs.
• Experience planning, developing, and managing operating budgets.
• Intermediate level skill in Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, Word
• Ability to conceptualize big ideas and see ideas through to execution
• Highly motivated and decisive individual who is self-directed yet works well in a team
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Fluent in English, both written and spoken. Other languages are value-added.

Education Requirements:

Bachelor s Degree in Business or Equivalent Work Experience

Related Work Experience:

5+ years planning experience including retail inventory management responsibilities

Reports to:

Head of Retail