Merchandise Financial Planning - SME

Title: Merchandise Financial Planning SME Location: Los Angeles, CA Work arrangement, contract duration, and required years of experience were not specified in the source. Job Summary Innova Software Services Inc. is seeking an experienced Merchandise Financial Planning Subject Matter Expert (SME)with deep expertise in retail merchandise planning, financial forecasting, inventory optimization, and merchandise planning systems. The ideal candidate will have strong hands-on experience with Toolio, particularly in merchandise financial planning, system implementation, business process configuration, and planning transformation initiatives. This role will support merchandise planning across multiple categories or business divisions, driving sales, gross margin, inventory investment, open-to-buy strategies, and forecasting accuracy. Key Responsibilities Merchandise Financial Planning and Strategy Lead long-range, annual, seasonal, and in-season merchandise financial planning. Develop sales, gross margin, inventory turn, and receipts plans across categories and divisions. Translate business strategies into actionable financial plans and performance targets. Establish merchandise planning methodologies, calendars, processes, and governance standards. Serve as the subject matter expert for merchandise planning processes and systems. Toolio Implementation and Planning Systems Support the implementation, configuration, and optimization of Toolio merchandise planning solutions. Collaborate with business stakeholders and implementation teams to define planning requirements and workflows. Translate merchandise planning processes into system functionality and reporting requirements. Support planning system testing, validation, adoption, and process improvements. Evaluate and improve merchandise planning capabilities using tools such as Toolio, Invent.ai, Anaplan, Oracle RPAS/RDF, Blue Yonder, and o9. Leverage advanced analytics and AI-driven forecasting to improve planning accuracy and inventory decisions. Inventory Management and Open-to-Buy Planning Develop and oversee division-level open-to-buy strategies. Optimize inventory investments, receipts, and inventory flow. Improve inventory turnover and reduce aged or excess inventory. Align inventory strategies with seasonal demand and key selling periods. Forecasting and Business Performance Lead weekly and monthly merchandise financial reforecasting. Develop scenario models, financial risk assessments, and forecasting recommendations. Analyze sales performance, gross margin, inventory levels, and merchandise productivity. Recommend chase, cut, and promotional actions based on business performance. Present financial planning results and recommendations to senior leadership. Stakeholder Collaboration and Advisory Partner with merchandising, finance, planning, supply chain, and technology teams. Provide guidance on merchandise planning best practices. Prepare executive business reviews, financial plans, and performance presentations. Support category strategy, assortment investment, pricing, and inventory decisions. Required Qualifications Extensive professional experience in retail merchandise financial planning. Strong expertise in merchandise planning across multiple categories or business divisions. Hands-on experience with Toolio is strongly preferred for this implementation-focused opportunity. Strong understanding of: Merchandise Financial Planning (MFP) Open-to-Buy (OTB) Sales and Gross Margin Planning Inventory Turnover and Receipts Planning Seasonal and Annual Planning In-Season Forecasting Scenario Modeling Merchandise Performance Analytics Experience defining merchandise planning processes and business requirements. Strong analytical, financial modeling, and problem-solving skills. Ability to advise senior stakeholders and translate financial insights into business recommendations. Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration capabilities. Preferred Qualifications Direct…

View the full posting and apply