Merchandise Planner - US Company in Santa Monica
Energy Jobline ZRJob Description
Position Overview:
The Merchandise Planner owns the development and execution of merchandise plans that optimize sales, inventory productivity, and profitability across retail and e-commerce channels. This role serves as a key strategic partner to Merchandising, Retail Operations, E-Commerce, Marketing, and Finance, aligning cross-functional stakeholders to translate business goa
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ls into actionable inventory and assortment plans that ensure optimal product flow and placement across physical and digital touchpoints. The ideal candidate pairs advanced analytical skills with commercial acumen to guide informed planning decisions, elevate inventory productivity, and drive sustainable business growth.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Merchandising Planning & Inventory Optimization:
• Assortment & OTB: Own and direct seasonal assortment plans and Open-to-Buy (OTB) structures aligned with financial targets.
• Order & Launch Management: Oversee end-to-end order tracking and steer the master product launch calendar across online and offline channels to ensurecommercial readiness.
• Commercial Strategy: Partner monthly with leadership and key stakeholders to align sales targets and design responsive promotional/markdown plans to drive sell-through.
• Inventory Control: Proactively monitor stock levels to optimize Weeks of Supply (WOS), manage inventory health, and minimize aging stock.
• HQ Alignment: Lead and collaborate with Global/Regional HQ to ensure seasonal assortment and OTB plans are submitted on time.
2. Retail Merchandise Planning:
• Store Assortment & Capacity: Establish and maintain product assortment frameworks optimized for store physical capacity and local customer profiles.
• Performance Reporting: Lead weekly commercial business reviews and data analysis to identify top-performing styles, slow movers, and emerging category trends that guide key trading decisions.
• Allocation & Replenishment: Oversee new product intake and govern stock replenishment strategies from the JDL warehouse to maximize sales floor availability and turn.
3. E-Commerce Merchandise Planning:
• Demand & Traffic Forecasting: Partner with E-Commerce and Marketing teams to build dynamic sales, demand forecasts, and inventory projections for key online commercial moments and product drops.
• Assortment & Inventory Flow: Oversee inventory allocation and stock balancing between e-commerce and retail stores to maximize full-size availability and protect core product lines.
• Digital Performance: Lead weekly e-commerce commercial reviews to monitor sales pacing, evaluate style sell-through, and take real-time inventory actions to drive revenue.
Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, or related field
• 5–7+ years of experience in retail merchandising, buying, or planning (sportswear/fashion )
• Strong experience in OTB planning, allocation, and in-season trading
• Solid understanding of store operations, e-commerce dynamics, and retail performance drivers
• Advanced Excel skills; experience with merchandising/planning systems is a plus
• Experience operating in multi-store retail environments
Skills & Competencies:
• Strong analytical, strategic, and commercial mindset with the ability to influence cross-functional decisions.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex data into actionable merchandising strategies.
• Strong cross-functional leadership and collaboration with retail, VM, e-commerce, and marketing teams.
• High degree of commercial accountability with proven project ownership and execution discipline.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple store tiers, digital launch calendars, and critical path timelines.
• Willingness to travel for store visits
• Passion for sports and retail