Assortment Associate - Kids
About The Position
The Associate, Assortment Planner supports the strategic development and execution of buying frameworks for a designated Kids category and reports directly to the Director of Assortment Planning. The role collaborates with cross-functional teams to align assortment decisions with strategic and financial objectives, contributing across pre-market analysis, in-market quantification, and post-market adjustments. The associate supports category and Private Brand line planning, style-outs, assortment evaluation, and allocation. Work includes analyzing historical and current performance, supporting store-level plans and clustering strategies, quantifying curated assortments, confirming store matrices, applying style-level Min/Max, and helping ensure orders are allocated in time. The role also supports a respectful, collaborative environment and may be assigned additional duties. Candidates with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience in a related field are encouraged to apply. The role requires communication, collaboration, use of office and computer systems, access to written and electronic information, and movement within the work environment to interact with workplace materials. A flexible schedule may be required based on department and company needs.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience in a related field.
- Analytical skills, including analyzing sales data, turn plans, and financial targets.
- Collaboration and communication skills.
- Understanding of retail concepts, including assortment planning, Private Brand line plans, and allocation processes.
- Quantitative analysis skills, including building and maintaining category C-1, assessing current-season performance, and determining future-season replenishment assortment.
- Strong organizational and planning skills.
- Familiarity with NuOrder and EDI systems and related assortment and allocation processes.
- Decision-making skills, including supporting changes after style-outs and Buy Review and sending orders for allocation.
- Ability to perform essential functions involving communication, collaboration, office and computer systems, accessing written and electronic information, and moving within the work environment.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule based on department and company needs.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with the Director of Assortment Planning to develop and execute the buying framework for the designated category.
- Work with cross-functional teams to align assortment planning with strategic and financial objectives.
- Analyze pre-market, in-market, and post-market activities.
- Support Private Brand line plans based on historical performance and adoption rates.
- Contribute to style-outs that align assortments with customer preferences and market trends.
- Assist with allocation, including confirming the store matrix and applying Min/Max at the Style level.
- Support development of by-store sales and turn plans aligned with annual financial targets.
- Inspect receipt flow plans and address variances with Financial Planning.
- Contribute to category clustering strategies that account for channel and tier or climate differences.
- Participate in building and maintaining category C-1 in coordination with the Divisional Merchandise Manager.
- Assess current-season performance and help determine future-season replenishment assortments.
- Help establish bottoms-up targets for key-item volume drivers, trends, and newness.
- Evaluate assortment breadth, depth, and productivity, and help finalize the shopping list before market appointments.
- Quantify the Buyer’s curated assortment by brand, style, channel, and store cluster, ensuring alignment with cluster financial targets and the assortment framework.
- Identify style and vendor duplication during style-outs.
- Conduct style-outs in NuOrder or during the market cycle, addressing customer attributes and tier differences.
- Assist with final changes after style-outs and Buy Review and support sending orders for allocation.
- Participate in Assortment Wedge discussions led by the Senior Director, Assortment Planning, including discussions of goals, risks and upside, clustering, breadth and depth, and key-door initiatives.
- Attend market appointments when the Assortment Director is absent, as needed.
- Support EDI allocations to vendors at least 30 days before In-DC dates and inspect receipt availability before releasing orders.
- Foster acceptance, respect, collaboration, and authentic connections with colleagues, customers, and communities.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- Competitive pay and benefits
- Comprehensive health and wellness coverage
- 401(k) match
- Paid time off
- Eight paid holidays
- Continuous learning and leadership development
- Colleague Resource Groups
- Volunteer opportunities
- Merchandise discounts
- Performance-based incentives
- Annual merit review
- Employee Assistance Program with mental health counseling and legal/financial advice
- Tuition reimbursement
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
