Director, Planning

Centric Brands•New York, NY

2d•$145,000 - $165,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Centric Brands is a leading lifestyle brand collective that designs, sources, markets and sells high quality products in multiple segments, including women’s, men’s and kid’s apparel, accessories, entertainment and beauty. Centric Brands is focused on our customers and our brands that will drive the company’s future growth. We are defined by innovation as we seize new opportunities and thrive in an environment informed by creativity and thinking that is both analytical and outside the box. Centric Brands reflects a team built on respect, for others and for the hard work it takes to achieve our goals and build our bright future together. The Director of Planning (We are also open to considering Senior Director level candidates) will be responsible for oversight, development and implementation of retail, merchandise and financial planning processes across a multi-branded business unit. This role will direct a team of planners to develop and deliver overall account and product plans by strategically driving metrics including sales, margin and turn for current and future seasons, and will include oversight of a substantial replenishment business. Resourcefulness and agility will be key as you work with multiple business leads, planners and sales associates to analyze and incorporate retail trends, develop and manage complex plans, and deliver financial targets.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, retail management, or a related field
Minimum 10+ years of experience in retail planning, wholesale planning or merchandise planning
Strong analytical, financial and business acumen, with the ability to interpret complex data and make informed decisions.
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the organization.
Ability to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
Highly proficient in Microsoft 365 Suite (advanced Excel abilities), SAP, SAP Analysis for Microsoft Office (aka AO) or similar business analytics and intelligence platforms
Experienced with planning and merchandising applications
Strong retail math and analytical skills with ability to analyze data, identify trends and develop insights to improve inventory position and forecasting
Ability to think both strategically and execute tactically
Ability to partner and collaborate at all levels with multiple areas of the business
Excellent written and verbal communication skills to convey a point of view
Entrepreneurial mindset and resourceful - Capable of problem solving
Ability to lead and motivate a team, communicate effectively with leadership and influence decision making

Nice To Haves

Previous experience within a Kids apparel business is a plus.
Tillerman experience is a plus

Responsibilities

Own the planning framework across wholesale, retail and inventory planning, ensuring alignment to financial targets and growth strategies.
Provide executive oversight of OTB, sales, margin, and inventory forecasts, ensuring accuracy, transparency, and timely risk identification.
Lead the monthly Latest Estimate (LE) process across accounts, reviewing variances versus budget, prior projections, and last year, and driving mitigation plans as needed.
Maintain visibility to risks and opportunities, synthesizing insights across planners and clearly communicating implications to senior leadership.
Guide planners in developing seasonal and in‑season sales, assortment, and door‑level plans for Department Store accounts.
Ensure best‑in‑class use of store matrices, clustering, and door performance analytics to optimize distribution strategies.
Partnering with sales in the development of post‑season hindsight analyses, ensuring insights are translated into actionable improvements for future planning cycles.
Oversight of the digital marketplace forecasting and management of inventory, covering multiple accounts including Amazon.
Set standards and governance for replenishment planning, ensuring accurate demand forecasting and alignment across Demand Planning, Sales, and Retail Planning.
Ensure inventory is purchased responsibly, with disciplined management of weeks of supply, case packs, lead times, and minimum order quantities.
Oversee SKU rationalization and long‑tail analysis strategies, approving eliminations and transitions to maximize assortment productivity.
Partner with Sales on the plans for ATS inventory management and sell‑off / disposition strategies at appropriate discount and dilution levels.
Partner with Sales and Design leadership to guide seasonal line planning and SKU architecture across brands and channels.
Ensure planners are driving SKU productivity through data‑backed recommendations and hindsight‑driven decision making.
Align merchandise planning decisions with inventory, margin, and cash‑flow objectives.
Set expectations for planning analytics, reporting cadence, and executive‑level insights, ensuring the right information reaches the right audiences.
Champion the use of Sigma dashboards and advanced analytics to improve planning visibility and decision quality.
Identify opportunities to leverage automation and AI to improve efficiency, scalability, and accuracy across planning processes.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of planners, setting clear goals, accountability, and career development paths.
Establish consistent planning standards, tools, and best practices across the team.
Serve as a senior planning partner to Sales, Finance, Production, Supply Chain, and Merchandising leadership, influencing decisions through data and insight.

Benefits

medical
dental
vision
matching 401(k)
Summer Fridays
generous PTO
merchandise discounts
excellent career development opportunities
work environment that reflects our industry leadership
social impact program, Centric Cares, focuses on volunteerism
D&I committee is shaping the future of diversity, equity and inclusion at Centric Brands though workshops, resources and inspiring conversation