Hosiery Planning Analyst

Implus•Durham, NC

15d•Onsite

About The Position

The Hosiery Planning Analyst plays a vital, strategic role in optimizing inventory efficiency, driving sales alignment, and maximizing gross margin performance across the Everyday Hosiery department. This role is responsible for demand planning, inventory analysis, and forecasting across traditional retail brick-and-mortar accounts and wholesale programs. The Planner Analyst collaborates cross-functionally with Merchandisers, Key Account Managers, Merchandisers, Sourcing, and Operation teams to align supply with demand, manage Go-to-Market (GTM) calendars, and maintain healthy Weeks of Supply (WOS) across wholesale accounts. The ideal candidate balances strong analytical capabilities and financial acumen with collaborative communication skills to turn raw retail and partner performance data into strategic, actionable business decisions.

Requirements

3 to 5 years of professional planning experience in a corporate environment (specifically within demand planning, inventory planning, merchandise planning, or supply chain).
Experience in the consumer-packaged goods (CPG), apparel, or footwear accessories industries is highly preferred.
Advanced spreadsheet modeling skills (VLOOKUPs, pivot tables, financial modeling).
Proven familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Sigma) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP/MRP) platforms.
Exceptional ability to analyze, format, and synthesize massive numbers into clear, structured, and insightful trends.
Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to collaborate professionally with commercial leaders, sourcing teams, and external retail stakeholders.
Demonstrated capability to operate independently under high-level "mission-style" guidance, while managing multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Finance, Statistics, Business Analytics, or a closely related field.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus, read reports, create presentations and use a computer system.
Hear well enough to communicate with co-workers, vendors, and students.
Write, type and use the telephone, copier, and computer systems.
Open files and operate office machines; move between departments and attend meetings across campus.
Frequently convey detailed or important instructions and ideas accurately, loudly, or quickly.
Exert up to 50 pounds for force occasionally, and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
Predictable attendance on site
Using a standard computer keyboard and monitor
Work has deadlines, multiple interruptions and may be stressful at times.

Responsibilities

Lead the consolidation, formatting, and publication of weekly inventory reports specifically designed for key national accounts, tracking inventory levels, Weeks of Supply (WOS), and point-of-sale (POS) data.
Monitor and analyze product- and category-specific sales velocities and inventory positions to partner with sales representatives on proactive, data-driven inventory action plans.
Translate complex sales and account performance data into clear, actionable commercial recommendations for retail partners.
Prepare for and actively participate in regular Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) meetings to review and confirm inventory buys by SKU and retailers, ensuring precise alignment with sales forecasts.
Consolidate and communicate demand and inventory forecasts to senior leadership across commercial, merchandising, sourcing, and operation teams to maintain corporate-wide alignment.
Serve as a key stakeholder in monthly meetings with operations and planning teams to review on-hand inventory levels and future forecasted inventory.
Build and refine SKU-level demand forecasts utilizing historical sales trends, retailer POS data, and partner forecasts to establish safety stock levels and optimal factory ETAs.
Communicate clear forecasting and replenishment strategies across channels to support efficient distribution networks and minimize stockouts.
Partner cross-functionally with commercial management and merchandising to ensure the inventory forecast is strategically aligned with key product initiatives and distribution plans.
Collaborate directly with key account managers and commercial leaders across the organization to ensure inventory plans accommodate unique customer needs and retail constraints.
Analyze seasonal bookings against forecasts and on-hand inventory to formulate clear action plans and provide strategic, analytical guidance for future product planning.
Collaborate directly and closely with broader Planning and Operations teams to ensure inventory buys are executed in strict accordance with Go-To-Market (GTM) plans and procurement submissions meet seasonal deadlines.
Support the seasonal Go-to-Market (GTM) process to ensure that new sock lines are structurally consistent with department strategy and validated by market trends.
Provide clear end-of-life cycle and exit strategy guidance to merchandising teams, developing liquidation strategies to minimize obsolete inventory and recover revenue.