Inventory Management Associate Planner

World Market • Alameda, CA

8d • $90,000 - $110,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

You won’t find a store and team like this anywhere else! We're passionate about our mission to delight customers with a unique, ever-changing marketplace of products from around the world. Our assortment is curated with stylish home décor, quality furniture, thoughtful gifts, time-honored handicrafts, and international food and beverage favorites. From handpicked finds to heartfelt teamwork, World Market is where uniqueness isn’t just celebrated—it’s what sets us apart. Our team means the world to us! We value authenticity, empowerment and respect and we take pride in what we do. If you’re looking for a collaborative, fast-moving environment where your contributions are valued, growth is supported and you can have a little fun—you’ve found it! When you join our team, you’ll enjoy: Benefits that support health, financial security, and personal life needs. Learn more about benefits and eligibility for Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance, and more! Paid vacation and paid sick time 401(k) plan with Roth option and company match Employee Assistance Program and wellness resources to be and do your best Sample Sales and up to 30% shopping discount on our unique finds for you and your designated shopper Work life balance and work from home flexibility Working with a team who thinks the world of you What You’ll Do The Associate Planner assists in developing and managing departmental financial plans to support merchandising strategies. This role collaborates closely with merchandising teams to create item, program, and category strategies aligned with financial objectives. The Associate Planner monitors performance and recommends changes to enhance profitability and productivity. Under the guidance of a Planner, Sr. Planner or Director, this position provides support in various planning activities and gains deeper exposure to inventory management processes. Opportunities for Growth: This role is designed for individuals needing to further develop their retail planning and inventory management skills before taking on a broader Planner role. The Associate Planner will receive mentorship from experienced Directors, Merchants, and Planners to help them hone their business acumen, ad hoc analysis, communication style and presentation skills. Successful candidates will gain valuable experience that can lead to advanced planning roles within the company.

Requirements

• BS or BA degree required
• Minimum 2 years of experience in planning, merchandising, inventory management, or a related area preferred.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with ability to deal with ambiguity and complexities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office products, including advanced-level Excel, and familiarity with data analysis tools.
• Proficient communication and collaboration abilities.

Nice To Haves

• Internship or coursework in retail planning or merchandising is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Manage Annual Financial plans and Open-to-Buy (OTB) at the department and/or category level with monthly presentation to company leadership.
• Develop pre-season financial plans and in-season analyses, including units, sales, and margin at SKU, program, collection, or category levels for areas of ownership and execute buys that support these plans.
• Develop profitable entrance and exit strategies with merchandising for new, seasonal and core replacement programs.
• Own cost to assort for core schematic, seasonal shops and features and ensure alignment between buy plans and allocation execution.
• Monitor inventory levels and help ensure alignment with sales forecasts and merchandising strategies.
• Develop and prepare reports and analyses to inform decision-making by the team and management.
• Work with Merchants on costing and assortment for core schematics, seasonal shops, and guidelines to ensure margin targets are met and assortment will meet sales objectives.
• Partner with Inventory Management Analyst and Specialist: Communicate assortment plan with Inventory Management Analyst to achieve appropriate inventory optimization by store level, and collaborate on allocation strategies to support schematic, shops, features and core goods to stay within in stock and turn goals.
• Direct Inventory Management Specialist in PO generation, maintenance, and vendor communication.
• Develop and manage forecasts for sales, markdowns and margin for shops and advertising initiatives in collaboration with Merchant partners.
• Validate and ensure inventory availability for promotional events.
• Own the management of order flow quantities to meet sales, inventory, margin, distribution center (DC) space planning, and turn targets for designated areas of ownership.
• Ensure timely placement of orders based on lead times and business needs.
• Maintain core in stock levels in accordance with company targets.
• Collaborate with merchandising to develop profitable entrance and exit strategies for new, seasonal, and core replacement programs.
• Manage discontinued inventories and develop in-season pricing strategies to optimize margins.
• Communicate with vendors regarding projections, order placements, and delivery schedules.

Benefits

• Benefits that support health, financial security, and personal life needs.
• Paid vacation and paid sick time
• 401(k) plan with Roth option and company match
• Employee Assistance Program and wellness resources to be and do your best
• Sample Sales and up to 30% shopping discount on our unique finds for you and your designated shopper
• Work life balance and work from home flexibility
• Working with a team who thinks the world of you

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level