Jr Merchandise Planner Nf3

U.S. Marine Corps•Quantico, VA

About The Position

Marine Corps Community Services (MCCS) is seeking a Jr Merchandise Planner to support its retail planning and merchandising programs. The role develops seasonal merchandise financial plans at the store level using SAS, in coordination with Buyers, the Divisional Merchandise Manager, and the General Merchandise Manager. It partners with the Merchandising team to develop plans and strategies covering sales, inventory turns, margins, receipts, markdowns, and markups, and leads weekly and monthly Open-to-Buy reviews. The planner analyzes business trends, forecasts performance, recommends ways to improve sales and inventory conditions, and initiates in-season plan revisions as needed. The position oversees markdown planning and management, supports profitability efforts, contributes to assortment and buy planning, and helps ensure appropriate assortments for new stores and remodels. It produces performance reporting and analytical studies, makes recommendations and follows up on corrective actions, and works with Replenishment Analysts and Planogram Specialists on replenishment and planogram accuracy. The role also prepares and delivers reports, presentations, briefs, correspondence, and training sessions. The employee is expected to provide courteous, responsive customer service, communicate positively, address problems promptly, follow safety regulations, report hazards and workplace incidents, and support equal employment opportunity and the prevention of sexual harassment. Work schedules may fluctuate beyond typical workdays and hours to complete assignments, and other related duties may be assigned.

Requirements

At least one year of experience executing pre-season merchandise plans, departmental Open-to-Buy plans, and analysis of merchandise-plan components throughout a fiscal year.
Skill in planning and developing pre-season strategies for seasonal merchandise financial plans, including sales volume, inventory turn, gross margins, receipts, markdowns, and markups.
Ability to become familiar with and comply with Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, and Marine Corps directives, policies, and regulations covering retail operations.
Intermediate working knowledge of Microsoft Office software, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

Develop and ensure the accuracy of seasonal merchandise financial plans at the store level in SAS, based on agreed-upon goals with the Buyer, Divisional Merchandise Manager, and General Merchandise Manager.
Partner with the Merchandising team to plan and develop strategies for financial plans, including sales volume, inventory turn, gross margins, receipts, markdowns, and markups.
Lead weekly and monthly Open-to-Buy reviews of current business against the merchandise financial plan.
Analyze trends and forecast performance; recommend actions to improve sales and inventory conditions.
Work with merchandising staff to revise in-season financial plans in response to positive or negative business trends.
Oversee markdown forecasting and management, including prior-month forecasts, in-month management, and future-season forecasts by department and in total.
Work with merchandising staff to address issues affecting profitability, including markdowns, shrink, and initial markups.
Coordinate with business operations and merchandising staff to plan appropriate assortments for new stores and remodels.
Develop assortment plans and review stock assortments against historical performance and future trends.
Provide output documents and buy plans to support merchandising purchases.
Produce daily, weekly, and monthly reports showing actual performance across plan components for senior management.
Gather data, research historical results and trends, review reports and directives, and conduct portions of analytical studies for MCCS retail programs and services.
Recommend corrective actions and conduct follow-up meetings.
Work with Replenishment Analysts and Planogram Specialists to ensure replenishment and planograms are accurate and appropriately executed in line with financial goals.
Review initial product-category setup for automatic replenishment and perform periodic maintenance reviews; identify significant variances that could risk plan achievement.
Conduct presentations and prepare correspondence, briefs, action documents, routing sheets, point papers, slide presentations, and training sessions.
Provide courteous, positive customer service and take prompt action to solve problems; alert a higher-level supervisor or appropriate contact when assistance is needed.
Follow safety regulations and promptly report workplace hazards, injuries, occupational illnesses, and property damage resulting from workplace mishaps.
Support equal employment opportunity principles and prevention of sexual harassment.
Work a fluctuating schedule when needed to complete assignments outside typical workdays or hours, and perform other related duties as assigned.