Merchandise Planner

At Home Group • Coppell, TX

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

Planners are responsible for the overall financial direction of a category or department(s) with the goal of meeting/exceeding sales, margin and turn targets. Planners are primarily responsible for developing seasonal merchandise financial plans, developing, and managing the allocation strategy, and supporting the Buyer with a department(s) open to buy. Planners also work with Buyers in assortment and buy planning by facilitating layering of assortments and validating the integrity of initial allocation volumes. In-season, Planners provide in-depth analysis of product performance and make recommendations to maximize business opportunities.

Requirements

• Overall financial direction of a category or department(s) with the goal of meeting/exceeding sales, margin and turn targets.
• Developing seasonal merchandise financial plans.
• Developing and managing the allocation strategy.
• Supporting the Buyer with a department(s) open to buy.
• Working with Buyers in assortment and buy planning by facilitating layering of assortments and validating the integrity of initial allocation volumes.
• Providing in-depth analysis of product performance and making recommendations to maximize business opportunities.
• Analyze historical data and current trends to identify risks and opportunities by department and class.
• Provide analytical inputs to support the Buyer in merchandise strategy planning, assortment planning and buy planning processes.
• Collaborate with merchandising to develop and communicate a comprehensive strategy that aligns future financial and product opportunities by department and class.
• Recap and analyze actual sales results to plan, forecasts in-season sales and inventories on a weekly/monthly/quarterly basis.
• Develop monthly forecasts of sales and inventory for all basic styles and develop strategies to meet department financial goals.
• Lead Open-to-Buy Process; present financial forecast and supporting action plans in monthly open-to-buy forecast meeting.
• Communicate financial results, forecasts, and action plans to manager and buying team on a weekly basis.
• Provide pricing and promotional recommendations that align with department financial goals.
• Present financial plans, forecasts, and strategies in key meetings.
• Support a collaborative, innovative and results-oriented environment with peers and cross-functional team.
• Develop Key Item plans and provide analytics required for planning and managing key items in-season.
• Oversee the development of allocations by store and replenishment analysis/forecasting.
• Oversee style/SKU count analysis.
• Build a high-functioning planning team by developing partnerships, leading, coaching and providing constructive feedback.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with members of cross-functional team.
• Prioritize and set expectations around key deliverables with direct reports and buying team.
• Oversee store clustering process and provide location recommendations regarding product placement and maximization of trend performance.
• Partners with buyer on development of reinventions, visual initiatives, and collaborations.
• Assist the buy process by performing planning functions within the assortment planning/item planning tool.
• Manage and develop direct report.

Responsibilities

• Manage the financial success of a department by meeting sales, gross margin and inventory turn goals.
• Develop pre-season merchandise financial plans to the classification level that support department strategies
• Reconcile merchandise plans against top-side goals and assortment plans
• Analyze historical data and current trends to identify risks and opportunities by department and class.
• Provide analytical inputs to support the Buyer in merchandise strategy planning, assortment planning and buy planning processes
• Collaborate with merchandising to develop and communicate a comprehensive strategy that aligns future financial and product opportunities by department and class.
• Recap and analyze actual sales results to plan, forecasts in-season sales and inventories on a weekly/monthly/quarterly basis
• Develop monthly forecasts of sales and inventory for all basic styles and develop strategies to meet department financial goals.
• Lead Open-to-Buy Process; present financial forecast and supporting action plans in monthly open-to-buy forecast meeting
• Communicate financial results, forecasts, and action plans to manager and buying team on a weekly basis.
• Provide pricing and promotional recommendations that align with department financial goals
• Present financial plans, forecasts, and strategies in key meetings
• Support a collaborative, innovative and results-oriented environment with peers and cross-functional team.
• Develop Key Item plans and provide analytics required for planning and managing key items in-season
• Oversee the development of allocations by store and replenishment analysis/forecasting
• Oversee style/SKU count analysis
• Build a high-functioning planning team by developing partnerships, leading, coaching and providing constructive feedback
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with members of cross-functional team
• Prioritize and set expectations around key deliverables with direct reports and buying team
• Oversee store clustering process and provide location recommendations regarding product placement and maximization of trend performance
• Partners with buyer on development of reinventions, visual initiatives, and collaborations
• Assist the buy process by performing planning functions within the assortment planning/item planning tool
• Manage and develop direct report

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed