Merchandise Planner

King Ranch•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Merchandise Planner role involves analyzing sales data, market trends, and promotional activities to create accurate demand forecasts. This position is responsible for optimizing inventory and margin productivity across all sales channels, ensuring an excellent customer experience. The role requires adaptability and a solution-oriented approach to navigate a growing business with evolving needs. Collaboration with merchandising, corporate sales, and operations teams is key to anticipating product lifecycles and ensuring accurate replenishment plans. Performance analytics, including tracking sales and inventory KPIs, are crucial for providing recommendations to enhance sales and reduce waste. The role also involves generating regular reports and effectively communicating findings to stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, or related field.
3+ years of experience in demand planning, inventory management, or related roles, preferably in a retail or e-commerce environment.
Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Excel, ERP systems, and forecasting software.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work cross-functionally with different teams.
Effective time management skills and ability to prioritize multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced & evolving environment.
Detail-oriented, organized and proactive with a focus on continuous improvement.
Experience with imports and/or long lead time planning, particularly in apparel, accessories, or outdoor products.
Familiarity with inventory management in multi-channel retail environments (brick-and-mortar and e-commerce).
Knowledge of supply chain logistics and operations.
Comfort using and reviewing AI.

Responsibilities

Analyze sales data, market trends, promotional activities, and cross-functional needs to identify changing trends and create accurate demand forecasts at the category and/or SKU level for all product categories.
Maximize inventory and margin productivity while ensuring all sales channels provide the best customer experience.
Develop and maintain inventory models to ensure optimal stock levels across multiple channels.
Respond positively to change and provide creative solutions as business needs and processes evolve.
Partner with merchandising to anticipate product life cycles and sales trends.
Work closely with the corporate sales and operations team to ensure accurate production and inventory replenishment plans.
Track and analyze sales performance and inventory KPIs, providing recommendations to enhance sales and reduce waste or surplus inventory.
Use current learnings to help improve future strategies as business evolves.
Generate regular reports on sales performance, demand forecasts, and inventory levels.
Effectively communicate high-level needs and changes to the Director of Merchandise Planning and Allocation and other stakeholders, while maintaining the ability to work at deeper levels.