Merchandise Planner

JCPenney • Dallas, TX

12d • $81,000 - $135,000

About The Position

Merchandise Planner
The Merchandise Planner partners with merchandising to develop and manage comprehensive business strategies to drive sales, optimize inventory investment, and generate profit. Responsible for managing the Opento-Buy, building financial plans, and performing analysis to support the sales plan. Manage allocation process for assigned area of responsibility in support of subdivision financial plans. The Merchandise Planner will report to the Planning and Allocation Director.

Requirements

• 3+ years of progressively responsible experience in business, planning, allocation, and/or merchandising.
• Ability to drive retail profitability and inventory productivity.
• Readily grasps numerical concepts and interprets financial information accurately.
• Ability to utilize retail math skills to analyze and drive business.
• Exhibit high standards and accountability; takes pride in accuracy.
• Ability to provide strategic planning direction and identify growth opportunities.
• Results-oriented and self-motivated with a strong sense of urgency.
• Able to independently organize and prioritize broad workload to meet deadlines.

Nice To Haves

• College degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop/execute subdivision financial plans in both dollars and units by week for sales, receipts, inventory, gross profit, and inventory turn for the assigned area of responsibility. Collaborate with the Buyer in building financial targets for sourcing and national brand vendors as applicable.
• Prepare and manage the subdivision Open-to-Buy to ensure optimal performance is achieved by month, quarter, and season, while managing to plan goals. Develop and approve lifecycle product plans including exit strategies to maximize profitability.
• Prepare weekly and monthly review of sales, gross profit, and inventory results and coordinate subsequent re-forecasting with Planning and Allocation Director, as well as present the forecast to the Merchandise Action Team (MAT) to identify, quantify, and communicate opportunities and risks.
• Develop seasonal transition targets and strategies for their assigned areas.
• Create assortment plan strategic intent and develop botto-ms-up key item plans with input from MAT. Reconcile item plans, merchandise financial plan, and assortment plan, updating as appropriate.
• Pre-season, in-season, and post season: manage item plan and drive analysis to identify opportunities and risks and make recommendations. Prepare and analyze vendor profitability.
• Create and direct the allocation strategy for area of responsibility in support of assortment plans and ensure consistency and accuracy of allocation analysis and tactical actions. Supervise and oversee the activities and workflow in area of responsibility to ensure allocation objectives are met and to ensure proper execution of all allocations.
• Coach and develop their team of business analysts, within area of responsibility, by providing leadership and fostering professional growth of team.

Benefits

• We offer a competitive benefits package including medical/dental/vision, term life insurance, paid vacation/holidays, 401(k) Savings Plan with company match, and an associate discount on JCPenney merchandise.

What This Job Offers

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