Merchandise Planner

C3 Industries•Hartford, CT

About The Position

We are looking for a detail-oriented, analytical, and strategic Merchandise Planner to manage inventory, optimize product mix, and drive profitability across our High Profile Cannabis Shop retail locations. This role will be instrumental in managing the accuracy of the state assortment architectures, optimal inventory levels, and ensuring each store is tailored to market trends and local customer preferences.

Requirements

3–5 years of merchandise planning, inventory management, or retail analytics experience, preferably in cannabis, CPG, or specialty retail.
Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Excel and inventory planning tools (e.g., ERP, POS, demand planning software).
Excellent cross-functional collaboration skills, especially with buying, supply chain, and store operations teams.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to adapt in a fast-paced, multi-state retail environment.
Good judgment in a fast-moving environment with the ability to prioritize and execute multiple tasks.
Must be at least 21 years of age and able to pass a background check.

Nice To Haves

Experience using Power BI preferred.
Experience working in a regulated industry or knowledge of cannabis compliance is a plus.

Responsibilities

Maintain fresh inventory across all stores by tracking aging and expiring SKUs.
Execute the company markdown strategy weekly and partner with the buyer for external brand support.
Identify gaps in inventory early and coordinate replenishment with the state Buyer.
Monitor product life cycles and recommend introduction or phase-out timelines for specific SKUs.
Tailor assortments by store or store class based on volume, sales trends, regulatory nuances, and local consumer preferences.
Balance breadth with depth of inventory by store and store class.
Maintain the accuracy of assortment architectures.
Identify underperforming items for regular SKU rationalization.
Turn raw data into actionable insights that support company KPIs, including revenue, margin dollars, margin percent, internal pounds sold, freshness, and price mix.
Present monthly sales recaps to Executive and cross-functional teams.
Use margin, inventory, and strategic partnerships to guide weekly retail promotions.
Ensure promotions meet company margin and sales goals.
Partner with Retail Operations and Marketing to ensure cohesive product launches and in-store promotions.
Collaborate with Retail Buyers to ensure assortment strategies are executed.