Merchandise Planner

Brilliant Earth

22h

About The Position

The Merchandise Planner will be a key member of Brilliant Earth's Merchandising team, responsible for developing comprehensive sales and inventory strategies across multiple product categories. This role will report to the Associate Director of Merchandise Planning and will serve as the primary liaison between merchandising, operations, and finance teams to optimize inventory investments while maximizing profitability and customer satisfaction. The Merchandise Planner will lead inventory planning initiatives, establish forecasting methodologies, and drive strategic decision-making to support business growth. The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker who excels in a fast-paced startup environment and has demonstrated an ability to drive meaningful business impact through sophisticated analyses, predictive modeling, cross-functional leadership, and implementation of scalable processes. We have a social and environmental mission at the core of our company and are looking for someone who is passionate about helping us achieve our social goals while delivering exceptional business results.

Requirements

BA degree or equivalent, preferred
5+ years’ experience in quantitative analysis, inventory planning and/or forecasting; in a retail, product or e-commerce company
Highly attentive to details
Experience with Planning and Reporting software; experience with Domo, or similar, a plus
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
Advanced Excel skills including complex formulas, pivot tables, financial modeling, and efficient management of large datasets for inventory and sales analysis
Highly organized with focus on execution, problem solving, and improving processes
Exceptional time management skills and accountability
Ability to think critically and adapt quickly in a flexible environment
Team player with an ability to work collaboratively
Entrepreneurial spirit / self-starter
Interest in socially and environmentally responsible organizations and products

Nice To Haves

Experience in allocation or store planning is a plus

Responsibilities

Own merchandise planning for multiple product categories with full accountability for results
Create and own category Open-To-Buy alignment and drive consensus discussions across teams
Collaborate with the merchandising team to develop and maintain comprehensive sales forecasts, strategic inventory plans, dynamic scenario models, and data-driven buying recommendations to optimize product assortment and maximize profitability
Lead strategic inventory planning for new showroom launches and business initiatives
Ensure accuracy of analysis, reporting, insights, forecasts, and achievement of inventory plans/goals
Establish inventory parameters including weeks of supply, safety stock, and reorder points
Drive the weekly forecasting process to determine appropriate inventory levels across channels
Perform complex statistical analysis to support Planning and Merchandising teams
Design comprehensive analytics frameworks to evaluate business performance metrics
Lead cross-functional meetings to review inventory positions and align on action plans
Partner with operations to optimize the inventory pipeline and address supply challenges
Translate financial plans into actionable buying strategies through monthly OTB framework
Develop scenario planning models to evaluate potential business impacts and contingencies
Identify opportunities to improve inventory productivity and reduce excess while maintaining service levels