Merchandising Planner - USABlueBook

HD Supply•Waukegan, IL

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Manages a subset of a merchandising category and selects items for product line review in partnership with merchants. Optimizes assortment using data and financial projections. Works with respective merchandising teams to implement appropriate supplier strategies.

Requirements

Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales, margin, inventory, customer, and market data.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel and business systems used for reporting and analysis.
Demonstrated ability to learn technical products, customer applications, and industry specific solutions.
Strong organizational, communication, and problem solving skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and collaborate effectively across departments.
BS/BA in a related discipline.
Generally 2-5 years of experience in a related field OR MS/MA and generally 2-4 years of experience in a related field.

Nice To Haves

Experience in merchandising, category management, procurement, supply chain, inventory planning, product management, business analytics, sales operations, marketing analytics, or a related business function preferred.
Experience supporting vendor relationships and supplier negotiations preferred.
Knowledge of or experience in the water, wastewater, utility, industrial, environmental, municipal, or related technical industries.
Certification is required in some areas.

Responsibilities

Inputs and maintains data in various merchandising systems.
Analyzes financial data and takes measurements to forecast growth and merchandising opportunities.
Reviews competitive market data for assigned merchandising categories.
Performs various administrative duties, including managing the SKU life cycle, preparing for vendor meetings, maintaining vendor contact information and inquiries, and performing ad hoc projects as assigned.
Assists merchant team with product category management, including managing category subsets.
Works with merchants to resolve issues.
Produces reports and analyses for vendor meetings and negotiations.
Conducts root cause analysis for variation between supply and demand forecasts and collaborates with internal departments to recommend solutions.
Supports product assortment optimization, product lifecycle management, and merchandising initiatives through data-driven analysis and execution.
Assists with supplier engagement activities, business reviews, negotiation preparation, and vendor partnership support to help achieve category objectives.
Uses sales, inventory, margin, market, and financial data to identify trends, develop insights, and support business decision making.
Helps maintain product data integrity, supports new product launches and transitions, and ensures accurate product representation across sales and marketing channels.
Partners with teams across Marketing, Sales, Inventory Management, Operations, Customer Service, and Digital Commerce to execute category strategies and resolve business needs.