Planner, Backstage - Home

Macy's • New York, NY

2d • $136,440 - $227,280 • Onsite

About The Position

As the Director Planner for Macy’s Backstage, you will lead the end-to-end financial planning, inventory management, and strategic vision for a key category within our off-price business. Success in this role hinges on a strong, collaborative partnership with your buyer to shape and execute a compelling category strategy. You’ll combine sharp financial acumen with a deep understanding of the customer, leveraging data and cross-functional tools to drive results. This is a dynamic, high-impact role that offers the opportunity to influence the future of Backstage while mentoring a high-performing team and championing innovation across the business.

Requirements

• Excellent Communication Skills: Strong written and verbal communication skills are essential for effectively conveying financial targets, strategies, and performance insights to stakeholders.
• Analytical Skills and Business Acumen: Strong analytical abilities and a deep understanding of business operations are necessary for interpreting financial data, identifying trends, and making informed decisions.
• Detail-Oriented and Results-Driven: Attention to detail is crucial for accurately analyzing financial information and ensuring strategic plans align with organizational goals.
• Collaboration and Influence: Ability to collaborate effectively with DMMs, cross-functional teams, and senior management, leveraging negotiation skills and influencing techniques to drive consensus and action.
• Problem-Solving: Demonstrated track record of employing effective problem-solving approaches and collaborating with diverse teams to address challenges and achieve objectives.
• Forecasting Analysis and Inventory Optimization: Proficiency in forecasting analysis and inventory optimization techniques is necessary to ensure efficient inventory management and meet financial targets.
• ROF/OTB Management: Experience in managing Rolling Operating Forecasts (ROF) and Open-To-Buy (OTB) processes, optimizing inventory levels to support business objectives.
• Risk and Opportunity Identification: Ability to identify, quantify, and assess risks and opportunities, enabling proactive decision-making and strategic planning.

Nice To Haves

• Candidates with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience in a related field are encouraged to apply.
• Regularly required to sit, talk, hear; use hands/fingers to touch, handle, and feel. Occasionally required to move about the workplace and reach with hands and arms. Requires close vision.
• This position requires heavy lifting, constant moving, remaining in a stationary position, and reaching with arms and hands. Involves remaining in a stationary position for at least two consecutive hours, lifting at least 30 lbs. stooping, kneeling, crouching, and climbing ladders. May involve reaching above eye level. Requires close vision, color vision, depth perception, and focus adjustment.
• Able to work a flexible schedule based on department and company needs.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead the full financial planning function for your category, including pre-season and in-season planning across all key metrics: sales, receipts, flow, gross margin, discounts, markups, and inventory.
• Collaborate closely with your buyer to co-create and deliver a clear, data-driven strategic vision for the category that balances financial goals with customer relevance.
• Develop detailed pre-season plans down to the master class level and manage weekly open-to-buys at the department and class level.
• Deliver accurate in-season forecasting, adjusting to shifts in consumer demand and macro conditions to optimize results.
• Strategically manage inventory to ensure optimal in-store presentation and sales performance by category and door.
• Lead a team responsible for inventory allocation by style to stores, ensuring door-level execution supports overall financial plans.
• Uncover and act on opportunities to exceed plan targets through strategic inventory, pricing, and flow decisions.
• Drive strategic packaway planning, integrating it seamlessly into pre-season, in-season, and allocation strategies to maximize seasonal relevance and value recovery.
• Operate fluently in Anaplan and other key allocation tools (e.g., A3, PGUs) to drive planning efficiency and execution accuracy.
• Build and develop a high-performing team, fostering engagement, growth, and readiness for the next level.
• Develop seasonal strategy documents in collaboration with your Buying counterparts that incorporate your category knowledge, competitive intelligence, consumer trends, Macy’s main box performance, and market share opportunities.
• Champion a culture of hospitality, curiosity, and strategic foresight — anticipating what’s next for your category and acting on it with agility and innovation.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health and wellness coverage
• 401(k) match
• Paid time off
• Eight paid holidays
• Continuous learning and leadership development
• Colleague Resource Groups
• Volunteer opportunities
• Merchandise discounts
• Performance-based incentives
• Annual merit review
• Employee Assistance Program with mental health counseling and legal/financial advice
• Tuition reimbursement

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Associate degree