Retail Planner, Senior

Sea World•Orlando, FL

17d

About The Position

As a Senior Retail Planner at SeaWorld, you will strategize, plan, forecast, and analyze annual sales across product divisions. You will manage inventory to maintain optimal stock levels, maximize inventory turns, and meet gross margin targets while identifying opportunities to drive sales and improve profitability. The role involves close collaboration with business leaders, Product Development, Park Product Activation Managers, park teams, and retail merchants. You will develop merchandise assortment plans, financial forecasts, and inventory strategies; manage sales, inventory turns, gross margin, and receipt flow by department and class; and support decisions about order quantities, open-to-buy plans, markdowns, and pricing. You will analyze sales data and trends, manage SKU lifecycles and slow-moving inventory, adjust line plans based on current business conditions, establish SKU and in-stock targets, and provide accurate inventory reports and data-driven recommendations to stakeholders. Other duties may be assigned.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, or a related field.
Minimum 5 years of experience in merchandise planning, allocation, or product development/buying within Theme Parks, Specialty Retail, High-Profile Retail Organizations, or the Consumer Products industry.
Expertise in demand planning methodologies and forecasting models.
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
Strong analytical ability to assess data and develop pricing strategies that maximize gross margins.
Critical and strategic thinking to evaluate and optimize inventory management decisions.
Strong problem-solving skills in a fast-paced retail environment.
Ability to influence stakeholders and align cross-functional teams toward shared business goals.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to develop and present data-driven content to multiple organizational levels.
Strong leadership skills and ability to manage multiple priorities and collaborate across teams.
Ability to multitask and adapt to changing business needs.
Demonstrated experience in negotiation within a large corporate environment.
Dependability, initiative, and independence in executing tasks and projects.
Strong attention to detail and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute merchandise assortment plans, financial forecasts, and inventory strategies with park teams and retail merchants.
Manage sales, inventory turns, gross margin, and receipt flow planning by department and class to meet financial objectives.
Partner with Product Development and Parks teams to determine order quantities by style, size, and color, aligned with open-to-buy plans and markdown strategies.
Oversee inventory management and open-to-buy processes to optimize stock levels and sales performance.
Prepare for and participate in Merchandise Review Meetings, providing data-driven insights and recommendations.
Analyze historical sales data and current trends to identify risks and opportunities and develop strategies to increase revenue and improve margin performance.
Develop SKU lifecycle strategies, manage slow-moving inventory, and implement exit plans with Product Development and Parks teams.
Maintain and adjust line plans based on real-time business trends and ensure contingency plans support sales and profit objectives.
Establish SKU targets and in-stock ratios to maintain product availability across divisions.
Create and distribute accurate, consistent inventory reports to internal stakeholders.
Support product pricing strategies through data-driven risk/benefit analysis.
Perform other duties as assigned.