Sr. Merchandise Planner

Five Below • Philadelphia, PA

3d

About The Position

The Sr. Merchandise Planner develops and manages merchandise financial, assortment, demand, open-to-buy, inventory, and markdown plans. The role analyzes sales, inventory, and margin performance to optimize product selection, inventory investment, profitability, and in-season opportunities. The planner collaborates with Buyers and cross-functional merchandising and allocation teams, communicates insights and recommendations to senior and executive management, and supports the development of an Associate Planner.

Requirements

• At least 5 years of experience in a retail or wholesale environment, including experience as a planner.
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Demonstrated retail math and business acumen, including margin planning, sales forecasting, and inventory productivity measures.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly and compellingly.
• Ability to build strong business cases, align cross-functional stakeholders, and drive execution as a peer leader.
• Attention to detail and strong time-management, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of PowerBI, Microstrategy, 09 MFP, and Oracle RMS.

Responsibilities

• Develop seasonal sales, inventory, and margin plans by department-classification and store groups using corporate financial targets.
• Determine style-color and depth targets by attribute and store group to support product selection in market.
• Manage SKU- and style-intensive categories and location-intensive assortments.
• Develop sales forecasts and buy quantity estimates, accounting for factors such as lead times, seasonality, and turn targets to optimize inventory investment.
• Manage a category open-to-buy budget of $50–150 million to ensure inventory investment supports sales and margin plans, adjusting as needed.
• Manage inventory levels and receipts to maintain optimal stock-to-sales levels and minimize stockouts and overstocks.
• Manage markdown and MOS budgets to balance inventory ownership and margin objectives.
• Collaborate with partners to identify pricing and liquidation opportunities and manage product transitions.
• Analyze sales performance and recommend pricing adjustments, promotions, and markdowns to optimize profitability.
• Assess sales, inventory, and margin performance; identify improvement opportunities; and provide Buyers with insights and recommendations for assortment and inventory optimization.
• Use weekly business insights to evaluate item-level performance, maximize in-season opportunities, minimize liability, and inform future seasons.
• Generate regular reports and analyses on sales, inventory, and profitability metrics for senior management.
• Test multiple business strategies, quantify and communicate their business impacts, and report results clearly to executive management.
• Create and maintain alignment with merchandising and allocation peers on forecast changes and inventory strategies.
• Participate in meetings and strategic discussions, providing input on merchandise planning strategies.
• Develop an Associate Planner by providing training, career development, and talent-retention opportunities.

Benefits

• The posting directs applicants to the company benefits site for details about health coverage and financial and personal wellness support; specific benefit offerings are not listed.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior