Vice President Merchandise Planning

Lands' End • Dodgeville, WI

4d

About The Position

The Vice President Merchandise Planning leads the team responsible for merchandise planning, forecasting, and inventory management. This leadership role develops and executes inventory plans aligned with company strategy and objectives, with the goal of optimizing sales, margin, and inventory turnover while meeting customer demand and maximizing profitability. The role also evolves planning capabilities by improving processes, systems, and operational methodologies.

The position leads and develops a Planning & Inventory team of 30 or more employees, setting goals and expectations, supporting performance and career development, and managing resources and workloads. It collaborates with senior leadership and cross-functional departments to align planning and execute company-wide strategic initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• 10 or more years of experience in merchandise planning, inventory management, or a related field, with a track record of success in a senior leadership role.
• Proven expertise leading demand planning, forecasting, and inventory optimization aligned with financial objectives, market trends, and customer demand.
• Experience leading large-scale transformations in planning processes, tools, and systems.
• Strong analytical skills and a deep understanding of data analysis and reporting to drive decisions.
• Experience leading an omnichannel business, including wholesale, ecommerce, and direct-to-consumer channels.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate across departments and influence stakeholders at various levels.
• Detail-oriented, with strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize teams and tasks while driving results in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Proactive problem-solving abilities and a focus on continuous improvement and operational efficiency.
• Experience leading large teams and providing guidance, mentorship, and career development.
• Ability to adapt to a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities effectively.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working within an SAP environment, including exposure to SAP implementations or transformations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and oversee merchandise inventory plans and strategies aligned with company goals, market trends, and customer demand.
• Align inventory plans with Merchandising, Marketing, Operations, and other cross-functional partners.
• Balance inventory levels to optimize sales, profitability, margin, and sell-through rates using data-driven insights.
• Oversee forecasting and demand planning to support accurate, timely inventory allocation and minimize stockouts and overstock.
• Implement inventory management practices that support industry-aligned turnover and appropriate stock levels across channels.
• Transform planning processes and capabilities, improving forecasting methodologies, systems, and planning tools.
• Build and lead a high-performing Planning & Inventory team, fostering continuous improvement, innovation, collaboration, and team-member development.
• Collaborate with merchandising, sourcing, marketing, finance, and operations to align execution and support strategic initiatives and best practices.
• Leverage and implement planning tools, systems, and technology to improve efficiency and the merchandise planning process.
• Analyze and report on sales, margin, and inventory KPIs; provide senior leadership with updates, insights, and recommendations for corrective action.
• Lead and manage a team of 30 or more employees, providing guidance, support, mentorship, and career development.
• Set performance expectations and goals, conduct performance evaluations, provide feedback, and address performance issues through coaching or disciplinary action when necessary.
• Participate in recruitment and onboarding as needed; identify training needs and coordinate development programs.
• Communicate organizational goals and expectations between upper management and the team; address team conflicts and issues.
• Manage team resources, workload distribution, project assignments, and effective use of team members' skills.
• Collaborate with upper management to establish team goals and contribute to department strategies aligned with organizational objectives.

What This Job Offers

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