Merchandise Planner 3 – Retail Planning (Apparel & Footwear)

Overview

We are seeking two experienced Merchandise Planners to support retail planning for apparel and footwear within a high-visibility brand environment. This role is responsible for driving financial performance, inventory health, and assortment strategy across seasonal product lines.

You will work closely with merchandising, account teams, and retail partners to ensure products are planned, allocated, and managed to meet both consumer demand and financial objectives. This is a highly collaborative, data-driven role that directly impacts sales, margin, and inventory performance at scale.

What You’ll Do

Merchandise Financial Planning

• Build and maintain seasonal merchandise plans across sales, inventory, and margin targets
• Forecast and track SKU-level and category-level performance
• Manage in-season adjustments including inventory actions, transitions, and pricing impacts

Assortment & Inventory Strategy

• Develop and refine assortment plans based on sell-through, consumer demand, and marketplace trends
• Evaluate inventory health and identify risks and opportunities across categories
• Support allocation strategies across retail channels and store clusters

Data Analysis & Storytelling

• Analyze large retail datasets using Excel and related tools
• Recap sales performance and forecast future seasonal outcomes
• Translate complex data into clear, actionable business insights for cross-functional partners

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with merchandising, buying, account teams, and retail partners
• Align on seasonal sales, margin, and inventory objectives
• Support go-to-market planning and product readiness discussions

Planning Process Execution

• Manage planning calendars across multiple overlapping seasons
• Ensure accuracy and consistency in planning documentation and reporting
• Support process improvements to enhance planning efficiency and decision-making

What You Bring

• 5–8 years of experience in merchandise planning, retail planning, or financial planning roles
• Experience in apparel, footwear, or consumer retail environments
• Strong proficiency in Excel and data analysis tools
• Solid understanding of retail math (sales, margin, inventory, turn, sell-through)
• Proven ability to storytell with data and influence business decisions
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities
• Experience working in cross-functional, fast-paced retail environments
• Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required

Nice to Have

• Experience in brick-and-mortar retail planning environments
• Familiarity with footwear or Jordan Brand-type product ecosystems
• Exposure to AI tools or large-scale dataset analysis
• Experience in high-SKU, multi-season planning environments
• Background in major global apparel or footwear brands

Why This Role Matters

This role sits at the center of seasonal retail execution, ensuring the right product is in the right place at the right time. Your work will directly influence sales performance, inventory efficiency, and profitability, helping shape how products reach consumers across retail channels.

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