Merchandise Planner 3

Overview
We are seeking a highly analytical and strategic Merchandise Planner 3 to join our dynamic team. This role is integral to optimizing product assortment, inventory management, and sales performance across various channels, including e-commerce and brick-and-mortar stores. The ideal candidate will possess strong skills in supply chain management, data analysis, and project coordination, contributing to the company's growth and profitability. This position offers an exciting opportunity for professionals with a solid background in merchandising, procurement, and business analytics to make a significant impact within a fast-paced retail environment.

Job Description:

• FTE leave coverage; HM anticipates this will be about ~27 week long engagement
• On-site role at WHQ
• Typical work hours, WFH Fridays
• Degree will be a requirement for this role (minimum Bachelor's; prefer something business related)
• 5+ years' minimum experience required in merchandise planning
  Top must-have skills include the following:
• Fluency with Excel and experience working with large sets of data
• Experience with web-based planning tools (team uses O9)
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Comfortable presenting to high level stakeholders
• Ability to tell a story using data
• Expertise in retail planning

Desired soft skills:

• Time management
• Organizational skills
• Attention to detail
  Combination of skills/expertise that might make a candidate stand out:
• Experience working with other large consumer/product retailers
• Someone who has worked in fashion or apparel/footwear industry before
• Someone who is curious and a self starter (can point to examples in the past of leading large projects under ambiguity with success)
• Knowledge of sneakerhead culture
• This ETW will be responsible for managing part of the men's footwear business; other responsibilities will include in-season management, pre-season planning, and monthly re-forecast meetings
• The current team the ETW will be working with is ~7 total, but they will be part of a larger digital planning team
• Will also do a lot of cross-functional work with other teams
• The HM needs someone who is comfortable with high-visibility projects, as sportswear is a huge segment of the business

Requirements:
This role is heavily collaborative, working with many cross-functional teams such as Buying, Direct Merchandise Financial Planning (MFP), Merchandise Planning, Finance, and Direct Consumer teams.

We are looking for a Senior Business Planner to partner with Direct Merchandise Planning and Direct Consumer teams to analyse and manage business and operation changes, ensuring all stock and sales plans reconcile and meet channel profitability and inventory management objectives. You bring: 5+ years in business planning, assortment planning, merchandise planning or equivalent experience Self-starter with ability to manage through ambiguity in a fast-paced environment Strong influencing skills and ability to story-tell data across a diverse range of audiences Ability to perform business analysis to build in-season strategies inclusive of markdown recommendations and execution, promo assortment building and Open to Buy reconciliation across tops-down and bottoms-up forecasts High proficiency in problem solving and critical thinking skills and able to develop accurate plans that optimize trade-offs and outcomes

Job Type: Contract

Pay: $ $42.00 per hour

Work Location: In person