Associate Merchandise Planning Manager

The Associate Merchandise Manager supports the MPC Manager in monitoring budget performance, sales, and inventory to help meet the company's financial goals.

Reporting:

• Reports on and ensures the accuracy of Gross Margins, rebates, and Minimum Guaranteed Revenue (MGR) for concessionaires based on contract terms, and reports actual sales to Finance for the calculation of sales figures and designer commissions
• Prepares Salability/Sell-Thru Reports for top management, ensuring their accuracy
• Calculates Merchandising's incentives and recommends strategies to help achieve incentive targets

Pricing and Promotion:

• Ensures that sale proposals from Merchandising strictly comply with the company's Sell-Thru Policy and Markdown Scheme, and analyzes inventory (projected stock, stock on hand, outstanding orders, and actual purchases) to recommend merchandise items for markdown/sale.

Business Analysis:

• Analyzes and reviews business planning data across Sales, Gross Margin, Purchase Budget, and Inventory Months to Carry, providing recommendations to improve performance, including insights from Monthly Management Performance Reports by category and brand
• Identifies and reports on top-performing brands per division
• Reviews pre-season merchandise plans and in-season trend analysis, making adjustments as needed
• Monitors the reorder system and overall inventory requirements to maintain optimal stock positioning of best-sellers and proactively prevent shortages at store locations

Business Planning

• Develops the sales forecast and budget for assigned division(s)
• Assists Merchandising in classifying merchandise by life cycle and selling rank
• Works with Merchandising to prepare the Collection Structure Plan by product category, and analyzes sell-in and sell-out⁴ volumes
• Establishes wardrobe planning and pyramid mix by determining SKU and style ratios in coordination with Merchandising

Competencies:

• Structured and meticulous in approach
• Decisive under time pressure, with a knack for foreseeing potential issues
• Proactive and driven to get things done
• Flexible and resilient when facing uncertainty or shifting priorities
• Confident and dynamic, with strong people skills
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Excel and other word processing applications
• Sharp quantitative and analytical capabilities
• Effective written and verbal communicator

Experience:

At least 4 years of relevant experience in merchandise planning and analysis and budget allocation