Merchandising Planner

Who We Are:

Since 1906, New Balance has empowered people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. We innovate fearlessly, guided by our core values and driven by the belief that conventions were meant to be challenged. We foster a culture in which every associate feels welcomed and respected, where leaders and creatives are inspired to shape the world of tomorrow by taking bold action today.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Merchandising Planner is responsible for defining and managing merchandise planning framework that guides demand planning and financial performance across all channels. This role leads demand forecasting, assortment investment, and inventory planning to ensure alignment between strategies and financial objectives.

The position partners closely with Merchandising, Assortment Planner, Retail, E-commerce, Supply Chain, and Finance teams to establish planning standards, improve forecast accuracy, and enhance visibility of inventory and margin performance. The Merchandising Planner acts as the bridge between financial planning and demand execution, enabling data-driven decisions that optimize profitability and inventory efficiency.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Merchandise Financial Planning & Demand Forecasting

• Define and manage merchandise financial frameworks that guide demand planning across franchises and silhouettes.
• Develop annual, seasonal and monthly demand forecasts at Franchise/Silhouette level, integrating historical trends, sell-through data, and market insights.
• Align demand forecasts with OTB and financial targets to ensure profitable growth across channels.
• Conduct monthly and in-season reforecasting to identify demand risks and opportunities.
• Perform post-season forecast reviews to evaluate forecasting effectiveness and incorporate learnings into future planning cycles.
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Assortment Investment Planning & Reconciliation

• Align top-down financial targets with bottom-up franchise-level assortment and demand plans.
• Validate assortment investment against forecasted demand, ensuring balance between productivity and inventory efficiency.
• Monitor assortment performance throughout the season and recommend adjustments to optimize sell-through and profitability.
• Conduct margin and productivity simulations to support buy decisions.

Planning Governance & Continuous Improvement

• Establish standardized planning processes and calendar milestones for demand and assortment planning.
• Maintain planning discipline through consistent documentation, version control, and forecast tracking.
• Identify process gaps and lead continuous improvement initiatives to enhance forecast tracking.
• Support system and tool enhancements that improve planning efficiency and data integrity.

APAC & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as the primary liaison for Korea demand planning with APAC regional teams.
• Consolidate and communicate Korea franchise-level demand inputs, assumptions, and updates to regional stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Merchandising, Assortment Planner, Commercial, Supply Chain, and Finance to ensure demand plans align with business priorities and product strategies.
• Provide clear visibility of demand outlooks, risks, and opportunities across functions.
• Act as key person to deliver FCST LOCK summary by consolidating and analyzing cross-channel bottom-up demand.

REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESS

• Minimum 8-10 years of experience in Merchandise Planning, Assortment Planning, Business Planning, Buying, Demand Planning or related retail planning functions.
• Relevant experience within sporting goods, footwear, fashion or retail industries preferred.
• Understanding of assortment planning, inventory management, and market demand planning processes.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales, inventory, and product performance data.
• Proven ability to translate business objectives into actionable assortment and volume plans.
• Experience working in a multi-channel retail environment.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Written and verbal communication skills in both Korean and English.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel, along with Tableau or other reporting and planning tools.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Location: Seoul Anguk, Korea / Department: Merchandising / Reports to: Merchandising Planning Manager

Equal Opportunity Employer:

New Balance is committed to equality of opportunity for all current and prospective associates regardless of age, disability, race, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, marriage and civil partnership and gender reassignment.  We are an equal opportunity employer and support a culture of diversity and inclusion.

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