Planner

Job Title: Planner Location: Reynoldsburg, OH Work Model: Onsite / Hybrid / Remote Compensation: $ Position Overview Merchandise Planner serves as the business manager for a book of business and is primarily responsible for translating the Merchants vision into viable plans and profitable results. The Planner is responsible for developing and maintaining sales, inventory and margin plans that tie to financial targets for an assigned Sub-Brand or Category. Plans will begin at the Sub-Brand or Category level and will drive to choice-level (Style/Color) plans, creating targeted assortments by cluster of stores with similar selling characteristics. In partnership with the Merchant, the Planner drives to additional value through optimizing the assortment for these store clusters. In collaboration with the Demand Forecaster, the Merchandise Planner generates demand plans, which incorporate statistically-based forecasts, merchandise plans and business knowledge. Demand plans provide the basis for future merchandise plans, as well as a forward-looking expectation of sales to inform the distribution process.

What You Will Be Doing Pre-Season

Build and refine a class/sub-class plan based on guidance from Category and Attribute plans created by Strategic Planning - the class/sub-brand plan is a weekly dollar and unit merchandise plan by class, sub-brand and potentially subclass

Partner with Merchants to create and maintain a seasonal theme-based assortment list and volume targets by store grouping (format, cluster, etc)

Develop assortment plans for sales, margin and inventory to the style/choice level by store groupings (cluster/format, etc) in support of productivity and financial targets

Use demand forecast, pattern after items, targets from attribute and category plans, test results and historical trends

Incorporate impact of events and entrance/exit strategies

Propose initial and promotional pricing by item Participate in consensus planning with demand planner; collaborate to drive to one number sales plan with recommendations for events, based on class plan and forecast

Communicate Merchandise Plans To Other Functional Groups As Follows Logistics for their review from a capacity standpoint. Information gained is then reconciled with the plan; issues reviewed and discussed together

Finance to inform their rolling business plan; together review and discuss any related issues

Stores to inform their labor estimates

Compliance to inform of possible categories for new product quality, testing and regulatory considerations

Customer Marketing to give strategic direction for the development/refinement of their seasonal campaign plans

Support the Sales & Operations Planning process by assisting in the preparation of materials for purposes of evaluating and resolving supply/demand imbalances

Identify test candidates that fit with merchandise strategy

In-Season

Analyze and reflect current trends in performance of strategy based on actual sales performance; revise in-season plans for sales and profitability, control inventory levels

Partner with Merchant to develop and propose tactics in response to current business trends

Manage and execute promotional and liquidation strategy

Manage the assortment to approved inventory targets

Communicate revisions both within the team and cross functionally

Work with Demand Forecaster to formulate alternate event options

Actively manage inventory levels pulling up, pushing back or cancelling orders; and by working with Inventory Deployment to recommend reorders

Reporting/Analytics

Analyze performance for area of responsibility relative to performance of plan and trend for both period and season sales, margin and inventory

Prepare recommendations and alternatives for key financial meetings/decisions in order to maximize sales and margin and optimize inventory productivity, in partnership with Merchant.

Perform trade-off analysis on impact of new items to the assortment identified at a sub-brand level and provide financial planning recommendations

Integration Points

Partner with Strategic Planning to inform, reconcile and revise financial targets based on the category and attribute plans

Participate in consensus planning with Demand Forecasters; collaborate to drive to one number plan and recommendations for event modeling

Partner with Inventory Deployment to establish and implement short- and long-term inventory management objectives and review order quantities

Work with cross-functional partners to make informed decisions on promotional events and season planning, exit strategies, new item launches and collections; provide recommendations in response to financial targets

Assist Merchandising, Logistics and Production to optimize flow of goods from suppliers to warehouses, distribution agents and fulfillment centers.

Work with demand forecasting to improve reliability through demand plan accuracy

Integrate with Space Planning to represent the opportunities and constraints that the physical environment creates at store level, monitor results from tests, launches and edits

Whats Needed 5-7 years of retail planning, demand forecasting experience, inventory management, allocation, assortment planning, or replenishment experience, financial planning or financial analysis experience

Bachelors degree in finance, operations, economics, business, statistics

Requires strong problem-solving and analytical skills; strong aptitude with numbers; retail math skills

Strong technical skills in Microsoft Excel or related planning, finance or analytical systems

Experienced in data management systems, like JDA Enterprise Software Enterprise Planning suite

Merchant or merchandising experience a plus

Positive business influence skills

Able to identify and influence critical stakeholders, proactively problem solve, and recommend solutions

Strong communication and presentation skills: concisely presents complex information and recommendations in terms meaningful to a variety of audiences

Demonstrated leadership capability and executive presence

Optimization Mindset - designs and develops models/plans to optimize decisions

Builds collaborative partnerships cross-functionally; identifies/influences critical stakeholders

Ability to articulate detailed action plans to successfully accomplish goal

Understands and executes against business strategy and goals

Makes decisions with limited information but also able to synthesize large quantities of data to drive business decisions

Ability to meet deadlines and handle multiple tasks/projects

Compensation & Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Other standard benefits as applicable

About Unicon UNICON is a workforce solutions provider with over 35 years of experience supporting organizations across a variety of industries. We partner with our clients to deliver skilled professionals while maintaining a strong focus on quality, compliance, and long-term relationships. UNICON is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.