Associate Merchandise Planner - BEAUTY (210960)

The Baseline: You need 4+ years of Merchandise Planning experience . The Pedigree: A Bachelor’s degree is preferred, specifically in Supply Chain Management, Finance, Business , or a related field. 2. Technical & Analytical "Must-Haves" This is the meat of the role, making up the vast majority of your daily and strategic focus: Open to Buy (OTB) Mastery (20%): You must be able to independently own monthly, in-season OTB projections (sales, gross margin %, receipts, and inventory adjustments) and reconcile them with Demand Planning forecasts. Brand Launch Strategy (20%): Experience developing strategies for new brands, including calculating projected sales, SKU-level inventory needs, and order flow setups. Advanced Analytics (15%): A proven ability to interpret complex data to forecast promotional needs, analyze key initiatives, and conduct seasonal hindsight reviews. Excel Proficiency: Excellent technical proficiency in MS Excel is non-negotiable for synthesizing data into actionable business decisions. Inventory Management: Practical knowledge of balancing SKU in-stock rates with DOH (Days on Hand) targets to maintain a healthy inventory flow. 3. Collaboration & Communication (The "Partnership" Aspect) You aren't working in a silo; you are the financial backbone for multiple teams: The Merchant Dynamic: Act as the strategic financial partner to the Merchant to drive business growth. Cross-Functional Alignment: Ability to collaborate closely with Inventory Directors, Vendors, and Demand Planning to align forecasts and strategies. Strong communication skills to manage vendor relationships regarding performance and outstanding issues (10%). Leadership capability to guide and prioritize workload for Merchandise Planning Assistants (5%). 4. Operational Agility & Execution Assortment & Liquidation Lifecycle: Ability to validate productive assortments (knowing what to discontinue vs. what to develop) and build exit strategies for overstock or leaving brands. Fast-Paced Adaptability: Comfort working in a rapidly changing environment, handling multiple competing priorities with high attention to detail. Schedule Flexibility: Willingness to occasionally work evenings or weekends to meet critical deadlines, with potential on-call duties for urgent troubleshooting. Summary Blueprint: To land and thrive in this role, you need to be a seasoned retail math pro (4+ years) who can seamlessly pivot from deep Excel data modeling (OTB, Brand Launches) to cross-functional meetings where you confidently present financial strategies to Merchants and Vendors. #J-18808-Ljbffr Aquent