Associate Merchandise Planner

Associate Merchandise Planner

Talent Space, Inc. is seeking an Associate Merchandise Planner for a remote contract opportunity! As an Associate Merchandise Planner, you will oversee brand planning across both pre-season and in-season timeframes, ensuring optimal SKU availability and inventory health by achieving in-stock and Days on Hand (DOH) targets. Reporting to the Sr. Merchandise Planner, you will provide financial insights, drive strategic decision-making and support business growth through effective planning, forecasting, and inventory management.

Responsibilities

• Develop pre-season brand budget plans in partnership with Inventory Directors, Merchants, and Vendors, aligning financial objectives with inventory and growth strategies. (10%)
• Lead planning and execution for new brand strategies, including sales forecasts, inventory level requirements, order flow to set ups for launch timeframe. (20%)
• Own the monthly Open-to-Buy (OTB) process, managing in-season sales, gross margin, receipts, and inventory adjustments projections. Reconcile OTB Sales and Receipt projections to Replenish/Demand Planning system forecasts and present at monthly cross-functional OTB meetings. (20%)
• Collaborate with Demand Planning to align forecasts, inventory strategies and business objectives. (5%)
• Partner and guide Merchandise Planning Assistants to prioritize newness and important orders, elevate and communicate delays in key launches. (5%)
• Conduct detailed sales and inventory analyses to support key business initiatives, promotions, and product animations. Perform season hindsight reviews and assess the performance of new product introductions to inform future planning decisions. (15%)
• Develop and execute inventory liquidation strategies for discounted brands, collections, and excess inventory to maximize financial performance. (5%)
• Maintain ongoing communication with vendors regarding sales trends, inventory availability, replenishment opportunities, and issue resolution. (10%)
• Partner with Merchandising to evaluate assortment productivity and identify opportunities to optimize product presentation, discontinue underperforming items, and expand high-potential offerings while adhering to productivity and profitability goals. (10%)

Working Conditions

Mostly sedentary work with occasional need to move about the office to attend virtual meetings and interact with colleagues - Standard home and office environment with minimal exposure to adverse environmental conditions. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required to meet deadlines or address critical performance issues. On-call duties may be necessary for urgent troubleshooting and resolution. Limited travel may be required by senior leadership.

Qualifications Experience

• 4+ years of merchandising planning, inventory planning, financial planning, or related retail planning experience.
• Demonstrated success managing forecasts, inventory investments, and business performance within a fast-paced retail environment.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Finance, Business Administration, Merchandising, or a related field preferred.

Skills

• Advanced proficiency in MS Office (Excel and Word)
• Strong analytical and critical skills, ability to translate complex data into actionable business recommendations.
• Ability to identify opportunities, develop innovative solutions, and drive business results across merchandising, operations, and finance functions.
• Excellent organizational, prioritization, and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy in planning, forecasting, and reporting.
• Effective written, verbal, and presentation communication skills, with ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Strong negotiation and relationship management skills, including experience collaborating with vendors and internal partners.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment while adapting to changing business priorities.
• Collaborative team player with proactive mindset and a customer-focused approach to problem-solving.