Associate Director, Merchandise Planning

Job Description

Job Description

Associate Director, Merchandise Planning

Brilliant Earth is searching for an Associate Director, Merchandise Planning to lead our Inventory Planning function and the team behind it. Reporting to the Senior Director of Merchandising, you'll own forecasting, open-to-buy, and inventory strategy across every category and function, as well as the roadmap that takes our planning capabilities to the next level. This is a builder's role as much as a planner's: our planning infrastructure is actively evolving, and you'll set the direction, partner with Technology and Merchandising to implement new tools, and raise the analytical bar for the whole team.

You'll build planning approaches that work for attribute-based, specification-driven assortments while holding the line on turn, in-stock, and margin. We have a social and environmental mission at the core of our company, and we're looking for someone excited to deliver exceptional business results while helping us advance it.

What You'll Do:

Inventory Strategy and Forecasting

• Own sales and inventory forecasts across all categories and functions, and hold the team accountable for the accuracy, timeliness, and achievement of inventory plans and KPIs.
• Set inventory strategy for fine jewelry assortments, including diamond, gemstone, and precious metal commodities, establishing the parameters (weeks of supply, safety stock, reorder points) that balance service levels against inventory productivity.
• Lead inventory planning for new showroom launches and growth initiatives, directing the scenario modeling and statistical analysis that pressure-test those plans.

Open-to-Buy and Financial Planning

• Own and continue to evolve the OTB alignment and consensus process, translating financial plans into actionable buying strategies with Merchandising and Finance.
• Contribute to the annual bookings, ASP, and margin budget-setting process, bringing the inventory point of view to category and department targets and reporting consistently against inventory KPIs.

Planning Systems and Process

• Create and drive the Inventory Planning roadmap. Work with leadership to initiate, prioritize, and approve projects, and manage long-term program schedules through to adoption.
• Partner with Technology on planning system implementation and maintenance, leading the broader team's adoption of new demand planning and reporting tools.
• Adapt planning tools and models to integrate cleanly with our evolving enterprise systems and reporting, identifying gaps, developing workarounds, and replacing them with durable solutions.
• Leverage AI tools to automate recurring analysis and reporting, and drive identification and rollout of new AI-enabled planning workflows across the function.

Team Leadership and Partnership

• Manage, coach, and develop a growing planning team through hiring, feedback, and clear team objectives.
• Raise planning fluency across the organization by mentoring cross-functional Merchandising partners on forecasting and inventory principles, and by representing Planning credibly to executive leadership.

What You Bring:

• 10+ years in merchandise planning, inventory planning, forecasting, or quantitative analysis within retail, product, or e-commerce, including demonstrated success leading and developing a team.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Business, Finance, Economics, or a related field; advanced degree or relevant certification a plus.
• Experience with attribute-based or commodity inventory planning (precious metals, gemstones, or other specification-driven categories) is a strong plus.
• Expert Excel skills: complex formulas, pivot tables, financial modeling, and efficient handling of large datasets. Retail math is second nature.
• Hands-on experience with demand planning software (Blue Yonder, Logility, Demantra, o9, MI9, or similar) and reporting/BI tools (Domo, Tableau, Power BI); NetSuite or comparable ERP experience a plus.
• A track record of leading system implementations and cross-functional programs end to end—from defining business requirements and guiding development through adoption—including new forecasting tools, report automation, and process redesign.
• Experience with AI-assisted tools (e.g., Claude, Excel Copilot, BI-native AI features, Snowflake Intelligence) to automate analysis and reduce manual effort; familiarity with prompt engineering and connecting AI tools to live data sources such as data warehouses or ERP is highly valued.
• Comfort operating in an evolving systems environment: you can spot the gap, build the workaround, then turn it into lasting process.
• Expert written and verbal communication, with clear, direct, concise presentations to broader teams and executive leadership.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and a self-starter mindset, with the ability to think critically and adapt quickly in a fast-paced environment.
• Commitment to respect and inclusion in the workplace.
• Interest in socially and environmentally responsible organizations and products.

What We Offer:

• Career Growth. We want to see you sparkle! Through regular 1-1's with your manager, a variety of training opportunities, and an annual 360 review process for all employees, our leaders are dedicated to creating clear pathways for growth. Ask the hiring team for more information on how Brilliant Earth creates a culture of collaboration and growth during your interview conversations!
• Diverse, mission-minded team. We were founded to cultivate a more transparent, sustainable, compassionate, & inclusive jewelry industry. Learn more about our impact and team diversity Here!
• Lifestyle Spending Account. At Brilliant Earth, we're committed to your well-being. Enjoy company reimbursements for eligible wellness expenses, such as gym memberships, massage, counseling, and more!
• Continued Education. Company-sponsored learning in leadership, professional skills, diversity & inclusion, and access to tuition reimbursement for role-specific trainings.
• Employee Discounts. As an employee at Brilliant Earth, you'll receive a generous discount on our jewelry.
• Mental Wellness Perks. We offer access to mental health resources, such as self-care apps and seminars. Our Employee Assistance program offers 24/7 access to counseling!
• Giving Back and Volunteer Opportunities. In addition to our giving back programs, our teams support local initiatives and spend time together by volunteering.
• Medical, Dental, and Vision. We offer multiple plans to choose from, including a $0 monthly premium option for employee health insurance and employer HSA contributions. Insurance kicks in on the first day of your 2nd month!
• 401k match. We know that saving for the future is important. That's why we offer a generous 401k match.
• Paid Time Off. We know it's important to recharge and relax
• Parental Leave. We aim to support our growing families. Employees can utilize our paid parental leave to bond and care for their new additions.
• Disability and Life insurance. 100% employer-paid.
• Pre-Tax Commuter Benefits

More About Us

At Brilliant Earth, our mission is to cultivate a more transparent, sustainable, compassionate, & inclusive jewelry industry. We believe in creating jewelry you can feel good about wearing, without ever compromising between quality and conscience. We are hard-working team players that welcome challenges and rise to any occasion. Our community of collaboration, respect and encouragement is fostered by frequent team events, cross-departmental meetings and celebrating our wins, big and small. As one of the fastest growing e-commerce jewelers in the world, we're searching for bright and passionate people who are excited to make an impact from day one and grow with the company to take on greater responsibility over time.

Brilliant Earth recognizes the value of diversity and inclusion on our team, as we work together to reinvent fine jewelry in a thoughtful and modern way. At Brilliant Earth, we celebrate each other – our successes, the lessons along the way, and the unique perspectives each individual brings to our team. It is our intent to maintain a work environment and hiring process which is free of harassment or discrimination because of sex, race, religion, color, national origin, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, military service, veteran status, or any other status protected by Federal, State or local laws. We are committed to complying with all Federal, State and local laws providing Equal Employment Opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations.

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