Senior Merchandise Planner

Senior Planner

As a Senior Planner, you'll drive the financial success of a critical department by developing and executing sales, margin, and inventory plans that balance strategy and execution. You'll take ownership of preseason and in-season planning, providing insights that influence buying decisions, assortment strategies, and receipt flow. This role combines analytical strength with strategic foresight — requiring someone who can forecast with precision, identify opportunities, and communicate recommendations that drive profitable growth. You'll partner closely with Merchandising, Allocation, and your Planning Manager, while also managing and developing a direct report.

Responsibilities:

Preseason

• Partner with manager and merchant partners to develop high-level department strategy
• Lead the creation of preseason sales, margin, and inventory plans by department and class using historical performance and trend analysis to inform future investments and balancing department and class targets
• Develop bottoms-up style plan, in partnership with Merchandising, making recommendations on rank, depth of buy, and flow timing
• Analyze and summarize opportunities and risks across product categories based on key metrics such as markup, margin rate, and average unit cost
• Develop seasonal strategies that align with divisional goals and customer demand, ensuring optimized style counts, flow, and depth
• Present preseason financial recommendations and investment strategies to cross-functional teams and leadership
• Partner with cross-functional peers to refine planning tools, processes, and reporting that enhance financial visibility and efficiency

In Season

• Lead weekly and monthly business recaps, providing analysis of performance versus forecast and identifying drivers of variance
• Manage ongoing sales, margin, and inventory forecasts, reflowing receipts and adjusting plans to align with current business trends
• Collaborate with Merchandising and Allocation to determine optimal product flow, replenishment, and markdown strategies
• Drive OTB (Open-to-Buy) management, ensuring inventory positions align with financial goals and opportunities
• Recommend and communicate cross-channel inventory transfers or actions to maximize sales and profitability
• Partner with manager and cross-functional leadership to provide insights and recommend actions that drive profitable growth

Other

• Manage a direct report, supporting the development of analytical and planning skills
• Support the creation and enhancement of reports and templates used across the planning organization

Qualifications:

Required:

• Bachelor's degree
• 5+ years of experience in merchandise planning, allocation, or financial analysis
• Proven ability to build strong cross-functional partnerships and influence decision-making
• Strong analytical, financial modeling, and forecasting skills with advanced Excel proficiency
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to synthesize data into actionable insights
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

Preferred:

• Experience managing or mentoring junior team members
• Familiarity with enterprise-level planning tools and reporting systems
• Strong understanding of retail metrics, including sell-through, turn, and inventory-to-sales ratios
• Demonstrated success driving financial results through strategic planning and in-season optimization

This role follows our in-office work model, requiring associates to work from our New York office Tuesday through Thursday each week, effective September 8, 2026.

We welcome you to apply, even if you don't check all the boxes. Our passion is scouting life-long learners who are driven by curiosity, and who feel connected to our brands and share our desire to make an impact. We're always seeking bright new talent who leverage their unique experiences to discover, grow and evolve with our teams.

Benefits + Perks

• Health & Well-being - Eligible associates and family members receive medical, dental, prescription and vision insurance, family planning (fertility, adoption & surrogacy support), fitness discounts, medical travel and more.
• Associate Discount - We love our products just as much as you do! That's why we offer a great associate discount across all of our brands (J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, and Madewell).
• Summer Fridays - In addition to our hybrid work model, we also close our office at 1:00 PM every Friday during the Summer months.
• Community Impact - We support the communities where we live and work through our philanthropic efforts and the J.Crew Cares Program.
• Winter Break - In addition to our PTO package, J.Crew Group offers a winter break at the end of December to eligible full-time associates at the Home Office to provide time to refresh and recharge.

Note: Availability of these benefits and perks may be subject to work location & employment type and may have certain eligibility requirements.

Salary Range: $86,400.00 - $111,700.00

At J.Crew Group (JCG) we aim to pay competitively for our company's size and industry. The base salary offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region of work premises, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. The base salary is just one component of J.Crew Group's competitive total rewards strategy that also includes the opportunity for bonus, competitive benefits and perks.

One of our core focuses here at JCG is creating a community and culture that builds belonging. We are deeply committed to our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, and we warmly welcome job applicants of all backgrounds.