Retail Planner

About the position The Retail Planner is responsible for driving sales, optimizing inventory, and maximizing profitability through strategic planning, forecasting, and allocation of apparel products across retail and e-commerce channels. This role requires a deep understanding of retail trends, consumer behavior, and apparel product cycles, as well as strong analytical and collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain ladder plans.
• Develop and execute seasonal and annual merchandise financial plans, including sales, gross margin, and inventory.
• Analyze historical data, market trends, and current business performance to forecast demand and inform buying strategies.
• Partner with merchandising teams to create assortment plans that align with brand and financial objectives.
• Monitor and manage inventory levels to ensure optimal stock levels across stores and channels.
• Identify opportunities to improve inventory turn and minimize markdowns while maximizing sell-through.
• Collaborate with supply chain teams to ensure timely product delivery and replenishment.
• Leverage Walmart Scintilla platform’s Channel Performance, Shopper Behavior, and Customer Perception modules to provide actionable insights through sales, margin, and inventory performance analysis.
• Utilize Target’s Partners Online platform and Meijer’s VendorNet platforms to retrieve and report on KPI’s and develop suggested actions with those customers.
• Prepare and present weekly, monthly, and seasonal performance reports to cross-functional teams.
• Utilize data to identify risks and opportunities, recommending adjustments to forecasts and strategies.
• Partner with customer buying, planning, replenishment, supply chain teams to align on inventory flow quantity and timing to support sales budgets.
• Align with internal production, DC Operations to understand product lead times and manage supply chain challenges.
• Collaboration with sales teams to ensure cohesive internal financial plans.
• Work with sales teams through leveraging of accounts internal platforms to provide KPI’s and insights for category line reviews.
• Leverage planning and analytics tools (e.g., SAP, Excel, Scintilla) to streamline processes and drive decision-making.
• Stay updated on industry best practices and emerging technologies in planning and analytics.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Merchandising, Finance, related field or equivalent work experience.
• 1-3 years of planning or replenishment experience in apparel or fashion preferred.
• Strong understanding of retail math, inventory management, and merchandise planning processes.
• Exceptional analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable strategies.
• Proficiency in Excel and familiarity with planning tools.
• Knowledge of Target Partners Online and Meijer VendorNet systems preferred but not required.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• A collaborative mindset and ability to work cross-functionally.

Nice-to-haves

• Knowledge of Target Partners Online and Meijer VendorNet systems preferred but not required.

Benefits

• Competitive Pay
• Health and Wellness programs and offerings
• Time away from work
• Growth and Development opportunities
• Financial planning and wellbeing programs
• Access to benefits, programs and education to help employees protect income, pay for expenses and invest in the future
• Generous 401(k) match
• Generous discounts to our company and related companies