The Director of Planning is responsible for leading the financial, inventory and retail planning functions for multiple brands within the Lifestyle Group. This role will be responsible for, in collaboration with Sales, critical thinking and execution of monthly financial forecasts and budgets by account, margin planning and managing inventory forecasts (pre-season and in-season). This role will partner with Sales on reacting to retail sales results and using data to make informed future business decisions. This individual will also collaborate with cross-functional partners in Production, Finance, Operations, and other Planning partners to ensure alignment and achieve business goals. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in financial planning, retail planning, merchandise planning and inventory management. This individual will help to foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, and excellence within the total Lifestyle planning team.
Responsibilities :
- Financial Planning & Analysis
- Develop and execute financial budgets and forecasts for the division in collaboration with Sales and be capable of speaking to changes within the forecasts to budget and prior
- Collaborate with Sales and Production and Merch Planning to own and build out margin by category and account for new brands, looking to maximize opportunities for margin growth
- Update regular and ad hoc reporting and analysis to senior management or corporate
- Retail Planning
- Monitor retail selling results and partner with Sales on strategies to capitalize on opportunities and find ways to mitigate risk
- Partner with Demand Planning to make sure Retail Planning is aligned and utilizing forecasts in retail planning projections
- Work with Planning counterparts and VP Planning to execute cohesive, streamlined, retail planning reporting and processes across Lifestyle platform
- Partner with Sales to ensure we are prepared for market with OTB / zero out forecasts, bridge reports and necessary market presentations
- Lead the annual and seasonal planning processes, including assortment planning, inventory allocation, and sales forecasting
- Utilize data analytics and market insights to identify opportunities and risks, informing decision-making and driving continuous improvement
- Inventory Planning
- Actualize, maintain and build out inventory OTB flows by category by season based on the current forecast and identify areas of opportunity or concern and remaining aware of weeks of supply
- Prepare and manage inbound and outbound unit flow by location
- Monitor where we have issues with our available open to buy and work with Production on finding ways to mitigate risk
- Remain on top of excess ATS and partner with Sales on a sell-off strategy, making sure we are reflecting it in monthly estimates
Our Best Fit Candidate Would Have
Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, or fashion related fieldMinimum 8-12 years of experience in retail or financial planningStrong analytical, financial, and problem-solving skillsExcellent communication, presentation and collaboration skillsAbility to work in a fast-paced and dynamic environmentProficient in Microsoft ExcelKnowledge of SAP and Tillerman a plus