Merchandise Planner

Overview

Under the direction of the Senior Planning Manager, the Merchandise Planner will support plan creation and forecasting based on historical KPIs and trends. This position monitors stock to sales ratios, identifies and responds to changing sales trends, and partners with merchants to deliver results that meet or exceed goals. This role has a strong focus on in-stock, inventory levels, forward-looking buying strategy and the overall customer experience. The Merchandise Planner maintains financial, style level, and assortment plans, while providing analysis and recommendations to cross-functional partners.

Duties and Responsibilities

· Support the “Cavender’s Culture” and drive our Mission, Vision, and Values.

· Become a trusted strategic partner and provide valuable insights to varied stakeholders.

· Develop a strong understanding of Western Lifestyle customer preferences to inform recommendations and support an exceptional Cavender’s customer experience.

· Develop departmental and store plans (sales, margin, turnover) which align with corporate financial targets.

· Drive the monthly department financial forecasts (OTB management) for assigned categories, incorporating current business trends.

· Make fact-based recommendations to the merchant team and senior management. Influence future purchases and assortment strategies.

· Provide accurate and timely reporting to the merchant team to facilitate business discussions and strategy development.

· Utilize store grades and rankings to build merchandise assortment that maximize sales and GMROI.

· Leverage experience and skills to drive process improvement/development and streamline product/planning activities.

· Report on and collaborate with merchants to ensure aged inventory is addressed and appropriate price changes are made.

Qualifications and Requirements

· Bachelor’s degree in Retail Merchandising, Business or related field, or equivalent work experience required

· 3-5 years retail experience in merchandise planning, replenishment, and/or analysis

· Advanced Microsoft Excel knowledge, including pivot tables, formulas, and data manipulation for data retrieval tools

· Able to utilize queries and build reports with a BI tool

· Able to learn and intuit merchandise hierarchies and master data

· Strong collaboration skills and experience building relationships and partnering across 3rd party and internal teams

· Strong written and verbal communication skills

· Based in Tyler, TX at our home office and able to travel up to 10% of the time

Preferred Skills

· Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate business analysis into strategy

· Effective problem solving and decision-making ability; curious and able to learn independently

· Proven ability to multi-task and work in a dynamic environment

· Clear understanding of basic financial measures: sales, gross margin, weeks of supply, etc. and how to maximize these financial metrics

· Ability to clearly present and support business strategies

· Proven ability to multi-task and work in a dynamic environment

· Ability to influence and manage cross-functional partners

Cavender’s is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, military status, national origin, sex, ancestry, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, or any other personal characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law.

Cavender’s will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with a disability upon request. If you have a disability and need assistance completing the application, please call Customer Service at (888) 361 – 2555 or visit your nearest Cavender’s store.