What are the responsibilities and job description for the Merchandise Planner position at '47?
*In office Monday-Thursday
Merchandise Planner
The Merchandise Planner is responsible for creating, maintaining, and managing forecasts at multiple levels of aggregation. Forecasts are developed incorporating statistical calculations and inputs from the customer, sales, and other sources as it relates to volumes, seasonality, and product mix.
Basic Functions
- Develop demand forecasts (operational forecasts) for business areas as directed
- Review historical sales trends, research demand drivers, prepare forecast data, develop statistical forecast models and evaluate forecast results
- Interact with sales, marketing, and customers to understand demand forecast drivers
- Utilize a collaborative and consensus approach to obtain and ensure that current and accurate information is used for demand forecasts
- Maintain inventory targets by product category and customer, while ensuring supply is adjusted monthly to support inventory goals
Job Functions
- Create statistical forecasts for seasonal selling and replenishment programs
- Gather, analyze and validate data
- Review resulting statistical forecast model
- Apply error analysis techniques to improve forecasting
- Review sales plan, customer forecast and demand drivers
- Review promotional plans with sales
- Review and maintain customer provided forecast data against the base statistical forecast to identify opportunities for forecast improvement
- Provide data insights for product and creative teams
- Achieve consensus for operational demand forecasts by facilitating a collaborative planning process with sales, marketing and customers
- Prepare relevant material to facilitate research and discussion
- Support and participate in Sales and Operations Planning meetings
- Monitor and analyze sales reports for internal B2B site
- Monitor trends in seasonality and promotional opportunities
- Analyze weekly sales reports, historical movement and seasonality/trends to analyze accounts and make recommendations for wholesale stock buys.
- Prepare and maintain relevant reports pertaining to demand planning, including regular forecasts for factories and distribution centers
- Work with management to forecast replenishment and ensure proper inventory levels are met to meet wholesale customers’ forecasts
- Minimize aging inventory and work with sales reps to develop plans to sell through aging inventory
*Other Duties and Responsibilities as Directed
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree
- 3-5 plus years’ experience in Demand Planning, Replenishment Planning, Forecasting, Merchandising, or Sales Planning
- Strong analytical, organizational and decision-making skills
- Strong Presentation skills
- Strong interpersonal skills are essential to effectively interact with all teams, area and levels of business affecting the forecast process
- Proficiency in statistics, forecasting, and forecasting methods with an understanding of financial and operational impacts
- Advanced excel user
- B2B experience is a plus
- APICS/IBF Certification a plus
Salary : $110,000 - $120,000