What are the responsibilities and job description for the Associate Planner position at Lucky 21?
Role Overview:
We are seeking an Associate Planner to join our growing Planning Team. This role plays a critical part in supporting and executing sales, margin, and inventory strategies across multiple storefronts and brands. The ideal candidate brings hands-on planning experience, preferably within eCommerce and/or apparel, and is comfortable owning analysis, contributing to forecasts, and influencing in-season business decisions. This position reports to the Director of Planning.
Regular Work Activities:
- Own weekly and monthly analysis of sales, margin, and inventory performance, translating data into actionable insights.
- Support the development and execution of sales, margin, and inventory plans across multiple storefronts/brands.
- Drive reforecasting of sales, receipts, and inventory with a focus on accuracy, trend identification, and risk mitigation.
- Analyze historical and current performance to recommend flow strategies, particularly for high-volume and key listings.
- Monitor open orders against sales plans and receipts, ensuring alignment to forecast and identifying gaps.
Additional Activities and Mandatory Meetings:
- Partner closely with buyers and cross-functional teams to align planning strategies with business objectives.
- Participate in weekly team meetings to review performance, identify risks/opportunities, and drive action plans.
- Create ad hoc business recaps and performance insights for internal leadership and vendor partners.
- Identify opportunities to improve reporting, tools, and processes to drive efficiency and better decision-making.
Key Skills:
- 2 years of experience in Planning, Buying, or Merchandising, preferably within eCommerce and/or apparel retail.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and make data-driven recommendations.
- Solid understanding of retail math, including sales, margin, turn, and inventory management.
- Advanced Excel skills required (pivot tables, VLOOKUPs, data manipulation; macros a plus).
- Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- Strong organizational skills with a proactive, solution-oriented mindset.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly present insights.
- Curiosity and willingness to learn new tools, technologies, and systems.
- Strong proficiency in & an openness to work with AI tools to enhance planning capabilities
Benefits:
- Paid Time Off
- Medical Insurance
- 401k Employer Match