Sr. Manager, Business Planner (Wholesale Forecasting)

New Era Cap, LLC; Golden Horseshoe; On-site; USD 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Sr. Manager, Business Planner to join their dynamic team. This pivotal role involves optimizing demand planning and financial forecasting while collaborating with cross-functional teams. The ideal candidate will leverage strong analytical skills to develop financial models and provide insights that drive business strategy. The company offers a vibrant work environment with opportunities for personal growth and competitive compensation. If you're passionate about data-driven decision-making and thrive in a collaborative atmosphere, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Benefits

Paid Parking

Exclusive Discounts on Apparel

Professional Development Opportunities

On-site Cafe

Fitness Center

Generous PTO Policy

Qualifications

• 7-10 years of experience in demand or merchandise planning.
• Strong analytical and math skills for data-driven decision-making.
• Proficient in financial modeling and forecasting.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with teams to develop financial plans and forecasts.
• Analyze financial performance and provide actionable insights.
• Support sales strategies with data-driven recommendations.

Skills

Analytical Skills

Financial Modeling

Forecasting

Communication Skills

Data Analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance or Accounting

Tools

MS Office

Advanced Excel

Tableau

Power BI

ERP systems (SAP preferred)

Job description

New Era Cap, LLC. is an international lifestyle brand headquartered in Buffalo, NY with an authentic sports heritage that dates back over 100 years. Best known for being the official cap for MLB, NFL, and NBA, New Era Cap is the premium brand of choice not only for its headwear collection, but also for its accessories and apparel lines for men, women and youth. The brand is worn as a symbol of self-expression by athletes, artists and some of the most interesting people around the globe. New Era Cap encourages people to truly express their personal style and individuality through its products.

Since 1920, this family-owned business has hired employees who are masters of their craft. We are innovators, architects of culture, experts, and forward thinkers. We demand excellence because we pride ourselves on the quality of our products and the authenticity of our brand.

Interested in working with us? Check out this exciting opportunity at New Era Cap's Headquarters (HQ) building located in downtown Buffalo, NY. This role is 100% on-site, encouraging employees to collaborate and connect in person five days a week. HQ offers an inviting atmosphere, complete with an on-site cafe, fitness center, and Flagship store.

Apply to join New Era's team!
The Sr. Manager, Business Planner (Wholesale Forecasting) plays a pivotal role in optimizing demand planning, financial forecasting, and business strategy execution. This role is responsible for providing data-driven insights, developing financial plans, and supporting strategic initiatives across sales channels. By collaborating with cross-functional teams, including Sales, Finance, Merchandising, and Supply Chain, the Business Planner will contribute to long-range planning, performance analysis, and key account growth.

Responsibilities

Seasonal Planning and Budget Management

• Collaborate with Sales Management, Finance, and cross-functional teams to develop seasonal, annual, and long-range financial plans that align with company objective
• Create channel and key account financial plans across categories, incorporating input from Sales and ensuring alignment with revenue and profitability targets
• Develop, manage, and refine forecasts for franchise, key item, and replenishment categories to improve accuracy and optimize account sell-through
• Track in-season performance, identifying risks and opportunities against financial plans, and provide data-driven recommendations to drive improvements
• Support pre-season go-to-market milestones, ensuring financial planning is integrated into Sales strategies and account-level initiatives
• Support the annual operating plan, financial forecasting, and budgeting processes by analyzing past trends and forecasting future sales performance
• Develop financial models and scenario analyses to support sales and business decision-making
• Partner with Sales to define goals, incentive plans, and discount/markdown structures to optimize key account growth and profitability

Wholesale Forecasting, Financial Analysis & Performance Tracking

• Establish and maintain standardized reporting processes, ensuring consistency and accuracy in data-driven decision-making
• Develop, manage, and refine seasonal sales forecasts, ensuring alignment with account-specific needs, product assortments, and revenue targets while maximizing sales, margin and inventory turn
• Analyze and report on financial performance, including monthly variances to plan, forecast, and budget, identifying key trends and business drivers
• Provide wholesale and financial performance analysis for quarterly business reviews with key accounts and internal leadership
• Conduct pre- and post-sales analysis of seasonal programs and marketing initiatives to assess effectiveness
• Improve financial performance by analyzing pricing strategies, sell-in/sell-through targets, and product profitability
• Compile financial and business data from various sources (Power BI, Tableau, ERP systems) to create reports and provide actionable insights

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to satisfying internal and external customers' expectations and leverages customer feedback for continuous product and service improvements; maintains a balance between company and customer interests by building trust and developing relationships
• Work closely with Finance, Sales, Merchandising, and Supply Chain teams to ensure alignment between financial planning, demand forecasting, and inventory strategy
• Serve as a key point of contact for planning communication and seasonal business meetings, presenting insights to stakeholders across teams
• Facilitate internal business reviews, evaluating past performance and future opportunities
• Present findings to management and key stakeholders on an ad hoc basis, providing wholesale data and strategic recommendations based on financial and market analysis
• Communicate effectively with manager, stakeholders, cross-functional business leaders, sales representatives, peers, clients, and customers
• Keep all sensitive matters confidential
• Other duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Possess strong analytical and math skills with the ability to think strategically and lead data-driven decision-making
• Ability to drill down, extract, and analyze complex data
• Proficient in financial modeling, forecasting, and performance tracking, with the ability to translate data into actionable insights.
• Excellent oral and written communication/presentation skills
• Ability to work independently as a self-starter in a fast paced, high-volume environment with emphasis on accuracy & timeliness
• Demonstrate enthusiasm and embraces work with a sense of urgency
• Excels in cross-functional environments as a collaborate team player

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance or Accounting, or related field preferred; additional experience considered in lieu of degree
• Seven (7) to ten (10) years of professional experience in demand planning, merchandise planning, or providing financial support to marketing, business unit and/or sales
• Proficient in MS Office - including Advanced Excel skills
• Experience with Tableau and SPS platforms preferred
• Experience in Power BI Reporting tools and ERP a plus (SAP preferred)
• Strong forecasting and analytical skills with experience in statistical forecasting methods and demand planning systems
• Functional subject matter expertise in Merchandise Planning/Demand Planning

Travel Requirement

• The preferred location for this position is 100% on-site in Buffalo, NY, but may consider remote candidates who can travel to Headquarters as needed
• 20% to 25%; domestic and/or global for account meetings and planning sessions

New Era Cap, LLC is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer that believes in inclusion and does not discriminate against any candidate or employee on the basis of race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, genetics, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state or federal laws.

The salary range for this posted position is $ $90,000 - $125,000 (plus bonus & benefits) and pertains to candidates located in Western New York. Actual compensation will fall within this range and is determined by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, education, essential job duties and requirements, and necessary experience.

Our casual work environment celebrates individuality and encourages employees to showcase their personal style. We pride ourselves on offering competitive compensation, a generous PTO policy, along with world-class benefits designed to promote health, financial stability, and personal growth.

As an employee, you'll enjoy a range of perks, including paid parking, exclusive discounts on apparel and headwear, and professional development opportunities right here on-site. We can't wait for you to experience all that our dynamic workplace has to offer!

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