Merchandise Planner

Ralph Lauren; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global lifestyle brand is seeking an Established Planner to join their Menswear team in London. This hybrid role demands strong analytical skills to manage planning processes effectively while driving sales and stock performance. The successful candidate will work closely with cross-functional teams, require expertise in planning tools, and have a proactive mindset. This role offers a collaborative environment aimed at achieving commercial objectives while providing insight across product categories.

Qualifications

• Experience in planning and forecasting tools and systems.
• Able to work autonomously and manage time effectively.
• Capable of building and maintaining relationships within a team environment.

Responsibilities

• Leads department trade and actions to impact topline business.
• Drives channel performance and availability.
• Accountable for WSSI management and oversight.

Skills

Strong analytical mindset

Effective communicator

Solution orientated

Expert in Microsoft Excel

Problem-solving skills

Attention to detail

Tools

BI reporting tools

Job description

Company Description

Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE:RL) is a global leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in five categories: apparel, accessories, home, fragrances, and hospitality. For more than 50 years, Ralph Lauren's reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets. The Company's brand names, which include Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Collection, Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL, Lauren Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren Children, Chaps, among others, constitute one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands. At Ralph Lauren, we unite and inspire the communities within our company as well as those in which we serve by amplifying voices and perspectives to create a culture of belonging, ensuring inclusion, and fairness for all. We foster a culture of inclusion through: Talent, Education & Communication, Employee Groups and Celebration.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Established Planner to join our Menswear team in a permanent role, based at our New Bond Street / Cork Street London offices. This is a hybrid position, with two days per week in the office. The successful candidate will be highly analytical, commercially driven, and numerically strong, with proven planning experience managing seasonal OTB, WSSIs, and have the ability to provide insight and analysis across product categories and channels. You will also thrive in a collaborative team setting and bring a proactive, solution-focused mindset. This role plays a key part in driving sales, stock, and margin performance, partnering closely with cross-functional teams to deliver against Ralph Lauren's commercial and brand objectives.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Operation/Financial

• Leads department trade and can take necessary actions. Showing awareness of impact to topline business
• Drives channel performance and availability
• Drives and optimises line card process and communicates impacts to department KPI's to key stakeholders
• Accountable for WSSI management and understands brand positioning and department impact to total channel WSSI
• Works alongside key stakeholders to support the formulation of the category long term forecast.
• Oversees inventory management process, critically assessing long and short term risks & opps against department EOH stock targets and average stock turn, and influencing key stakeholders to implement solutions
• Accountable for hindsight process and successfully delivers the strategy.
• Leads OTB process, influencing buying counterparts to meet department KPI's through optimising buying strategies and OTB management, demonstrating flexibility in approach to maximise opportunities
• Accountable for overseeing seasonal markdowns
• Works efficiently & sets department priorities Commercial Awareness
• Utilises knowledge of brand positioning and market analysis to help shape future strategies
• Oversees regular store visits and competitor reviews.

Leadership & Team

• Clearly defines and articulates expectations and sets stretch goals for the team
• Coaches and trains team, helping them to acquire the skills & knowledge to be more effective.
• Regularly reviews teams progress.
• Empowers team wellness & prioritises team psychological safety.
• Feels confident leading a team and can clearly delegate tasks.
• Actively provides candid feedback to individual team members to improve performance
• Identifies talent within own team and proactively devotes time to developing talent
• Addresses underperformance and supports those in need of development
• Builds a sense of shared ownership of responsibility within the team

Communications & Partnerships

• Creates and maintains strong working relationships within key stakeholders.
• Aligns and updates stakeholders on strategies & business goals
• Manages cross-functional projects and processes, leveraging key stakeholder's knowledge
• Delivers on process and efficiency optimisation

Experience, Skills & Knowledge

• Strong analytical mindset and experienced in using planning and forecasting tools and systems
• Effective communicator - able to communicate messages clearly and concisely to a variety of audiences
• Able to work autonomously, results orientated and able to 'think outside the box'
• Able to demonstrate logical analysis and problem-solving skills.
• Solution orientated with an entrepreneurial attitude
• Able to organize, prioritise tasks and manages time well to meet deadlines.
• Can confidently and respectfully challenge others opinions
• Demonstrates self-Awareness of their impact on others & seeks feedback on ways to improve.
• Able to build and maintain productive relationships within team environment.
• An expert in using Microsoft excel and BI reporting tools.
• Able to demonstrate resilience and remain positive during challenging periods.
• Attention to detail.
• Regularly recognises & praises good work.
• Leads by example & shows desire to mentor junior members.
• Desire to have fun at work and an appreciation for product