Director, Merchandise Planning, Intimates - International

Victoria’s Secret & Co.; Reynoldsburg (OH); On-site; USD 152,000 - 206,000; Full time

Job summary

Victoria’s Secret International is seeking a Director of Planning to lead the merchandise planning team across global markets. You will drive the order/buy process, coordinate with Merchants, Finance, Marketing, Store Operations, Sourcing, and Demand Planning to hit financial targets and optimize inventory and markdowns.

You will translate assortment strategies into aligned buys, manage comprehensive plans, and guide pricing and events to maximize growth and margin realization across multiple

Qualifications

• 10+ years of merchandise and demand planning experience.
• 5+ years of retail management experience; international exposure is a plus.
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Proven leadership in ambiguous situations with strong communication.
• Excellent collaboration and influencing skills.
• Strong business acumen and analytical thinking.
• Familiar with forecasting methodologies and data management.

Responsibilities

• Lead Merchandise Planning for Victoria’s Secret International, aligning plans with finance, marketing, and stores.
• Develop and manage comprehensive sales, margin, and inventory plans across regions.
• Lead category planning, pricing strategies, events, and markdowns to maximize growth and margin.
• Analyze historical trends, market data, and regional insights to inform strategy.
• Ensure global inventory processes and region-specific deployments meet budgets.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to optimize in-region inventory availability.
• Review weekly sales, demand, and inventory to drive performance improvements.
• Lead multi-time zone teams and drive enterprise-wide initiatives.

Skills

Merchandise Planning

Demand Planning

Replenishment

Management Experience

International Experience

Multitasking

Leadership under Ambiguity

Communication

Relationship Building

Business Acumen

Problem Solving

Analytical Skills

Forecasting Methods

Attention to Detail

Cross-Functional Leadership

MS Office (Excel, Outlook, Teams, PPT)

MicroStrategy Reporting

Planning Systems

Education

Bachelor’s degree in finance or Supply Chain

Tools

MS Office Suite

MicroStrategy Reporting

Job description

Why You Belong Here

At Victoria’s Secret & Co, you’ll join a world-leading specialty retail brand recognized globally for innovation and excellence in lingerie and fashion. You’ll work alongside industry leaders to set the standard for what a retail brand can achieve, placing customers at the center of everything we do to create products and experiences that bring them joy.

We believe everyone deserves a place where they truly belong. We celebrate individuality and know that your passion, experience, and unique perspective strengthen our team and business. Here, you’ll be empowered to perform, grow, and engage through unmatched opportunities to develop your skills, gain real-world experience, and learn from the best in the business.

Description

Your Role

Director of Planning for Victoria’s Secret International leads the Merchandise Planning team to manage the order/buy process and ensure the best investments to maximize sales in Victoria’s Secret businesses around the world. The director serves as the key liaison between Merchants, Finance, Marketing, Store Operations, Sourcing, and Demand Planning in the development of the plans (volume / markdowns, IMU, MMU, receipts, and inventory) to achieve agreed upon financial targets for specified books of business. The director manages the merchandise planning for the VS business which requires analyzing current business trend, market data and feedback, historical data and recommend course corrections and improvements based on these assessments.

Your Impact

• Partner with North America Planning and Merchant teams to translate assortment strategies, launch cadence, and category objectives into aligned inventory buys for International markets.
• Develop, manage, and approve comprehensive merchandise and financial plans (sales, margin, profit, receipts, inventory, and markdowns) across multiple businesses, operating models, and store/ecommerce formats.
• Lead category planning processes, including assortment distortion, pricing strategy, events, markdowns, and inventory optimization to maximize growth and margin realization.
• Analyze historical and current performance, market trends, and regional insights to inform forward looking strategies; proactively identify risks and opportunities and recommend corrective actions.
• Support global inventory processes within the VS Global production and sourcing model, ensuring timely, accurate commitments and projections.
• Partner with deployment teams to ensure optimal in region inventory availability, daily execution, and priority management that aligns to partner’s financial budgets and targets.
• Review weekly sales, demand, margin, and inventory results, incorporating regional feedback to drive continuous improvement in performance.
• Build consensus with merchants and cross functional partners on forecasts financial outcomes; including revenue, margin, receipts, and inventory levels by partner, region, and operating model.
• Lead and approve financial implications of pricing changes, promotional events, and exit strategies for discontinued product.
• Assess price positioning relative to category strategy, top line growth, and margin objectives.
• Participate in enterprise Victoria’s Secret International initiatives, with a focus on technology implementation & adoption and business process optimization.
• Foster a culture of teamwork, transparency, and accountability aligned with VS Global values.
• Recruit, develop, and retain top planning talent; lead team strategy and succession planning to ensure organizational excellence.

Minimum Salary

$152,300.00

Maximum Salary

$205,800.00

VS&Co provides a range of compensation for this role as shown. Your actual salary will be determined by a number of factors, including: your specific skills and experience, geographic region, or other relevant factors.

Qualifications

Your Experience

• 10+ years of merchandise planning, demand planning, replenishment experience
• 5+ years management experience in retail. International experience an asset.
• Ability to multitask, while working in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines
• Demonstrated ability to lead the team through ambiguity
• Excellent communication and influencing skills
• Demonstrated partnership and relationship building skills
• Demonstrated business acumen
• Creative problem-solving skills, strategic thinking, and analytical skills
• Familiar with various forecasting methodologies
• Must be detail oriented and highly organized
• Ability to manage & lead multi-functional teams across disparate time zones and calendars
• Proficient to advanced computer literacy - Microsoft Office (Excel, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint), MicroStrategy Reporting
• Proficient in relevant planning, allocation, replenishment, analytical, data management, and financial systems
• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Supply Chain or related discipline, preferred

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of any applicable state and local laws. Please see links: California Fair Chance Act, Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, Philadelphia Fair Chance Law, San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance

An equal opportunity employer, we do not discriminate in hiring or terms and conditions of employment because of an individual’s race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status or any other protected category recognized by state, federal or local laws. We only hire individuals authorized for employment in the United States.