Inventory & Merch Planning Specialist — Hybrid Role

Hot Topic; California (MO); Hybrid; USD 67,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

Hot Topic is seeking an Associate Merchandise Planner to drive inventory efficiency and sales performance from the HQ in City of Industry, CA on a hybrid schedule. You’ll partner with buying and marketing to optimize assortments and promotions using data-driven insights.

The role requires 1–2 years in retail planning, strong Excel skills, and excellent communication. A proactive, analytical mindset is essential for success in a fast-paced team environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, or a related field preferred.
• 1–2 years of experience in retail planning or inventory management.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a data-driven mindset.
• Proficiency in Excel and data analysis understood.

Responsibilities

• Monitor sales and inventory levels to support business goals.
• Analyze product performance and customer demand to optimize assortment.
• Manage and maintain the open-to-buy process, providing recommendations to align sales, margin, and inventory goals.
• Leverage KPIs such as sales, margin, and sell-through to highlight opportunities and risks.
• Collaborate with buying and marketing teams on promotional strategy.
• Use analytics tools to generate insights and assist with reporting.
• Evaluate competitive retail trends and translate insights into actionable recommendations for assortment and pricing strategies.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Data-driven mindset

Excel proficiency

Communication

Collaboration

Organization

Attention to detail

Fast-paced teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business or Finance

Tools

Excel

VBA

AI experience

Job description

Hot Topic is seeking an Associate Merchandise Planner to drive inventory efficiency and sales performance from the HQ in City of Industry, CA on a hybrid schedule. You’ll partner with buying and marketing to optimize assortments and promotions using data-driven insights.

The role requires 1–2 years in retail planning, strong Excel skills, and excellent communication. A proactive, analytical mindset is essential for success in a fast-paced team environment.