Inventory Planner, Corporate Headquarters, Se

The Children's Place; Secaucus (NJ); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Vision Insurance

Dental Insurance

Job summary

A leading children's apparel retailer is seeking an Inventory Planner in Secaucus, New Jersey. This role will manage inventory flow to stores, analyze merchandising strategies, and recommend allocations based on sales performance. Key responsibilities include collaborating with cross-functional teams to optimize inventory strategies and providing insights for future planning. The position offers a hybrid work model with a focus on data analysis and requires 2-5 years of related experience. Benefits include health, vision, and dental insurance.

Qualifications

• Experience in inventory planning or related role is essential.
• Strong data analysis skills for identifying trends and root causes.
• Proficiency in using BI tools like Cognos.

Responsibilities

• Analyze pre-season plans and adjust inventory based on sales.
• Collaborate with Merchants to refine allocation strategies.
• Evaluate trends and provide insights about product performance.

Skills

Data analysis

Retail terminology knowledge

Proficiency in BI tools

Verbal and written communication

Ability to work under fast-paced changes

Education

2-5 years of experience in related role

Tools

Cognos

Job description

The Inventory Planner will take ownership of the inventory flow from DC to stores for multiple categories. This position will partner cross-functionally to support continuous improvement in business results in their departments through the following: forecast reviews and analyses, managing allocations across time in Quantum, developing tiering recommendations for future seasons based on store sales performance, etc. This position will be responsible for season preparation and reviewing forecast and inventory exceptions. This position will analyze strategies for significant changes between years and other key metrics that will drive allocation decisions.

Responsibilities

Key Accountabilities

• Analyze pre-season plan and merchandising strategies for significant changes against last year
• Rationalize top line buy strategy and translate style, color, and plan to store level allocation strategy
• Adjust and reconcile weekly planned inventory position based on sales, inventory, price action, and trend
• Identify and review inventory exceptions and program forecast to conduct root cause analysis
• Partner with Merchants, Planning, and Visual to confirm weekly strategies
• Align allocations to support sales forecast, receipt flows, end-of-life-strategies, and future orders
• Ensure cross-functional partners are clear on replenishment strategies, new flows, and preparation for future events as part of the Inventory Planning meetings
• Evaluate trends of store sales and inventory to generate recommendations to adjust forecast and assortment
• Review and provide in-season feedback about product performance at style and region/district/store level
• Capture category/sub-season variances and trends to influence Q science
• Generate end-of-season insights around store level inventory and assortment opportunities
• Partner with the Inventory Planning Manager to create and share cross-functional recommendations around future buys
• Identify and communicate tool and process improvement opportunities to the Inventory Planning Manager
• Identify opportunities for personal development and actively pursue development opportunities
• Provide support to leadership on special projects as needed

Education and Experience

• 2-5 years of experience in related role

Skills and Behaviors

• Strong data analysis skills; ability to identify critical trends, patterns, and root causes
• High level of comfort using technology and custom tools
• Knowledge of retail terminology and common retail formulas/equations
• Proficiency in Cognos and other BI tools/data sources
• Knowledge of inventory life-cycle
• Strong sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm
• Can take on new opportunities and challenges and work through fast moving changes
• Ability to work with and build relationships with all levels of the organization
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

Details

• Full time role located in Secaucus, New Jersey
• Hybrid work model includes in-office days on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
• Health, Vision & Dental Insurance for full-time employees