Merchandise Assortment Planner

Lowe's Companies, Inc.; Mooresville (NC); On-site; USD 85,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Lowe’s, headquartered in Mooresville, NC, seeks an Assortment Planner to serve as a category analyst for line reviews and run-the-business initiatives. You will support localization, assortment optimization, and cross-functional collaboration to drive profitable merchandising decisions.

Under the Merchandising Assortment Planning Manager, you will develop analytics, clustering, and stocking strategies, aligning with Lowe’s strategic objectives and regional needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Statistics, Finance or related field or equivalent years of experience.
• 3 Years Experience in merchandising, assortment planning, finance or related work experience.
• 3 Years Experience in a retail environment, executing cross-functional project plans.
• 3 Years experience in a large retail organization, understanding how assortment planning impacts multiple functions.
• 1 Year assortment and merchandising planning with focus on retail processes.
• 1 Year retail assortment store clustering to optimize offerings by region.
• Proficient with assortment planning software (e.g., SAS, JDA, Oracle).

Responsibilities

• Assist with line review process to develop assortment strategies aligned with business goals.
• Prepare milestones for line reviews and ensure deadlines are met.
• Support localization and assortment optimization strategies to tailor offerings by region.
• Create a Stocking Matrix to optimize inventory and profitability.
• Identify white space opportunities to drive new product initiatives and revenue.
• Facilitate alignment on development of business-driving strategies across functions.
• Recommend assortment optimization and localization to meet customer needs and drive sales.
• Create customer decision trees to analyze behavior and improve assortment.
• Identify customer landscape and gaps to guide product expansion and adjustments.
• Surface growth opportunities for pro and digital channels to boost in-store and online sales.
• Use assortment planning tools to advise partners on optimization steps.
• Provide insights for continuous improvement across assortment planning processes.

Skills

Merchandising experience

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Retail analytics

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing/Statistics/Finance or related field

Tools

Assortment planning software (SAS, JDA, Oracle)

Job description

Do your Best Work in Mooresville

This position is based at our headquarters in Mooresville, North Carolina. Our corporate office is a space where you can collaborate and do your best work. Take a walk, grab a bite (or a cup of coffee), work out or get a check-up – we invest in you so you can find your inspiration.

Your Impact

The Assortment Planner role serves as the category analyst for line review and run the business initiatives, along with supporting company initiatives that drive Lowe's strategic objectives. Under the leadership of the Assortment Planning Manager, the Merchandise Assortment Planner provides analytical insights to the assortment decisions made by the merchandising organization during category reviews. Merchandise Assortment Planners assist in the development of business driving tactics such as: white space identification, localization, assortment optimization, competitive landscape, market conditions, and financial target achievement with guidance from the Merchandising Assortment Planning Manager. This role serves as a cross functional partner, assisting with team insights and recommendations to inform merchant assortment strategies (e.g. finance, supply chain, pricing, etc.)

What You Will Do

• Assist with the line review process for the assigned Merchandise Division under the guidance of the Merchandising Assortment Planning Manager to develop assortment strategies that align with overall business goals and ensure effective product offerings.
• Prepare milestones for the line review process to ensure key deadlines and deliverables are met, contributing to a smooth and efficient review cycle.
• Support the development of localization and assortment optimization strategies, including clustering, to tailor product offerings to specific customer segments and maximize regional sales potential.
• Create a Stocking Matrix to support financial targets by optimizing inventory levels across different categories, ensuring the right products are available in the right quantities to meet demand and support profitability.
• Assist with identifying white space opportunities to highlight untapped product categories or market gaps, helping to drive new product initiatives and revenue growth.
• Facilitate alignment on the development of business-driving strategies to ensure cross-functional collaboration and alignment on key goals, driving the overall success of the merchandising strategy.
• Recommend assortment optimization and localization opportunities to enhance product offerings and better meet the needs of specific customer segments, driving stronger sales and customer satisfaction.
• Create the customer decision tree to analyze customer behavior and improve product assortment by understanding decision-making factors, ultimately driving increased conversion and sales.
• Identify customer landscape and assortment gaps to highlight areas of opportunity for product expansion or adjustments, ensuring the assortment remains relevant and competitive in the marketplace.
• Surface pro and digital customer growth opportunities to identify trends and strategies that can drive both in-store and online sales, contributing to the overall growth of the brand across multiple channels.
• Utilize assortment planning optimization tools to advise merchandising partners on actionable steps to optimize product assortments, ensuring the right products are offered in the right quantities, and ultimately driving business growth and enhancing category performance.
• Provide insights for continuous improvement across assortment planning processes to identify efficiencies and enhance decision-making, ultimately improving the accuracy and effectiveness of future planning cycles and driving better business outcomes.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree Marketing, Statistics, Finance or related field or equivalent years of experience in lieu of education requirement, if applicable
• 3 Years Experience in merchandising, assortment planning, finance or related work experience
• 3 Years Experience in a retail environment, executing cross-functional project plans, collaborating across teams to deliver results and achieve business goals.
• 3 Years experience working in a large retail organization, preferably in Merchandising, Store Planning, or Store Operations, demonstrating strong business acumen and understanding of how assortment planning impacts various functions across the organization.
• 1 Year assortment and merchandising planning, including category and product management, with a focus on retail processes.
• 1 Year retail assortment store clustering, applying data-driven strategies to optimize product offerings for specific customer segments and regions.
• Proficient with assortment planning software (e.g., SAS, JDA, Oracle), leveraging tools to optimize product assortments and support data-driven decision-making.

About Lowe’s

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 100 home improvement company with total fiscal year 2025 sales of more than $86 billion. Lowe’s employs approximately 300,000 associates and operates over 1,750 home improvement stores, 540 branches and 120 distribution centers. Lowe’s is a core value S&P 500 equity stock and a dividend aristocrat. Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs focused on creating safe, affordable housing, improving community spaces, helping to develop the next generation of skilled trade experts and providing disaster relief to communities in need. For more information, visit Lowes.com. Lowe’s is an equal opportunity employer and administers all personnel practices without regard to race, color, religious creed, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. Starting rate of pay may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, position offered, location, education, training, and/or experience. For information regarding our benefit programs and eligibility, please visit https://talent.lowes.com/us/en/benefits.