Merchandise Planner

Shortstory; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

401k with company match

Flexible PTO policy & paid holidays

Catered lunch on Fridays

Employee discount on merchandise

YC-backed startup environment

Job summary

Short Story, a fast-growing petite-focused retailer, seeks a Merchandising Planner to shape our planning foundation. You will own inventory strategies, balance new and core merchandise, forecast sales, and collaborate with vendors to optimize orders and margins.

As the first planner in the function, you’ll design processes, analyze data to uncover insights, and partner with merchandising to drive stock availability and profitability.

Qualifications

• BA or BS preferred.
• 4+ consecutive years of Merchandising Planning experience.

Responsibilities

• Take charge of strategic company planning and inventory planning to drive sales, manage inventory turnover, and exceed financial targets in your designated area.
• Design innovative inventory strategies that balance new and core merchandise, while supporting in-stock and turnover objectives within the company budget.
• Determine optimal order quantities for core items and develop flow strategies, collaborating with vendors and merchandising to ensure timely and accurate execution of purchase orders.
• Analyze historical data to extract valuable insights on product performance, pricing strategies, and inventory trends, applying these learnings to inform future seasons.
• Accurately forecast sales and inventory needs, crafting strategies that maximize opportunities and minimize risks.
• Maintain the planning system with precise parameters to enhance forecast accuracy, optimize receipt flow, and improve algorithm performance.
• Develop and implement new or enhanced forecasting models that provide greater visibility into business performance and drive informed decision-making.

Skills

Data-driven

Problem solver

Quantitative analysis

Data interpretation

Prioritization

Writing & presentation

Adaptability

Education

BA or BS preferred

Tools

Excel

Google Suites

Job description

Our Story:

Short Story is an award winning, technology powered retailer dedicated to petite women 5'4" and under. Our mission is to create a seamless shopping experience for millions of petite women so they can dress with effortless confidence.

As a fast-growing startup, we're revolutionizing retail with a data driven learning system that leverages customer feedback to create tailored products. We've been recognized by top publications like Forbes, Fortune and are backed by leading investors who share our vision of building the world's next great consumer brand.

Our Values:

We're building a company with intention and purpose. Our culture thrives on data insights, exceptional commitment to fit, and the urgency to move quickly on what matters.

• Transform Lives. We're customer-first. Everything we create exists to give her confidence.

• Demand Excellence. We deliver only our best work, in Fit and Finish. We obsess about details others overlook.

• Embrace Challenges. We see obstacles as opportunities to invent better solutions.

• Think Differently. We get a thrill from finding better solutions others haven't seen.

The Role:

The Merchandise Planner plays a pivotal role in driving the success of our merchandise assortment, focusing on maximizing sales and profitability. As the first hire in our planning organization, you will have the unique opportunity to shape the foundation of our planning processes. This role combines strategic planning with operational execution, optimizing inventory levels to enhance margin and fuel growth. The inventory guru thrives on innovation, optimization, and problem-solving, always seeking new ways to propel the business forward and meet customer demands.

Your Responsibilities:

Inventory Management and Merchandise Planning

• Take charge of strategic company planning and inventory planning to drive sales, manage inventory turnover, and exceed financial targets in your designated area.

• Design innovative inventory strategies that effectively balance new and core merchandise, while supporting in-stock and turnover objectives within the company budget.

• Determine optimal order quantities for core items and develop flow strategies, collaborating with vendors and merchandising to ensure timely and accurate execution of purchase orders.

• Analyze historical data to extract valuable insights on product performance, pricing strategies, and inventory trends, applying these learnings to inform future seasons.

• Accurately forecast sales and inventory needs, crafting strategies that maximize opportunities and minimize risks.

• Maintain the planning system with precise parameters to enhance forecast accuracy, optimize receipt flow, and improve algorithm performance.

• Develop and implement new or enhanced forecasting models that provide greater visibility into business performance and drive informed decision-making.

Who you are:

Qualifications:

• BA or BS preferred.

• 4+ consecutive years of Merchandising Planning experience.

Skills:

• Data driven individual with a curious, entrepreneurial mindset. Able to take initiative to start work quickly to meet deadlines.

• Effective problem solver, with a hands-on "get things done" mentality. You are eager and able to solve challenges and tackle opportunities, identify potential issues and hurdles, and develop ways to get around them.

• Excellent quantitative and data analysis skills. You're energized by data and are always looking to uncover insights to develop new ideas, test hypotheses, and make key recommendations.

• Proven ability to objectively interpret data and extract actionable insights that drive the business

• Effective prioritization and organization to stay positive and proactive in an ambiguous environment are a must.

• Strong writing, communication, and presentation skills.

• Understands that different situations may call for different approaches, showing the ability to be flexible in changing situations.

Technical Proficiency & Preferred Experience :

• Advanced proficiency in Excel/Google Suites and have aptitude to learn technical applications quickly.

• Have experience in the subscription business desired.

Benefits:

• Medical, dental, and vision benefits

• 401k with company match

• Flexible PTO policy & paid holidays

• Catered lunch on Fridays and company events

• Employee discount on merchandise

• Opportunity to work at a Y-Combinator backed startup alongside a dedicated and experienced founding team

Short Story is committed to providing equal employment opportunity and a work environment free of discrimination and harassment for all employees and applicants. We work diligently to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, Veteran status, or other legally protected characteristics.