Merchandise Planner

CSC Generation; United States; Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

401(k) match

Medical/dental/vision

Employee discounts

Job summary

Backcountry is seeking a Merchandise Planner to own open-to-buy plans, demand forecasting, and inventory optimization across multiple product categories. You will partner with Merchandising teams to drive sales, margin, and turnover while delivering actionable insights to leadership.

Within six months, you will lead planning cadence, Open-to-Buy reviews with senior leadership, and become the go-to analytical partner for merchandising. This is a lean team with end-to-end ownership.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of assortment, demand, or merchandise planning experience
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience
• Strong analytical skills and retail math aptitude
• Advanced Excel skills (pivot, vlookup)
• Excellent communication and presentation abilities
• Ability to influence stakeholders and build cross-functional relationships
• Adaptive to changing priorities and fast-paced environment
• Experience using AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) for real work

Responsibilities

• Develop merchandise plans aligned with goals, targets, and trends across multiple product categories
• Lead Open-to-Buy meetings and monthly reviews with leadership
• Forecast demand using historical data and market insights to guide inventory and replenishment
• Monitor inventory, analyze sell-through, and optimize turnover while minimizing stock-outs
• Perform financial analyses of sales and margins and recommend actions
• Manage division financials to meet sales, margin, and turnover targets
• Deliver structured, accurate reporting following best practices
• Identify new opportunities to maximize sales with data-driven recommendations

Skills

Retail analytics

Forecasting

Open-to-Buy

AI tools usage

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

Excel

JDA

Oracle

SAP

Anaplan

Job description

Adventure is our Culture. Join a team that celebrates a lifestyle as bold as the terrain we love. At Backcountry, we are rooted in adventure, recognition, and wellbeing on and off the mountain. We spotlight employee stories, celebrate milestones, and offer exclusive outdoor perks. Whether you are at HQ, in a retail store, or remote, you will be part of a team that thrives on energy, exploration, and connection.

Reports to: Planning Manager

Location: Cottonwood Heights, UT (Hybrid) or Remote

About the Role:

Backcountry is looking for a Merchandise Planner to own open-to-buy plans, demand forecasting, and inventory optimization across multiple product categories. As Merchandise Planner, you will partner closely with Merchandising teams to drive sales, margin, and inventory turn goals while delivering actionable insights to leadership.

Within your first six months, you will own the planning cadence for your division(s), lead Open-to-Buy reviews with senior leadership, and establish yourself as the go-to analytical partner for your merchandising counterparts.

This is a lean team. You will own a lot, move fast, and make decisions with full end-to-end responsibility.

What You'll Do:

• Develop comprehensive merchandise plans aligned with company goals, sales targets, and market trends for multiple product categories
• Own and lead Open-to-Buy meetings and monthly reviews with senior leadership
• Forecast demand using historical data, market trends, and customer insights to drive inventory and replenishment strategies
• Monitor inventory levels, analyze sell-through rates, and recommend actions to optimize inventory turnover while minimizing stock-outs and overstock
• Conduct regular financial analysis of sales performance, margin trends, and product profitability, delivering actionable recommendations to management
• Manage the financial success of your division(s) by meeting sales, margin, and inventory turn targets
• Ensure structured reporting deliverables are accurate, efficient, and follow standardized best practices
• Identify opportunities beyond day-to-day operations to maximize sales potential and surface them with clear, data-driven recommendations

Required Qualifications:

• 3+ years of assortment, demand, or merchandise planning experience, including 2+ years in a retail ecommerce environment
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with exceptional aptitude for retail math
• High proficiency with Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, vlookups, or beyond) and strong aptitude to learn new technical applications quickly
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills—able to present complex information concisely to varied audiences
• Ability to build and maintain strong cross-functional relationships and influence critical stakeholders
• Flexible and adaptive to changing priorities; able to organize and prioritize workload under pressure
• Demonstrated daily use of AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini, or similar) for real work—you iterate on prompts, evaluate outputs critically, and know when AI is the right tool vs. when it is not

Preferred Qualifications:

• Softgoods (apparel) planning experience
• Experience planning a mixed-brand business
• Knowledge of demand planning, allocation, and forecasting systems (e.g., JDA, Oracle, SAP, Anaplan)

Why Join:

The people who do best here are builders. They take ownership, move fast, and want to see the direct impact of their work.

• Cross-Functional Impact: Your analysis and recommendations directly shape buying decisions, inventory strategy, and financial outcomes across product categories.
• AI-First Skill Building: Build fluency with modern AI tools as part of your daily workflow, developing skills that accelerate your planning craft and your career.
• Ownership: Own your division(s) end-to-end—from demand forecasting through financial review—with the autonomy to drive results.
• Competitive Benefits: Paid time off policies, 401(k) match, medical/dental/vision and a variety of supplemental policies, and employee discounts across our portfolio of brands.

Interview Process:

1. Recruiter Screen - A 45-minute conversation with our recruiting team to align on the role, your background, and what you are looking for.
2. Hiring Manager Interview - Conversation with the Planning Manager focused on your planning experience, analytical approach, and how you partner with merchandising teams.
3. Take-Home Assignment - A short AI or problem-solving challenge so we can understand how you approach analysis and execution.
4. In-Person Interview - We'd like to meet you at our Salt Lake City office. Details and logistics will be arranged with your recruiter.
5. Reference Checks - Conducted in parallel with the final stages where possible.
6. Offer - We move quickly for the right candidate.

Interview process is subject to change. Any updates will be communicated promptly and clearly.

Please Note:

• Part of our interview process is a mandatory in-person interview with someone on our team prior to an offer. Candidates that are unwilling or unable to meet for an in-person interview will be removed from consideration immediately.

CSC Generation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to any characteristic protected by law. If you need an accommodation during the application process, contact [e-mail].

Employment is contingent on a background check, including verification of prior employment dates.