Merchandise Planner - Lands' End Outfitters (Hybrid)

Lands' End; Dodgeville (WI); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Lands' End in Dodgeville, WI is seeking a Merchandise Planner to act as a commercial planning partner. The role focuses on developing and executing inventory strategies that balance customer demand with revenue and profitability, while aligning with sales, program management, merchandising, sourcing, and operations.

The position requires 2-5 years of experience, strong Excel skills, and the ability to translate insights into actionable inventory plans across multiple channels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, supply chain, finance, merchandising, analytics, or related field preferred; or equivalent experience.
• 2-5 years of relevant professional experience.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute demand forecasts and inventory plans that support customer growth, service commitments, and financial objectives.
• Manage inventory planning for assigned categories, programs, customers, or business segments.
• Create pre-season forecasts, inventory investment strategies, and early buy recommendations to support seasonal demand.
• Drive sales, service, margin, inventory turn, and overall inventory productivity results.
• Analyze sales trends, customer demand, inventory performance, and business metrics to identify risks and opportunities.
• Recommend inventory actions including replenishment, lifecycle management, buy timing, and inventory optimization strategies.
• Forecast sales, demand, inventory, and service levels while monitoring performance against plan.
• Maintain accurate forecasts, inventory plans, and business assumptions within planning systems and tools.
• Partner with Sales and Program Management to align inventory strategies with customer objectives and growth opportunities.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Merchandising, Sourcing, Operations, Finance, and other stakeholders to support business goals.
• Influence business decisions through data-driven insights, scenario planning, and actionable recommendations.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives, manage key deliverables, and communicate business performance, risks, and opportunities to leadership and partners.

Skills

Analytics

Problem-solving

Decision-making

Microsoft Excel

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field

2-5 years of relevant experience

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

SAP CAR

o9 Solutions

Oracle Retail

Power BI

Job description

*This is a hybrid role with three weeks per month onsite (Mon. - Thurs.). The fourth week is fully remote. The Merchandise Planner is a commercial planning partner responsible for developing, executing, and managing inventory strategies that support customer demand, sales growth, service commitments, margin, and inventory productivity objectives. This role collaborates closely with Sales, Program Management, Merchandising, Sourcing, Production, and Operations to translate customer insights, account strategies, product performance, and business trends into actionable inventory plans.

The Merchandise Planner proactively identifies risks and opportunities and recommends actions that balance customer service, revenue, profitability, and inventory investment. This role manages assigned categories, programs, customers, or business segments of moderate complexity and plays a key role in supporting both exclusive and non-exclusive school uniform and B2B business needs.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute demand forecasts and inventory plans that support customer growth, service commitments, and financial objectives.
• Manage inventory planning for assigned categories, programs, customers, or business segments.
• Create pre-season forecasts, inventory investment strategies, and early buy recommendations to support seasonal demand.
• Drive sales, service, margin, inventory turn, and overall inventory productivity results.
• Analyze sales trends, customer demand, inventory performance, and business metrics to identify risks and opportunities.
• Recommend inventory actions including replenishment, lifecycle management, buy timing, and inventory optimization strategies.
• Forecast sales, demand, inventory, and service levels while monitoring performance against plan.
• Maintain accurate forecasts, inventory plans, and business assumptions within planning systems and tools.
• Partner with Sales and Program Management to align inventory strategies with customer objectives and growth opportunities.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Merchandising, Sourcing, Operations, Finance, and other stakeholders to support business goals.
• Influence business decisions through data-driven insights, scenario planning, and actionable recommendations.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives, manage key deliverables, and communicate business performance, risks, and opportunities to leadership and partners.

Qualifications

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong commercial mindset with ability to connect inventory decisions to customer outcomes, sales growth, margin, service, and inventory productivity.
• Clear understanding of financial and inventory measurements, including sales, gross margin, GMROI, inventory turn, weeks on hand, weeks of supply, fill rate, service levels, and inventory liability.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel required.
• Experience with planning, ERP, and reporting tools such as SAP S/4HANA, SAP CAR, o9 Solutions, Oracle Retail, Power BI, or similar platforms preferred.
• Able to develop and maintain strong working relationships with peers and cross-functional teams.
• Strong listening, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Able to present business strategies, risks, opportunities, and action plans clearly to cross-functional partners.
• Demonstrates proficiency in core responsibilities and tasks within their role.
• Works independently on routine tasks and requires limited supervision.
• Contributes to team projects and collaborates effectively with peers.

Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Merchandising, Analytics, or related field preferred; or equivalent experience
• Professional certifications are a plus
• 2-5 years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience supporting customer-driven, B2B, school uniform, retail, or multi-channel inventory businesses preferred.

*This is a hybrid role with three weeks per month onsite (Mon. - Thurs.). The fourth week is fully remote. The Merchandise Planner is a commercial planning partner responsible for developing, executing, and managing inventory strategies that support customer demand, sales growth, service commitments, margin, and inventory productivity objectives. This role collaborates closely with Sales, Program Management, Merchandising, Sourcing, Production, and Operations to translate customer insights, account strategies, product performance, and business trends into actionable inventory plans.

The Merchandise Planner proactively identifies risks and opportunities and recommends actions that balance customer service, revenue, profitability, and inventory investment. This role manages assigned categories, programs, customers, or business segments of moderate complexity and plays a key role in supporting both exclusive and non-exclusive school uniform and B2B business needs.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute demand forecasts and inventory plans that support customer growth, service commitments, and financial objectives.
• Manage inventory planning for assigned categories, programs, customers, or business segments.
• Create pre-season forecasts, inventory investment strategies, and early buy recommendations to support seasonal demand.
• Drive sales, service, margin, inventory turn, and overall inventory productivity results.
• Analyze sales trends, customer demand, inventory performance, and business metrics to identify risks and opportunities.
• Recommend inventory actions including replenishment, lifecycle management, buy timing, and inventory optimization strategies.
• Forecast sales, demand, inventory, and service levels while monitoring performance against plan.
• Maintain accurate forecasts, inventory plans, and business assumptions within planning systems and tools.
• Partner with Sales and Program Management to align inventory strategies with customer objectives and growth opportunities.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Merchandising, Sourcing, Operations, Finance, and other stakeholders to support business goals.
• Influence business decisions through data-driven insights, scenario planning, and actionable recommendations.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives, manage key deliverables, and communicate business performance, risks, and opportunities to leadership and partners.

Qualifications

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Strong commercial mindset with ability to connect inventory decisions to customer outcomes, sales growth, margin, service, and inventory productivity.
• Clear understanding of financial and inventory measurements, including sales, gross margin, GMROI, inventory turn, weeks on hand, weeks of supply, fill rate, service levels, and inventory liability.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel required.
• Experience with planning, ERP, and reporting tools such as SAP S/4HANA, SAP CAR, o9 Solutions, Oracle Retail, Power BI, or similar platforms preferred.
• Able to develop and maintain strong working relationships with peers and cross-functional teams.
• Strong listening, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Able to present business strategies, risks, opportunities, and action plans clearly to cross-functional partners.
• Demonstrates proficiency in core responsibilities and tasks within their role.
• Works independently on routine tasks and requires limited supervision.
• Contributes to team projects and collaborates effectively with peers.

Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Merchandising, Analytics, or related field preferred; or equivalent experience
• Professional certifications are a plus
• 2-5 years of relevant professional experience.
• Experience supporting customer-driven, B2B, school uniform, retail, or multi-channel inventory businesses preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

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