Merchandise Planner, New Business

Arhaus-6; San Rafael (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Arhaus is seeking a Merchandise Planner, New Business to create and maintain monthly department and item financial plans, partnering with Product Developers and Merchants to execute strategies that hit approved targets. This onsite role is based at our satellite office in San Rafael, CA.

The ideal candidate is curious, innovative, and results-oriented, with strong skills in forecasting, merchandise planning, and analysis to deliver best-in-class customer experiences while optimizing margins.

Qualifications

• Forecasting and planning capabilities to support monthly financial targets.
• Open-to-buy discipline and effective merchandise planning.
• Strong analytical skills for sales, inventory, and margin optimization.

Responsibilities

• Lead quarterly/seasonal planning with fiscal and seasonal views.
• Create annual and seasonal plans in partnership with Merchants.
• Develop pre-season item plans for sales, inventory, and margins.
• Analyze weekly trends, category performance, and seasonality.
• Set Markdown/Promo strategies to hit sales and margin targets.
• Present recommendations to senior leadership.

Skills

Forecasting

Merchandise planning

Open-to-buy

Sales analysis

Inventory optimization

Job description

Arhaus was founded in 1986 on a simple idea: Furniture and décor should be sustainably sourced, lovingly made, and built to last. Today, we partner with artisans around the world who share our vision, creating beautiful, heirloom-quality pieces that can be used—and loved—for generations.

The Merchandise Planner, New Business is responsible for creating and maintaining monthly department and item financial plans for their assigned categories and effectively partnering with the Product Developers and Merchants on identifying and implementing strategies to achieve the approved plans. This role is located onsite at our satellite office in San Rafael, CA.

The ideal Merchandise Planner candidate is curious, innovative, results-oriented, and focused on delivering a best in class customer experience through their work in executing strategy and exceeding financial targets.

Key fundamental skill sets for this role will be the following:

TACTICAL MANAGEMENT

• Lead and execute quarterly/seasonal Hindsight process inclusive of fiscal view and seasonal view as well as other product attributes.
• Develop the annual, seasonal, and merchandise plans for assigned product categories plans in accordance with company goals, historical performance, and trend analysis.
• Create pre-season item level plans for sales, inventory, markdowns/sell out plans, style counts, productivity and margin in partnership with the Director of Planning and Merchants.
• On weekly basis, initiates and oversees analysis of business trends, including but not limited to, category performance, channel selling, margin drivers, and seasonality.
• Owns Markdown and Promotional strategy setting and execution to hit sales, margin, and inventory targets for new and carryover products.
• Ability to collaborate with peers and share best-practice to ensure consistency in tools, reporting and communications.
• Routinely presents recommendations and other analysis to senior leadership and executive management related to driving short and long-term business goals including hind-sights, color/pattern selling, etc.
• Provide strategic guidance to Merchant team.

ANALYTICAL FOCUS

• Manage in-season reforecast of category unit plans/dollar plans, focusing on future opportunities as well as minimizing sales/inventory risks. Partner with Merchants to align on future direction.
• Partner with merchants to develop and propose business tactics in response to current business trends, advising them on open-to-buy, optimum unit purchasing, etc.
• Evaluate stock and sales by location for replenishment of product and make recommendations to balance inventory and optimize margins.

Requirements:

• Manage in-season reforecast of category unit plans/dollar plans, focusing on future opportunities as well as minimizing sales/inventory risks. Partner with Merchants to align on future direction.
• Partner with merchants to develop and propose business tactics in response to current business trends, advising them on open-to-buy, optimum unit purchasing, etc.
• Evaluate stock and sales by location for replenishment of product and make recommendations to balance inventory and optimize margins.

AI Code of Conduct

At Arhaus, we believe great hiring starts with authentic human connection. Throughout your candidate experience, you will be engaging with real recruiters, hiring managers, and interviewers who are focused on getting to know you, your experiences, skills, perspectives, and potential. We encourage candidates to use AI to support resume refinement, interview preparation, brainstorming, and communication. All application materials, assessments, and interview responses must accurately reflect your own experiences, qualifications, and capabilities. We ask that you participate in phone and virtual interviews without using AI to develop your responses. To protect the integrity of our hiring process and the confidentiality of information shared during interviews, candidates may not record, transcribe, or use AI-powered note-taking tools during interviews. We expect all candidates to participate in the hiring process with honesty and integrity. For take-home assignments or role-specific assessments where AI use is permitted, we request transparency on which specific tools were used and how the tools were used and expect an explanation of your approach, contributions, and decision-making.

Arhaus is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind.Arhaus is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment.All employment decisions at Arhaus are based on business needs, job requirements, and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or belief, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate. Arhaus will not tolerate discrimination or harassment based on any of these characteristics. Arhaus encourages applicants of all ages.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.