On Lead - Merchandise Planner

On; New York (NY); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

On seeks a Lead - Merchandise Planner in New York to forecast forward-looking demand for future product assortments across the Americas, reporting to the Head of Planning within the Americas Merchandising team.

The role requires high autonomy and cross-functional leadership with regional and global partners, leveraging data-driven insights to transform brand vision into actionable commercial plans and drive profitable growth.

Qualifications

• 6+ years in merchandise planning or related analytics role.
• Experience forecasting demand across categories and channels.
• Proficiency with planning, forecasting, and data visualization tools.
• Ability to lead projects and influence stakeholders.
• Comfort navigating ambiguity and making data-driven decisions.
• Ability to build relationships across diverse teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop comprehensive seasonal merchandise plans aligned with omnichannel objectives and regional/global product strategies.
• Manage forward-looking demand forecasts to drive sell-through, product efficiencies, and profitability.
• Analyze sales performance and market trends to identify opportunities and risks; adjust strategies accordingly.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with sales, marketing, operations, and merchandising for seamless go-to-market execution.
• Provide data-backed recommendations on assortment architecture, pricing, and promotional activities across channels.
• Support implementation of new tools and processes to improve planning efficiency and reporting.

Skills

Merchandise planning

Forecasting

Data visualization

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Job description

In Short

As a Lead - Merchandise Planner, you will play a pivotal role in forecasting forward‑looking demand for future product assortments for the Americas region, reporting to the Head of Planning within the Americas Merchandising team. Though not a people leader, this role requires high autonomy and cross‑functional leadership working with regional and global partners, leveraging data‑driven insights to transform brand vision into actionable commercial plans and drive profitable growth.

Your Mission

• Develop comprehensive seasonal merchandise plans, ensuring strategic alignment with omnichannel commercial objectives, regional market trends, and global product strategies
• Manage forward‑looking demand forecasts, in effort to drive brand vision and optimal sell‑through, product efficiencies and profitability for your assigned categories
• Analyze current sales performance, market and consumer trends to identify future opportunities and risks, recommending proactive adjustments to merchandise strategies well in advance of product creation finalization
• Collaborate cross‑functionally with sales, marketing, operations, and merchandising teams to ensure seamless go‑to‑market execution and efficient product lifecycle management for new collections
• Contribute to strategic planning by providing data‑backed recommendations on assortment architecture, pricing, and promotional activities across the omnichannel for upcoming seasons
• Support the implementation of new tools and processes to enhance planning efficiency, reporting capabilities, and overall team effectiveness, identifying underlying issues and root causes for long‑term improvement

Your Story

• You bring 6+ years of progressive experience in merchandise planning or a related analytical role at a premium or performance‑oriented global retailer, ideally within the footwear or apparel industries, or in other categories with frequent product launches and seasonal complexity
• You have experience analyzing and reviewing consumer trends and marketplace data to forecast a holistic story across product categories and channels
• High proficiency with planning, forecasting, and data visualization tools, and the ability to analyze data to build clear narratives and actionable recommendations for senior audiences
• Demonstrated ability to manage end‑to‑end projects, comfortable making decisions with input from others, and delivering solutions to muti‑faceted problems
• Proven ability to navigate uncertainty and ambiguity, working to define a challenge and building plans to tackle to the problem
• You have success in making wise and measured decisions despite the lack of a predefined path
• Skilled at building effective relationships with individuals from diverse backgrounds, fostering collaborative networks across teams, and influencing outcomes through strong relational intelligence
• Experience in building and implementing tools and/or processes to increase effectiveness and efficiency, preferably incorporating and utilizing AI

Your Team

You’ll join the Americas Merchandising team, which incorporates Merchandising and Merchandise Planning, where we act as trusted advisors, setting the vision and direction for products across the region. We serve as a vital bridge between our Global Product and Commercial teams and our regional business leaders, driving cross‑functional interaction with a market‑relevant, consumer‑focused mindset. We touch on all departments to set commercial plans, identify profitable growth, and act on sales opportunities together. As our Americas team continues to grow, you’ll play a key role in driving that journey.

What We Offer

On is a place that is centered around growth and progress. We offer an environment designed to give people the tools to develop holistically to stay active, to learn, explore and innovate. Our distinctive approach combines a supportive, team‑oriented atmosphere, with access to personal self‑care for both physical and mental well‑being, so each person is led by purpose. Typical cash compensation range for this position inclusive of base + bonus + equity: $130,000-$160,000. Individual compensation packages are based on various factors unique to each candidate including experience, industry knowledge, qualifications, skill set, and location. On is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a work environment that is fair and inclusive, where all decisions related to recruitment, advancement, and retention are free of discrimination. We are requesting that you provide sensitive demographic information such as gender identity and race/ethnicity to help us ensure that we are creating equitable and fair experiences for all potential future team members. You are not required to provide this demographic information and this information will in no way impact your eligibility for hire.