Planning Manager

J.Crew; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

J.Crew seeks a Merchandise Planning Manager to lead financial and strategic planning for the division, guiding a team to optimize sales, margin, and inventory productivity. You’ll partner with Merchandising, Allocation, and senior leadership to shape the financial roadmap for assortment investments, pricing, and flow strategies.

You will also develop talent, foster collaboration, and evolve planning tools and processes to support financial integrity and growth.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in merchandise planning or related fields.
• Proven success leading planning strategy for a division or large department.
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills with advanced Excel.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing abilities across multiple levels of leadership.
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills balancing strategy and execution.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creation of sales, margin, and inventory plans by department and division.
• Analyze business performance to identify key drivers, risks, and opportunities that inform future investments.
• Partner with Merchandising to align financial goals with product strategy and assortment decisions.
• Present preseason plans and recommendations to senior leadership, clearly articulating assumptions, risks, and growth opportunities.
• Lead ongoing analysis of sales, margin, and inventory to identify trends, variances, and risks.
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to adjust receipts, pricing, and promotions.

Skills

Analytical skills

Leadership

Excel proficiency

Communication

Team development

Strategic thinking

Organizational skills

Problem-solving

Job description

As a Merchandise Planning Manager, you’ll lead the financial and strategic planning for your division — guiding a team in driving sales, margin, and inventory productivity. You’ll partner closely with Merchandising, Allocation, and senior leadership to shape the financial roadmap that informs assortment investments, pricing, and flow strategies. This role requires a strong balance of analytical acumen, strategic thinking, and leadership — someone who can both zoom out to see the big picture and dive into the details to deliver results. You’ll also play a key role in developing talent, fostering collaboration, and evolving planning tools and processes to support financial integrity and growth.

Preseason

• Lead the creation of sales, margin, and inventory plans by department and division, providing strategic guidance to planners and cross-functional teams
• Analyze business performance to identify key drivers, risks, and opportunities that inform future investments
• Partner with Merchandising to align financial goals with product strategy and assortment decisions
• Present preseason plans and recommendations to senior leadership, clearly articulating assumptions, risks, and growth opportunities
• Develop division-level strategies that drive sales, margin, and inventory turn targets

In Season

• Lead the ongoing analysis of sales, margin, and inventory to identify trends, variances, and emerging risks
• Guide the team through in-season forecasting, hindsight, and OTB management, ensuring agility and accuracy in financial decision-making
• Collaborate with cross-functional partners to make data-driven adjustments to receipts, pricing, and promotions
• Partner with Finance to monitor divisional performance and reforecast based on updated trends and financial goals
• Provide actionable insights during hindsight and investment review meetings to inform future product and financial strategies

Qualifications:

Required:

• 8+ years of experience in merchandise planning, financial analysis, or related fields
• Proven success leading planning strategy for a division or large department
• Strong analytical and financial modeling skills with advanced Excel proficiency
• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing abilities across multiple levels of leadership
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing high-performing teams
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with ability to balance strategy and execution

Preferred:

• Experience in multi-category or multi-channel retail planning
• Familiarity with enterprise-level planning tools and financial reporting systems
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional business initiatives
• Strong understanding of retail KPIs and their impact on profitability and growth